By Keneilwe Bungile
I often say my journey into science began long before I entered a laboratory. It began in primary school classrooms where I first fell in love with numbers, formulas, and the magic of science. I have always excelled in science subjects, and that passion has guided me to a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Environmental Science at the University of Botswana.
After graduating, I was fortunate to join the Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory as an Assistant Scientific Officer. There, I worked on testing chemical residues in beef products for the EU market my first taste of how scientific work can shape national economies and protect public health. That role inspired me to deepen my expertise, and I pursued a Master of Applied Chemistry at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia.
My career path continued evolving. In 2003, I joined the National Food Technology Research Centre (now part of NARDI), where I transitioned from general chemical food analysis to research focused on food safety. A pivotal moment in my career was earning a PhD in Biological Sciences from Ghent University in Belgium, where I specialized in pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.
Today, I serve as Chief Research Scientist – Food Safety and Quality at NARDI. I initiate, plan, and lead needs-based research to ensure that the food reaching our shelves both locally and internationally is safe and nutritious. I also guide stakeholders on relevant food safety standards and represent Botswana in various national, regional, and international forums where food safety is at the heart of the agenda.
Analytical chemistry is my specialty, particularly chemical food analysis. What excites me most is how tangible its impact is, knowing that a sample I’ve tested contributes to safe food on someone’s plate, or that my research informs national food safety policies. That sense of purpose is deeply fulfilling.
One of my proudest achievements has been completing my PhD and growing into a leadership role where I can influence not only research outcomes but also national decision-making. I am currently part of several regional projects and sit on various national advisory committees on food safety and chemistry. There’s a quiet joy in seeing products in supermarkets that have passed through NARDI’s lab services, whose nutritional labels and safety standards were shaped, in part, by our work.
Of course, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. As a woman in science, balancing family life with international academic opportunities was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. It requires a strong support system and a clear vision of what success looks like. Thankfully, I’ve always been surrounded by supervisors and mentors who encouraged me, not only to grow but to aim higher especially when I hesitated to take the PhD plunge.
I’ve been fortunate not to face gender bias in the field of chemistry, but I believe more still needs to be done to make scientific careers more inclusive. We need work environments that acknowledge both professional ambition and family life, creating space for women to thrive without compromising either.
Looking ahead, my goal is to strengthen Botswana’s food safety systems to meet international benchmarks and contribute solutions to global food safety issues. If I could work on any scientific breakthrough, it would be to develop faster and more affordable methods for testing food safety and nutritional content tools that would revolutionize value addition for our local produce.
To the young women aspiring to enter science, I say this: Hard work brings results. Find joy in your journey. Be open to opportunities, even those beyond our borders, because the world truly is a global village.
The author is a Records Manager at NARDI and also the CCARDESA ICKM Focal Point Person for Botswana.
