adriana marais profile
LMS? Issue 6 | 2013?
17
As a child from King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape, Adriana Marais had her heart
set on becoming an astronaut. Determined to explore space, after completing high
school, Marais began her Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in physics at the University
of Cape Town (UCT). It was during her degree that this budding scientist discovered her
passion for science, in particular theoretical physics. Just over a decade later, despite
having altered her initial career path, Marais has achieved great success in the South
African scientific industry. She currently holds a Masters (MSc) degree (summa cum laude)
in quantum cryptography and was recently named as one of only two South African
winners of the 2013 L’Oréal-UNESCO Regional Fellowships for Women in Science (FWIS) in
sub-Saharan Africa. She recently sat down with LMS to discuss her achievements.
Q
Could you please tell the
LMS readers a little about
yourself?
I was born in King William’s Town in
the Eastern Cape and went to school
in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal
(KZN). In 2003, I received