Masters and Doctorate Symposium panel:

Judy van Biljon holds the National Research Foundation’s Chair in Information and Communication for Development (ICT4D) hosted by the School of Computing at the University of South Africa (Unisa). She is passionate about the use of Human-Computer Interaction principles to improve the design and evaluation of technology for marginalised groups and sustainability in digital learning for resource-constrained environments. She promotes research collaboration and capacity building through initiatives such as the establishment of the Southern African Chapter of the International Network for Postgraduate Students in ICT4D (IPID). Currently she serves as Associate Editor of Information Technology for Development and as a Senior Editor of the Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries.

Tendani Mawela is an Associate Professor at the University of Pretoria in the Department of Informatics. Prior to joining academia, she worked as an IT and Management consultant on projects across both the private and public sectors. She received her doctorate in Informatics from the University of Pretoria. She is a Y2 NRF-rated researcher, and her primary research interests are in Digital Government, Digital Skills and the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for sustainable development. She currently serves as President of the council for the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists (SAICSIT).

Professor Efosa C. Idemudia, an internationally known scholar, is a Professor of Business Data Analytics/Information Systems at Arkansas Tech University. In addition, Prof. Idemudia is the Program Coordinator for Business Data Analytics and Marketing at Arkansas Tech University. Professor Idemudia holds degrees from universities located on three different continents: a PhD in Management Information Systems from Texas Tech University, a Master’s in Computer Information Systems from the University of Texas at El Paso, and an MBA in International Business from the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration; he completed his Fulbright at the Lagos Business School and Carnegie Fellow at Covenant University. He participated as a member of the University System of Georgia’s Academic Advisory Committee for Computer Disciplines for five years and is a member of Strathmore Who’s Who of Professionals. Professor Idemudia taught both graduate and undergraduate students as a visiting scholar in the Computer Information Systems (CIS) Department at Georgia State University, which the U.S. News & World Report ranked within the top ten CIS departments in the United States. Dr Idemudia is a board member and associate editor of many reputable international Journals.

Prof Willie Chinyamurindi is a National Research Foundation (NRF) Rated Researcher (Y2) working at the University of Fort Hare as a Professor within the Department of Business Management. He considers himself as a pan-Africanist and is a scholar with intent in promoting such ideals in his work. In 2021, he served as Co-Chair of the South African Young Academy of Science, in addition to his professional membership with this society.

As a broad theme, his research is along aspects of human and organizational capabilities and how they contribute towards the theme of development. This entails aspects such as: a) Human Resources Development (HRD) and Organisational Psychology covering sub-themes such as careers, employability, decent work, technology in HRD. b) Interpretivist research methods within the management sciences. c) Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management especially the intersection of strategy in organizational behaviour.

Prof Chinyamurindi is a recipient of numerous research funds from organizations such as the: a) NRF; b) South African Medical Research Council; c) Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; d) National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences to note but a few. Through this funding, Prof Chinyamurindi has managed to assist his students and advance his career.