Martha Chadyiwa

Professor Martha Chadyiwa is a distinguished Associate Professor of Public Health at Sefako Makgatho Health Science University, renowned for her exceptional leadership in Environmental and Occupational Health. Her impressive academic credentials include an MBA from Twente University (Netherlands), a PhD in Public Health from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a B.Ed Honors in Education Leadership and Management from the University of Johannesburg. Her leadership excellence is demonstrated through her tenure as Head of Department of Environmental Health at the University of Johannesburg (2012-2017), where she spearheaded the development of the Master of Public Health curriculum and pioneered an innovative MPH chatbot, as well as her influential role as Vice-Chair of the U21 Sustainable Development Goals committee (2019-2024).

A prolific researcher and internationally recognized scholar, Professor Chadyiwa has established herself through extensive publications in high-impact journals, editorial board memberships across prestigious academic publications, and successful research funding from organisations including the South African Medical Research Council. Her scholarly excellence has been acknowledged through numerous accolades, including being named among South Africa's InspiringFifty women in STEM (2021), receiving the Black Women in Science Fellowship (2025), and winning the Olympus International Awards South Africa (OIASA2025).