Being recognised in the Mail & Guardian Power of Women 2025 awards in the STEMi (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation) category is a moment I receive with deep gratitude. Recognition has a way of making you pause, not to celebrate an ending, but to reflect on the journey that brought you here. For me, this moment is both professional and deeply personal.

A Girl from Mthatha with a Clear Dream

I was born to Lumkile Philip Sinyanya and Lulama Victoria Sinyanya in Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and raised in a home grounded in love, family, and strong values. I have always been a daddy’s girl, and as a child, I was endlessly curious about the world. I wasn’t necessarily the child constantly reading books, but I watched documentaries obsessively with my dad and siblings, asking questions about everything around me.

I want to be known all over the world as that smart chic.

At the time, it sounded playful, even amusing, although my mother would often say and still does to this day, “When Kolie says she will do something, she goes ahead and does it.” Today, being recognised by a national platform like Mail & Guardian feels like a quiet confirmation that the child who dreamed boldly understood something important long before I did.

The Work Behind the Recognition

The Power of Women recognition honours women who challenge limitations and lead with purpose. My work has always lived at that intersection. As an ocean biogeochemist and the Founder and Director of Ulwazi Scientific Communications and STEM Research, my role extends beyond traditional science. I work to bridge research, policy, and society, supporting researchers, advising institutions, mentoring scholars, and helping translate complex science into knowledge that can influence real change.

A typical day may involve reviewing doctoral research, consulting on ocean policy discussions, engaging with media platforms, or delivering talks that make science accessible to wider audiences. This recognition acknowledges not only scientific work, but also the belief that knowledge must move beyond academia to serve people.

Visibility as Responsibility

Over the years, I have had the privilege of sharing my work through platforms such as Mail & Guardian, Forbes Science, CNN, Radio 702, and 5FM, to name a few. Visibility, for me, has never been about personal spotlight. It is about representation!

Every public platform expands the possibilities for leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), especially for young African women who may not yet see themselves reflected in scientific spaces. The recognition from Mail & Guardian reinforces something I have long believed: science belongs to everyone, and African voices must help shape global conversations.

Building Without Waiting for Permission and What This Moment Means

Looking back, I realise that much of my career has been shaped by building paths rather than following them. I did not wait for existing roles to define my work. Instead, I created spaces where science, storytelling, entrepreneurship, and African knowledge systems could coexist. Sometimes new ideas feel unfamiliar to others at first. But innovation often begins exactly there, at the edge of understanding. This recognition affirms that creating new pathways matters.

The Mail & Guardian Power of Women recognition is more than an individual milestone. It represents a broader shift, a recognition of women who are redefining leadership, knowledge, and impact in South Africa. I receive this honour with gratitude for the communities, mentors, collaborators, and ancestors who continue to guide my journey.

From Mthatha to national recognition, the journey has never been about fitting into expectations. It has been about expanding possibilities, for myself and for others who will come after me.

To Women Turning the Impossible into Unstoppable

If there is one message I would share, it is this:

Trust your vision, even when it arrives before understanding does. You do not need permission to build something meaningful. Sometimes the dream you spoke aloud as a child is already leading you toward the life you were meant to live.

Dr Kolisa Yola Sinyanya
Ocean Biogeochemist | Founder and Director, Ulwazi Scientific Communications and STEM Research
Mail & Guardian Power of Women 2025- STEMi Recognition