'Always look for new opportunities to learn and grow'

When Dr Miekie Human began her undergraduate studies in 2011, she couldn't have known that she'd one day become the science and policy manager at the South African National Seed Organisation, where she now advocates for a sustainable seed industry. She spoke to Magda du Toit about her career path and passion for research.

- Magda du Toit

Dr Miekie Human, science and policy manager at the South African National Seed Organisation (SANSOR), grew up on a cattle farm in the small North West farming community of Nietverdiend.

Growing up, she enjoyed farm life, and spent a lot of time up trees, reading books.

She confesses, however, that she currently finds herself fully converted to a city girl.

Success takes hard work and dedication, and for Human, it began early on in her life and continued throughout her studies and now her career.

A LIFELONG STUDENT

"I studied for a very long time, longer than my primary school career! Today, I still see myself as a student of life. I will always look for new opportunities to learn and grow," she says.

When Human started her undergraduate degree at the University of Pretoria (UP) in 2011, she was very interested in forensic sciences, and her dream at the time was to solve murders like they do on the popular TV series CSI.

She initially studied medical sciences, but in her final year discovered a love for genetics. "I loved how precise genetics was as a science, and while I could not fathom at that stage where I would be today, I knew even then that genetics was a field I wanted to work in," she explains.

However, a career in agriculture was never her plan: "I always wanted to work in the medical field, although I never wanted to become a doctor. After finishing my honours degree, I decided to pursue my MSc [master of science degree]. At that stage, it was also a great deal easier than trying to find a job!"

AN UNEXPECTED CAREER PATH

It was then that she met Dr Bridget Crampton who, along with Dr Irene Barnes, would go on to supervise her MSc and, with Prof Dave Berger, her PhD studies.

"I think what pushed me towards agriculture was Dr Crampton's passion for it. I started thinking how much I would like to work in the same field," says Human.