“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”  – Mae Jemison

Francine Tshekanabo Mampela, embodying Mae Jemison’s words, is a Master’s student in Food Technology at the University of Johannesburg. Born in Congo, she has never wavered in her passion, curiosity and determination to learn, gain knowledge and create meaningful change -not only in her field of study but in every space she enters and with every opportunity she seizes. In the interview, we learn about her academic background, motivations for choosing her field, perspectives on sustainability, and the strategies for balancing multiple roles as a student, tutor, entrepreneur, and researcher.

Academic Background and Motivation
Francine was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and pursued her early studies there before enrolling at Tswana University of Technology (TUT) where she started her academic journey in Biotechnology. Throughout her Biotechnology degree, her understanding of the food industry deepened, along with her passion for providing healthy food products and educating individuals about what they consume. This ultimately led her to change her field of study and pursue a career in Food Technology. She completed her undergraduate and advanced diploma studies in Food Technology, earning several academic awards such as the Menji award and from her Faculty at the University in recognition of her exceptional performance. She transferred from TUT to the University of Johannesburg where she is currently enrolled in a master’s program, combining advanced coursework with a research project focused on developing functional beverages intended to improve public health.
Francine described that her initial interest in food science evolved into a passion for Food Technology after realising the field’s capacity to address both practical and systemic challenges in food production, nutrition, and sustainability. When asked why she changed from Biotechnology to Food Technology, her answer was simple, yet clearly reflecting her passion for the food industry: “My choice to change was guided by my interest in contributing to broader health outcomes, and Food Technology aligned with my principles of responsible production,” she explained.

Perspective on Food Technology and Community Impact
Francine painted a clear picture of the role Food Technology can play in addressing pressing societal issues, particularly in Africa. Her take on Africa’s need for healthy, home grown food is mainly based on the fact that Africa’s rapidly growing population necessitates for local innovation in food production, nutrition, and sustainability. This observation fuelled her research on improving food products aligning her research with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 ( climate action).
Francine’s argument is that food technologists have a responsibility to close the knowledge gap between industry and consumers, emphasising the importance of consumer education, such as understanding food labels and production processes, to empower healthier and more informed choices. She states that she sees her work as a means to contribute to systemic change in how food is produced, processed, and consumed, with an emphasis on reducing waste and improving nutrition.

Academic Achievements and Research Focus
Throughout her academic journey, Francine has received multiple academic awards from both the University of Johannesburg and Tshwane University of Technology. From TUT, she received the best performing student award in 2022 from the department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, two Menji awards for best performing Congolese student in the Faculty of Science. Her academic excellence did not end at TUT, when she transferred to the University of Johannesburg, she was awarded the top student award from the department of Biotechnology and Food Technology along with two Umoja awards from the UJ Congolese Society for being top student. As seen from her academic background, Francine dedicated herself to her studies, ensuring that she excelled in every thing she did. She is a master’s student doing research on the transformation of what we would consider as waste from fruits into beverages and other sources of nutrition we can benefit from it. Her view on her work is that it is an applied contribution towards healthier product development, especially in places where fresh produce may not always be available or affordable.

Balancing Multiple Roles and Reflections on Motivation
Beyond her academic commitments, Francine runs a business – a salon at UJ APB campus- and has remained active in community and church programs demonstrating a strong capacity for balancing multiple roles, and is also an executive committee member of the UJ Congolese Society serving as an academic representative. When asked how she manages to balances her studies, business, and personal life, she emphasized on the fundamental principles of living a balanced life, explaining that “achieving this balance requires intentional time management, discipline, and a clear sense of purpose rooted in self-awareness and honesty.” For Francine, achieving a balanced life is not solely a matter of individual effort but is also shaped by the community one chooses to engage with. She points out the need to surround ourselves with motivated peers, consulting lecturers, and leveraging online resources to deepen understanding.
“As students, we need to approach our studies with focus and consistency, breaking tasks into manageable parts to avoid feeling overwhelmed, and always ask questions without fear where you do not understand,” she explained. Central to Francine’s ability to sustain this workload is her commitment to maintaining a clear, consistent goal, even when plans require flexibility. Being a full time master’s student and entrepreneur is no child’s play but for Francine her mindset and will to not give up on her goals at the first sight of trouble shows her resilience and determination to remain consistent no matter the circumstances. Giving op on one’s goal at the first sight of trouble is unhelpful. She stressed the importance of matching personal values with career goals, not only does it give you a firm foundation but it keeps you grounded and rooted because you are not separating yourself from what you enjoy doing. For Francine, university is not only limited to the knowledge she can acquire in a lecture hall or what her chosen degree teaches her, but her view on university is that it’s a knowledge filled space. She stated the importance of staying open-minded about career paths, seeing university not just as a job training but as a way to learn, adapt, and knowledge in many different situations.

Career Aspirations and Future plans
When discussing her future plans, Francine expressed a strong interest in academia. She aims to become a professor, combining teaching, research, and mentorship to guide the next generation of food technology professionals. Her goal is not to stay coped up in industry work, but work collaboratively on projects and innovations. Her passion for academia doesn’t necessarily mean that she will not get involved in industry, her goal is to maintain a connection to industry through entrepreneurial initiatives, applying research insights to develop practical solutions to food system challenges.

Closing thoughts and Conclusions
In her closing statement, Francine calls her peers and fellow Africans to recognise the continent’s vast potential and assume responsibility for it’s sustainable development, urging: “As you study, make sure you will be able to resolve at least one problem. Do not sell yourself short but take the first step to being the person who believes in something.” Her words are not only meant to bring about encouragement but inspire purpose and intentionality. Francine stressed the need for local solutions, collaborative efforts, and a mindset of service and problem-solving, encouraging openness to partnerships and knowledge-sharing as essential for accelerating the progress.
Francine’s message aims to inspire every single individual to see themselves as active contributors to societal change, capable of addressing at least one meaningful problem through their education and careers. By sharing her vision of personal responsibility, collective action, and problem-solving leaderships, Francine calls on students and graduates to not only pursue individual success but to become part of the solution to Africa’s and the world’s most pressing challenges.