UKZN clinical sociologist Professor Mariam Seedat-Khan has been nominated for the My Pink Stilettos Amazing Women International Award that recognises women around the world who are doing extraordinary things to uplift communities and improve society.
‘Nominations and awards are humbling,’ said Seedat-Khan. ‘They help us realise that we all have the ability to make a difference in the world. The nomination belongs to the women who came before me, those who walk next to me and those that have led the way under difficult circumstances.
‘I think The Pink Stilettos Global Project promotes inclusivity and advocates the position of women around the world. Women must take the lead and stand up against injustice.’
Seedat-Khan was applauded by the committee for her work on the SMART (Simply Managing Academic Related Tasks) community engagement initiative in which she developed teaching and learning interventions over a 10-year period, resulting in an academic management tool that provides individuals with learning systems and techniques.
Professor Seedat-Khan considers individual intelligence, attention span, input and output and learning style. She targets measurable outcomes that demand unique solutions for each learner.
She is one of only 40 certified clinical sociologists in the world, making her among just three on the African continent who are certified by the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS). With 20 years of teaching, training and research experience at UKZN, the University of Johannesburg and the University of Witwatersrand, Seedat-Khan remains passionate and committed to applied and clinical research processes which facilitate an intricate understanding of human relationships, neuroscientific responses and innovation in learning.
Trained in Toronto, Canada and South Africa she travels extensively – albeit virtually in the current COVID-19 scenario – to keep updated on the current research, practices and innovation in the field of human and cognitive development. Her interest in human behaviour provides insight into performance within social, corporate and educational institutions.