Dreaming and implementing ideas
Dreaming and implementing ideas

Dreaming and implementing ideas

Dr Natangue Heita Shafudah, a man of many hats, is part of a University of Namibia (Unam) team that is spearheading research on hydrogen for the country to become a greener nation.
Wetumwene Shikage
Jeanette Diergaardt



In August, President Hage Geingob announced that Namibia is ready to be transformed into a greener country. For successful implementation, advice for implementation and workability is given by various players.

Hailing from the Ondobe constituency, Shafudah believes in giving back to the community in two ways. The physics lecturer not only believes in creating a better future through science, but is an active player in advocating for science fields as well as assisting students with their future prospects,

“My research must impact the community,” Shafudah said on his future research and work.

Agriculture is another point of advocacy for him. Growing local vegetables for overall use throughout Namibia is an issue that lies close to his heart.

“This is the road to industrialisation,” he said.

The 32-year-old received his bachelor’s degree in physics and geology and a master’s degree in physics through the University of Namibia. Directly after his bachelor’s as a new graduate, being the best in his class, Unam employed him as an assistant lecturer while he continued with his master’s. Through the staff development fellowship of Unam, Shafudah got the opportunity to study for his doctorate in applied chemistry and chemical engineering at the Kogaguin University in Tokyo, Japan.

Drawing inspiration and key motivation from the Japanese culture and their work ethic as well as patriotism towards their own community, Shafudah would like to plough back into the community and is already giving back to where he came from.

Born and raised in the Ohangwena Region, he serves as an advisor through the constituency development committee on the region’s rural council. Besides imparting his expertise on students, he inspires and assists them to further their studies.

To this end, he started a science mentorship academy, which sees him assisting students by providing more information for further studies as well as providing a platform for students and the scientific community in Namibia to share more information on the science field.

His focus and specialty lie in material science. One of Shafudah’s projects under the flagship of the Kogaguin University is fabrication of various functional materials with potential applications in a self-cleaning window.

One of his dreams for further development of Namibia in science and technology is to one day have a science and technology museum that displays all inventions and patents created by Namibians for Namibians.

According to him, one cannot be patriotic without being willing to make sacrifices for your country. One of the Japanese beliefs Shafudah also picked up on is to not be too focused on materialistic belongings. To him, putting in extra effort without compensation is the key to success.



5 facts about Shafudah

He loves nature.

He enjoys early morning walks.

His research interests and specialties are: Thin films surface properties and thin films and device optical properties.

He enjoys reading self-help and motivational books.

He is a family person.

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Republikein 2024-11-23

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