Prof Potgieter is an associate professor in the Chemistry Department and she has also been a member of the Teaching and Learning Committee as well as a member of the Admissions Committee since April 2010.

Prof Potgieter received a commendation award from the Higher Education, Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA) for teaching excellence in 2010. She is also one of the founding members of a new initiative in the Faculty, the Science Teaching and Learning (SCITAL) Forum. The aim of SCITAL is to bring together staff with a common and particular interest in teaching and learning.

She follows in the footsteps of the previous Deputy Dean, Prof Johan Engelbrecht, who has been seconded as Acting Vice-Principal: Teaching and Learning and Student Affairs.