Rate My Professor Joyce Sewry

Mrs Joyce Sewry is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Rhodes University, where she also serves as Deputy Dean of Science with responsibilities in teaching and learning and community engagement. She joined the university in 1987 as a research assistant and advanced to the position of Academic Development Lecturer in 1993 before her promotion to Senior Lecturer. Sewry holds a B.Sc. from Rhodes University (1983), an HED from UNISA (1989), and an M.Sc. in Mathematical Statistics with distinction from Rhodes University (2003). Her teaching includes the Chemistry 1 Remedial course and augmentation tutorials for first-year students, as well as Honours-level modules in Chemometrics and a service-learning component. Her academic interests centre on chemical education, community engagement, and chemometrics, with extensive involvement in outreach initiatives such as coordinating the Khanya Maths and Science Club, teacher workshops, and school visits to the department.

Sewry has received multiple honours, including the 2009 Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Community Engagement Award (jointly), the 2012 South African Chemical Institute Chemical Education Medal, and the 2017 Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. She has supervised numerous postgraduate students in science education and chemistry-related fields and contributed to publications on topics such as service-learning in chemistry, student performance in remedial courses, and community engagement activities. She serves on various university committees, including the Senate, the Faculty of Science Executive, and chairs the Science Faculty Teaching and Learning and Community Engagement Committees.