Dr Sfundo Gumede was conferred with his doctorate in applied mathematics for his research on relativistic shear-free fluids-important fluids in astrophysics and cosmology.
As the first person in his family to obtain a university degree, Mangosuthu University of Technology lecturer, has continued broken records by being the first in his family to attain a PhD.
Dr Sfundo Gumede was recently conferred with his Doctorate in applied mathematics for his research on relativistic shear-free fluids - important fluids in astrophysics and cosmology - which is a step towards propelling his career in academia.
He has also blazed a trail with his research to find new solutions to scientific equations for relativistic fluids since exact solutions to the field equations can be used to investigate the physical properties of observable cosmological phenomena like stars.
His research applied mathematical equations to the study of physical phenomena as part of his interest in using various techniques to solve differential equations.
This research resulted in new exact solutions to the Einstein-Maxwell field equations in four-dimensional and higher-dimensional spaces, a significant advance in the subject. He has published papers, on “First Integrals of Shear-Free Fluids and Complexity” and on “Charged Shear-Free Fluids and Complexity in First Integrals” in the Entropy journal, with a third publication forthcoming.
With academics an unfamiliar concept in his family, Dr Gumede’s family nonetheless supported him when he decided to pursue a career therein and trusted his decision. And they have not regretted it.
Born and raised in Mtubatuba in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Gumede, grew up curious about the structure and the origin of the universe and what underpinned the behaviour of astronomical objects like stars.
Having completed his schooling there, he initially set out to qualify as a mathematics and science teacher but an encounter with someone at the University of Zululand’s (UNIZULU) admission office who saw his excellent results in mathematics led him to enrol for a Bachelor of Science that broadened his career options.
As he continued to study mathematics, he learnt about the branch that concerned astrophysics, which he said fitted in with his curiosity about the workings of the universe. As he delved further into the subject, he learnt that the physics of the world and astronomical objects can be described using the laws of mathematics.
At UNIZULU, Gumede completed his Bachelor of Science in mathematics and statistics and Bachelor of Science honours in mathematics with distinction before going on to complete a postgraduate diploma in higher education at Rhodes University.
With ambitions to complete his PhD full-time, Dr Gumede’s responsibility to his mother and siblings, however, led him to join the workforce after he completed his Honours degree, achieving all of his subsequent degrees part-time.
Dr Gumede joined MUT in Umlazi as a junior lecturer and chose to continue with his Master’s studies at UKZN due to its proximity to MUT and its high rating in terms of its postgraduate offerings, especially in mathematics. He has now chalked up more than 10 years’ experience as a lecturer.
He graduated with his Master’s from UKZN summa cum laude and continued with PhD studies under the supervision of Professors Sunil Maharaj and Kesh Govinder. His topic tackled the Einstein-Maxwell field equations, part of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity that describes gravitational interactions between bodies.
Achieving such excellent results for his PhD was challenging, particularly as Dr Gumede had to balance full-time lecturing with his studies, as well as prioritise time with his wife and two young children.
“For me, obtaining a PhD is a dream come true and the culmination of my hard work and resilience,” said Dr Gumede.