Stellenbosch University's Delecia Davids receives Einstein Fellowship

Delecia Davids, an academic at Stellenbosch University, has become the first South African to receive the prestigious Einstein Fellowship. The fully funded opportunity will take her to Germany, where she will explore a deeply personal subject in collaboration with the Einstein Forum and the Wittenstein Foundation. The project, "Reparative storytelling, memory, and identity," will examine the stories of individuals identifying as coloured in South Africa and their connection to Germany's practices of public remembrance.

The idea for the project was sparked by the death of her father in 2023, as well as her experiences as a Mandela Rhodes Scholar and her work with various organizations. Davids, who grew up in Delft and studied at SU, initially planned to become a maths and science teacher but found her passion in teacher education and influencing future educators.

Her PhD, nearing completion under Professor Jonathan Jansen, investigates the perspectives of final-year preservice teachers on technology use. Davids, an early-career researcher and lecturer, aims to capture both challenging stories and joyful heritage through her research, which will begin with ten families. She hopes to capture the complexities of these narratives while raising awareness about the importance of these stories in the broader narrative.