JMU research opportunity in 2010 remains invaluable

Veve Zungu works in the JMU clean room on research that resulted in a better way to get gold thin film to stick to plastics, a highly desireable discovery for several industries.

The opportunity to co-author an article that was published in a peer-reviewed science journal was among the highlights of Vezekile Zungu's research experience at JMU during the summer of 2010.

"It was a great privilege to be part of research that was conducted largely by a team of undergraduates under the supervision of Professors Brian Augustine, Chris Hughes and Tom Devore," Zungu said from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, where she is working on a master's degree in chemistry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. "I value the experience that I obtained in that short period of time. It is of immense help to me even at the postgraduate level."

Zungu plans to pursue a doctorate after getting her master's degree and maybe return to the U.S. as a post-doctoral researcher. Ultimately she hopes to work in the pharmaceutical industry—not the typical career for someone from Zungu's village, especially females. She is the first person in her family to get a college degree.

While she was at JMU, Zungu helped with research that led to a breakthrough in getting gold film to adhere to plastics, research that could be valuable to a number of industries from biomedicine to computer chip manufacturers. Augustine arranged for Zungu to come to JMU for the summer in hopes it would give her the skills she needed to continue her education beyond her third undergraduate year. In South Africa, university students must apply for and be accepted into the fourth year, which is called an honors year.

The trip, her first out of Africa, had other benefits too. "It was a great opportunity to interact with people from different ethnic groups," she said. "Being away from home is not easy, so you learn to be independent and build new relationships."

Zungu said she returned to South Africa inspired to succeed and to encourage her classmates to work hard at their studies. "I do feel like a role model to my peers," she said. "They see that I'm succeeding academically and that makes them look up to me."

Eric Gorton, JMU Public Affairs