Tshwane University of Technology

Dr Vathi Papu-Zamxaka

Dr. Vathi Papu-Zamxaka is a research and innovation leader currently serving as Deputy Vice- Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement at Tshwane University of Technology. She holds a PhD degree in Public Health from London South Bank University in the United Kingdom and a Master of Science degree in Public Health from the University of Umeå in Sweden. She has recently been awarded a certificate of completion for the Leading in Artificial Intelligence: Exploring Technology and Policy Program at Harvard University in the United States of America. She worked at the Medical Research Council as a Senior Scientist, and as a Project Director for Microbicide Trials Network at Perinatal HIV Research Unit. She later joined the National Research Foundation as a Director for Applied Research & Innovation Grants and subsequently took a position of Director for Reviews & Evaluation. She then moved to a multinational research company, Synexus Clinical Research, where she served as the Country Director, overseeing South Africa, Uganda & Tanzania.

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Whilst in private sector, she served as the Board member for the National Research Foundation and for Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. She is currently serving as a Board member for Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, a Pharmaceutical company, based in Cape Town. As a passionate Scientist, she has been featured on a number of magazines and has been interviewed by a number of radio & TV stations on Science matters. She conceptualised and produced a TV show, profiling Scientists in the country, which she hosted on DSTV, channel 265.

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She joined TUT as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Engagement in November 2020.