This is the second edition of us, the Department, celebrating our young female talent. To read our first entry, have a look here. In this second edition we showcase Kayla Theron, from our geoinformatics stream and who is the Student Assistant to the Geospatial Information Services in our Department. We asked Kayla a few questions about her interests, what she is currently doing, and where she sees herself in a few years.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself, Kayla.

A: I am 22 years old with an undergraduate degree in BSc Geoinformatics. I am currently doing my honour’s in Geoinformatics and plan to complete my master’s thereafter. I am excited about the possibility of studying and working abroad.

Q: What are you doing right now?

A: I am currently working as a student assistant for Lourens Snyman within the GGM department, and I’m loving it. I get to meet people from various UP departments and get to work on projects within my field of study, which is great! This gives me valuable work experience and gives me the opportunity to grow as a person too.

Q: What else is of interest to you?

A: Other than my true passion for geoinformatics, I take great interest in exercising and spending time with my loved ones. I enjoy a combination of running, walking, and going to the gym. Family and friends are a huge part of who I am.

Q: Do you have any advice for our undergraduate students?

A: My advice to undergraduate students is to remain determined when things get tough and to know that it is all worth it in the end – they have nothing to lose, and only to gain. I believe that having determination, a great support system (friends, family, and the GGM department) and a balanced lifestyle can help you achieve anything you set your mind to – speaking from personal experience.