Naicker’s journey from undergraduate to doctoral status has been entirely within the halls of UKZN, where she completed her BSc, BSc Honours and MSc degrees – all summa cum laude!

Naicker was supervised by Professor Sunil Maharaj and Dr Byron Brassel and conducted her research under the auspices of the Astrophysics Research Centre (ARC) – South Africa’s leading research group on gravity and its applications.

Her PhD research focused on Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity, a subclass of Lovelock gravity, which is itself a higher-dimensional generalisation of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity. Naicker investigated the gravitational behaviour of stellar models by solving the nonlinear field equations that govern these models in Lovelock gravity. The equations are notoriously difficult to solve, but Naicker was able to derive new exact solutions which shed light on how gravitating systems such as stars and black holes behave in regimes where classical General Relativity might break down.

‘Lovelock gravity introduces higher-order curvature terms into the equations of gravity,’ Naicker explained, ‘and studying these helps us understand gravitational interactions in extreme conditions, such as near black holes or in the early universe. My work contributes to uncovering the gravitational dynamics of astrophysical objects in higher dimensions, which could address some of the unresolved questions in cosmology and quantum gravity.’

Maharaj, who is the Director of ARC, praised Naicker’s work: ‘Shavani has been working on Lovelock gravity, an extension of Einstein’s theory, which is critical in understanding gravitational phenomena. She has obtained novel solutions to the field equations which are providing deep insights into the behaviour of stellar models. This work is making an impact in the field and we encourage her to continue this important research direction.’

Said Brassel: ‘I have known Shavani for eight years now and what stands out is what an astute student she has been over that entire period. I first taught her Mechanics in second year where she did exceedingly well and scored one of the highest marks. A few years later, I taught her the honours general relativity course, after which she started a project with me and Professor Maharaj. She has been working with us ever since, producing wonderful work and insights. She has been a pleasure to interact with and I hope this collaboration is a long one.’

Naicker’s academic career has been marked by distinction. Inspired by a childhood fascination with the night sky and the intellectual legacies of Einstein, Hawking and Newton, she gravitated naturally toward astrophysics and mathematics. Her undergraduate studies in Mathematics with majors in Astronomy and Applied Mathematics laid a strong foundation for her later research. It was during her honours degree, inspired by Brassel, that she committed fully to a research trajectory in Applied Mathematics.

The significance of her research extends beyond theory, intersecting with national and international astronomical efforts, such as the MeerKAT and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope projects. Her work aligns with cutting-edge initiatives to probe the large-scale structure of the universe and test the limits of gravitational theories.

Naicker is now a postdoctoral fellow at ARC, supported by the National Research Foundation Scarce Skills Postdoctoral Fellowship, continuing her work under the supervision of Maharaj. Her long-term goal is to become a professor and ultimately the Director of ARC, a role that would allow her to continue her contributions to astrophysics while mentoring future generations of researchers.

She currently has four peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and was recognised nationally receiving the South African Women in Science Award in the doctoral student category for Astronomy. Naicker is also an active mentor in UKZN’s STEM MentHer programme, which supports the academic development of young women in science.

She credited her success to the guidance of Maharaj, Brassel and Professor Rituparno Goswami as well as to the steadfast support of her family, her partner Hari, and her academic mentors.

‘Obtaining a PhD in Applied Mathematics with a specialisation in relativistic Astrophysics is the realisation of a lifelong dream,’ she reflected. ‘It stands as a testament to years of hard work, resilience and an enduring curiosity about the universe. I hope my journey inspires others – especially young women – to explore the fascinating world of STEM.’

When she isn’t solving the universe’s mysteries, Naicker enjoys reading, dancing Zumba, watching movies and relaxing with music.

Words: Sally Frost

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini