Regina Maphanga hopes to form an HPC outreach program for South Africa that could serve as a template for use in the greater SADC region.
Maphanga completed bachelor of science degrees in mathematics and physics in 1998, a bachelor of science with honors degree in physics at the University of the North, South Africa in 1999, and a PhD in physics at the University of Limpopo, South Africa in 2005.
I’m eager to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers for women, and to become an HPC ambassador!”
She has served as a junior lecturer at the University of Limpopo since 2007, and as a postdoctoral research fellow from 2005-2006. As a senior research scientist and physics lecturer in the U-Limpopo Materials Modeling Center, her current research focuses on computational modeling of cathode materials for lithium ion batteries for use in energy storage devices. Her primary research interest is in theoretical or computational modeling of materials using first principle and atomistic simulation methodologies.
Regina received the U-Limpopo Women in Science award in 2006 and the 2009 & 2010 National Science and Technology Forum awards for the most distinguished young black female researcher. The award is sponsored each year by the South African National Research Foundation. She is a member of the South African Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics (UK), Africa Materials Research Society, Women in Physics in SA, and University of Limpopo Women Academics Solidarity Association; and participated in the 4th IAP Young Scientists Conference in Dalian held in conjunction with the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, September 2011, in China.
