From childhood curiosity to UNESCO award: Dr Riona Indhur's water purification breakthrough

CHATSWORTH’S Dr Riona Indhur innovative nanotechnology is revolutionising water purification while ensuring solutions remain accessible to underserved communities

The L’Oréal-UNESCO award-winning scientist turned a childhood fascination into a mission to make clean water accessible to all.

At just six-years old, Indhur peered into a microscope and watched the universe stir in a single drop of water and she was completely mesmerized.

That early wonder evolved into a purpose-driven career: harnessing nanotechnology to rid water of micro-plastics and contaminants - and working to make those tools affordable for communities that need them most.

The 29-year-old resident of Havenside, is a postdoctoral fellow at DUT’s Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology and was recently named one of South Africa’s recipients of the 2025 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award. The accolade recognizes not only her technical achievements but her humanitarian efforts.

“Access to clean water is not only a scientific challenge but also a matter of human dignity and equity,” she said.

Indur recalled a community outreach visit where children drank visibly polluted water - a moment which transformed her research into moral a responsibility.

Her work uses specially designed nano-materials that act like magnets and tiny catalysts which attract pollutants, and then break them down into harmless compounds.

“In simple terms it is about giving water a deeper clean,” she said.

For ordinary households this could mean safer drinking water, healthier ecosystems and reduced risk of waterborne illness, which Indhur insisted must be affordable and scalable.

“Innovation should never be reserved for those who can afford it. It should reach those who need it most.”

The path to this point has not been without difficulty for Indhur.

As a woman scientist in a demanding, often male-dominated spaces, she faced moments of self-doubt and the pressure to prove her ideas.

Her answer was persistence.

“I learned that perseverance, not perfection, defines success,” she said.

It is a motto she now passes on to young women considering a life in science. “Never let fear make your world smaller. Science belongs to everyone who is curious enough to ask ‘why’ and brave enough to look for the answer.

“Every experiment, no matter how small, is a step toward improving something that truly matters,” she said.

“When I remind myself of how far I have come and why I started, the work feels lighter,” she added.

Looking ahead, Indhur wants to translate lab breakthroughs into real-world systems over the next five years which are low-cost, adaptable technologies that could be deployed in resource-limited settings across South Africa and beyond.

She hopes her legacy would be both practical and cultural resulting in cleaner water systems, stronger policies, and pathways for new researchers to build on her work.

She said mentorship was central to that vision.

“Mentorship is not a one-way exchange of knowledge; it’s a relationship built on trust, empathy, and curiosity,” she said.

At DUT she aims to foster an environment where students can make mistakes, ask questions, and grow without being compared.

“Sometimes the most powerful thing you can give a young scientist is belief: the simple act of saying ‘you can do this.’”

By leading with humility, she wants to show that strength and kindness can coexist in leadership.

“Representation matters. When young girls see women leading in science, they see possibility. My dream is to build spaces where curiosity is celebrated.”

Despite international recognition, Dr Indhur remains grounded.

“Awards are affirmations, not destinations. The true measure of success is impact - improving lives, inspiring others, and protecting the planet we share.”

Her message to South African girls is simple: “Believe that your dreams are valid, and that your voice matters. You don’t have to come from privilege or perfection to make a difference. Courage doesn’t mean you’re never afraid — it means you keep moving forward anyway.”

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