Prof. Judy Van Biljon – School of Computing – UNISA

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Judy Van Biljon from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who also holds the National Research Foundation’s Chair in Information and Communication for Development (ICT4D). She highlights some of her research areas, such as human-computer-interaction (HCI) and knowledge mobilisation and visualisation; focussing on the importance of developing intuitive designs and catering for the different needs of various groups. In the context of websites her work aims to make them effective and efficient and for users to have satisfactory experiences. We discuss how culture evolves and must continue to transform. E.g. for decades, work environments were designed around the needs of men; organisations need to be reconstructed to accommodate men and women. Stereotypical gender roles in the home should fall away to create win-win scenarios so that both partners feel they are fulfilling their purpose. “If you keep quiet to keep the peace you start a war within yourself” Prof. Van Biljon uses the metaphor of a tree to describe the relationships we have in our personal ecosystems. She emphasises the importance of creating structures to support future goals, where healthy habits pave the way for success. Tune in for more.