A Midlands State University (MSU) postgraduate candidate has returned from a three-month research attachment at the University of Cambridge, marking a significant achievement in research-related, international exchange programmes.
Ms. Evernice S. Chikukwa, a first-year PhD student in Chemical Technology, undertook the exchange at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry.
Her visit was funded by the Cambridge-Alborada Research Fund, which supports collaborative research between Cambridge and institutions in the developing world.
During this period, Ms. Chikukwa was hosted by Professor Andrew Wheatley and integrated into his research group.
Her PhD research, which focuses on developing MOF-based monolithic systems for advanced applications like drug delivery, centres on the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (specifically UiO-66) and the encapsulation of CdSe quantum dots using solvothermal and microwave-assisted methods.
“The opportunity was transformative,” Ms. Chikukwa said. “The exposure to high-level laboratories and mentorship broadened my scientific perspective and inspired me to advocate for enhanced research capacity in developing contexts.”
She also received intensive training in world-class analytical techniques, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD).
The exchange was jointly supervised by Professor G. Mehlana of MSU and Professor Wheatley at Cambridge, with Professor Mehlana emphasising the importance of such partnerships for elevating the university’s research profile.
Ms. Chikukwa expressed her gratitude to the Cambridge-Alborada Fund, her supervisor Professor Mehlana, and Professor Wheatley’s research group for their support and hospitality.
Her achievement underscores MSU’s strategic commitment to fostering global partnerships that provide students with world-class research experience and build institutional capacity for scientific excellence.
