Biography
Justine is currently completing her Honours degree in Astrophysics at the University of Cape Town, having previously obtained a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physics and Computer Science. She has a strong interest in space and wants to work at the intersection of computer science and astrophysics.
In June 2023, she took part in the Vatican Observatory Summer School in Italy, which focused on data science and machine learning applications to astronomy. In her Honours project, she is investigating the use of deep learning to identify strong gravitational lenses.
Justine has a strong academic record. She placed first nationwide in her final year of school, and has continued to place top in various courses at university.
In 2022, she took a year off from studies and worked at the South African Astronomical Observatory on various science engagement and coding projects. During that year, she initiated a physics tutoring programme for final-year students at an under-resourced school in her area – a project she continues to manage.
Alongside her studies, Justine is an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Candidate Fellow. The highly-respected organisation’s programme focuses on training high-impact responsible entrepreneurs. She is enthusiastic about venturing into the world of software innovation, and is actively working on upskilling herself in this domain.
In her free time, Justine enjoys playing sport, especially hockey, watching films, travelling, and writing.