DURBAN - Zahra Essack was recognised as UKZN’s best undergraduate candidate last year, continuing to Honours studies – today she is still out in front, graduating with a BSc Honours degree in physics summa cum laude.
Essack’s research project explored exoplanets, which are planets outside our solar system orbiting stars other than the sun.
Later this year, Essack will begin her PhD in planetary science at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.
Essack’s fascination with planets started at a young age after seeing the television series, The Universe, which explored planets in the solar system. Coupled with this was a keen interest in chemistry and physics
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Captivating career
After matriculating from Westville Girls’ High School in 2012, these interests led her into her captivating career path.
In 2013, Essack enrolled for a BSc degree at UKZN which she completed summa cum laude, before continuing with her honours degree.
Essack’s honours project, “Hunting for Exoplanets with Kepler”, involved calculating the period of transiting exoplanets (Kepler is a space telescope that searches for exoplanets using the transit method).
Exoplanet transits occur when the planet passes across the face of its host star and blocks some of the star’s light. By calculating the period of the exoplanet (how long it takes to complete one orbit around its host star) and how much starlight it blocks, properties of the exoplanet such as size and orbital distance can be calculated. These properties give an idea on how earth-like and habitable the exoplanet could possibly be.
Essack found there was a small handful of potentially habitable exoplanets and is looking forward to doing more research to ascertain fully the habitability of these exoplanets.
“My honours degree allowed me the freedom to undertake research in exoplanets in a structured way,” said Essack. “I was excited to explore and take a hands-on approach to the area that I had previously only read about.”
Essack said the main goal in the field of exoplanets was to find an Earth analog. “I want to be part of answering the question of ‘Are we alone?’ in our universe,” she said.
Strict protocol
“Studying toward my honours degree was a challenging and rewarding experience, combining taking courses in all areas of physics as well as undertaking research that follows strict academic protocol. I came away from my degree more knowledgeable in all areas of physics and my chosen research area (exoplanets) and prepared for my future research career.”
Supervisor and mentor, Dr Matt Hilton, said: “Zahra is a very hard-working and talented student and produced the best honours project work I’ve seen of the students I’ve supervised to date.”
Currently, Essack is enrolled for a Master’s degree at UKZN titled: “Calculating the Fraction of Potentially Habitable Earth-Sized Exoplanets Using the Transit Method”. Essack acknowledged the dedicated academic staff in the school of chemistry and physics and the school of mathematics, statistics and computer science. “The education I have received at UKZN has allowed me to reach international standards and I am grateful for the opportunities it has afforded me,” she said.
Programme director for the physics honours course, Professor Mark Tame, said: “It is great to hear that Zahra has been accepted to study at MIT. This acceptance is well deserved.
“Zahra was consistently at the top of her class throughout her undergraduate studies and remained so as an honours student. She is a talented person and will flourish in her future studies at MIT and beyond. The school is delighted to have one of its honours students going to MIT for PhD study.”