Rock solid friendships for graduates

PASSIONATE GEOLOGISTS

- WENDY JASSON DA COSTA

A SHARED passion for geology has become the bedrock of a lasting friendship between UKZN students, Tamera Heeralal and Marinja Bester.

This week their shared journey of late-night studying, hot chocolate and challenging offshore work culminated in a well-deserved milestone when they graduated with Master's degrees in Geology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

But it's also the beginning of a new chapter, as the two friends now take separate paths in the world of work.

Heeralal said that her dad played a major role in her love for geology, especially marine geology.

"He always had National Geographic documentaries on, and I was fascinated by the ones about the ocean and seismologists tracking seismic activity. I remember turning to him and saying, 'I want to be just like them."

She was drawn to the power and mystery of the Earth, especially what was unfolding beneath the surface; while her fascination with ocean research has been a driving force.

"We've mapped the moon in more detail than our own oceans, which I found intriguing," she said.

Her thesis focused on submerged shorelines offshore Hottentots Bay, Namibia, where she investigated the geomorphology and seismic stratigraphy. "I aimed to better understand the evolution of the coastal shelf. The key findings of my research included the identification of paleo-surfaces and gravel beach formations."

The outcome provided insights into the marine “transgressions and regressions” which shaped the shoreline through various geological periods.