UKZN's youngest PhD graduate 'unlocks secrets of gravity'

At 26 years old, Dr Shavani Naicker was the youngest doctoral graduate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) during its 2025 autumn graduation ceremonies — an achievement earned with a PhD in applied mathematics, specialising in astrophysics.

Naicker’s academic journey has been entirely home-grown, completing her BSc, BSc Honours and MSc degrees at UKZN — all summa cum laude.

UKZN said her doctoral research, conducted under the guidance of Prof Sunil Maharaj and Dr Byron Brassel through the Astrophysics Research Centre (ARC), delved into the intricate theories of Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, part of Lovelock gravity, a higher-dimensional extension of Einstein’s General Relativity.

“Lovelock gravity introduces higher-order curvature terms into the equations of gravity,” said Naicker.

“Studying these helps us understand gravitational interactions in extreme conditions, such as near black holes or in the early universe. My work contributes to uncovering the gravitational dynamics of astrophysical objects in higher dimensions, which could address some of the unresolved questions in cosmology and quantum gravity.”

UKZN said her work produced new exact solutions to complex field equations — earning praise for its potential to shed light on how stars and black holes behave in extreme conditions.

Maharaj, director of the ARC, called her research “critical in understanding gravitational phenomena” and said it offers “deep insights into the behaviour of stellar models”.

Brassel, who taught and supervised Naicker over the years, described her as “an astute student” and said he hopes their collaboration continues.

Naicker is now a postdoctoral fellow at the ARC, supported by the National Research Foundation, and aims to one day become its director. Her work aligns with major scientific projects such as the MeerKAT and Square Kilometre Array telescopes.

“Obtaining a PhD in applied mathematics with a specialisation in relativistic astrophysics is the realisation of a lifelong dream,” said Naicker.

“It stands as testament to years of hard work, resilience and an enduring curiosity about the universe. I hope my journey inspires others — especially young women — to explore the fascinating world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

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