Prof Melanie Rademeyer of UP’s Department of Chemistry recently received a C2 rating from the National Research Foundation. She tells us about the path she’s taken from kitchen experiments to a career in crystallography.

Professor Melanie Rademeyer remembers conducting experiments in her mom’s kitchen, watching salt crystals form and take shape. As a young girl, she was captivated by how the tiny structures formed and sparkled, and would “optimise the experiments” to create even larger crystals.

She was inquisitive and interested in nature and the world around her, setting off a chain reaction of curiosity that would lead her to a life in chemistry. Now a researcher and associate professor in the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Chemistry, Prof Rademeyer recently received a National Research Foundation (NRF) rating – a recognition that celebrates her as an established scientist whose research is helping to advance science in South Africa and beyond.

For Prof Rademeyer, this achievement is both personal and professional, affirming the path she’s taken from kitchen experiments to a career in crystallography.

“Receiving a C2 NRF rating acknowledges that I am an established researcher, and it recognises my contributions to science,” she says. “Personally, it inspires me to continue to grow as a researcher, because I feel my hard work and dedication are recognised.”

Prof Rademeyer’s academic journey is as much about discovery as it is about teaching. Since joining UP in 2008 as a senior lecturer, she has been committed to instilling scientific curiosity in her students, encouraging them to think creatively as they explore their own research paths. Her field, crystallography, involves the study of crystals and their structures, a specialisation that Prof Rademeyer first encountered during her honours project.

“I came to realise that crystals and crystalline materials find application in so many things, from printers to cellphones to candles, and I was surprised to learn that even chocolate is crystalline!” she says. “The structure of a crystalline material influences its properties and potential applications, and the ability to control this arrangement allows for the design of materials with specific desired properties for technological applications, for example, in microchips and batteries.”

Doing research in crystallography gave her the opportunity to rekindle her love of crystals, though in a much more scientific way.

“I focused on more complex and technologically important crystals compared to the salt crystals I experimented with in my youth,” Prof Rademeyer says. “I continued my studies in the field of crystallography, for both my MSc and PhD degrees, focusing on crystals and their properties.”

Now Prof Rademeyer is using this knowledge to tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges: creating sustainable energy. Her research explores the potential of crystallography to improve solar cell efficiency, an innovation that could reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

“My research focuses on the development of improved solar cell technology,” she explains. “Improving the efficiency of solar cells will contribute to greener energy technologies and a reduction in the use of fossil fuels, which, in turn, will mitigate climate change. In my research group, we study alternative crystalline light harvesting materials for use in solar cells, using crystallography, an advanced laboratory technique.” 

Beyond the scientific and technical aspects of her research, Prof Rademeyer says she finds the creative side of research just as intellectually stimulating.

“That’s because there is a large number of permutations of components that can be used to construct the crystals used as light harvesting materials in solar cells, allowing for innovation,” she explains. “There are vast unexplored fields of materials, all waiting to be discovered, and for the hidden structures of these crystalline materials to be revealed.

“I am passionate about working with crystals, designing new materials and deepening our understanding of how these crystalline materials interact with sunlight, for use in solar cells. I am also fortunate to conduct research that has the potential to benefit society and the environment.”

This sense of discovery and creativity drives her work.

“As a researcher I’ve learned that it is worthwhile to apply creativity to your research endeavours. Even if an idea does not seem plausible at first, it may prove to be successful in the end. However, if your ideas prove not to be successful, it’s still worth learning which routes not to take.”

For those considering a career in science, her advice is this: “Focus on research topics that you are passionate about, but also pursue science with a purpose that can benefit humanity.”