Zvanaka Mazhandu, P.Eng.

Please tell us about your personal background.

I’m originally from a country in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe, which is also affectionately known as “the Teapot Country” because on a map, it really does look like a little posh teapot. After completing my undergraduate studies, I relocated to South Africa, another place that I call home to settle with my husband. South Africa is where we began our professional lives and raised our little brood of three children, all competitive swimmers. In 2023, we relocated to Canada and have proudly called this our new home too. I continue to juggle my professional work while being an enthusiastic swim mom, who volunteers for all sorts of cool things at swim meets.

Why did you choose engineering, and what is your area of specialty?

I drew inspiration from someone who played a big sister role to me in high school, Pride Gwengwe. I looked up to her and when she enrolled into university to study chemical engineering, I wanted to know more about it. I was already a STEM student, so it wasn’t such a leap for me to see myself in that or a related profession. I did some research on what studying chemical engineering would entail and weighed my options; I had also been offered an opportunity to study pharmacy and aeronautical engineering. I ultimately chose chemical engineering because I was passionate about the opportunities to work in various industries. My sister though, insists that engineering was always going to be in my future, and she makes her point by reminding me of all the home projects and things I conceived when we were little.

Where and when did you study, and how would you describe that experience?   

I studied for my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe from where I graduated in 2007 as the best graduating student in the Engineering Faculty. I pursued my postgraduate studies in South Africa where I attained a Master of Science and PhD in chemical engineering at the University of Witwatersrand and University of Johannesburg respectively. During my doctoral studies, I was awarded the Emilian Bratu Doctoral Student Award and the Engineering Faculty Postgraduate Prestigious Award for outstanding academic achievements. I’m a strong advocate for continuous learning, and despite the grueling journey it was, with the usual challenges of completing an advanced degree, juggling it with family commitments and my work as a teaching assistant, plus all the disruptions Covid-19 caused, it was worth it as it developed me into a more rounded engineer, researcher, academic and project manager.

What are some of the most interesting, rewarding, and/or challenging experiences you have had?   

As a process engineer in South Africa and now in Canada, I have worked on various projects involving troubleshooting operational challenges and debottlenecking through conducting plant audits, promoting innovation within the business, process and equipment design and new product development. These projects have broadened my experience in the field and with each task I pursue I continue to build competency and resilience. Each project has its own challenges, but I am motivated by the words; “If it doesn’t challenge you, then it won’t grow you.” Starting a project and seeing it to completion is a rewarding experience which makes it more the while.

In my current role as a process engineer in the Applied Process Technology Department (Research and Development) at The Mosaic Company; the best parts of my role are my colleagues (there is always laughter in the hallway), working on diverse projects in multidisciplinary teams as this has allowed me to collaborate with different disciplines and gain knowledge that I would not have gained if I were working alone. Environmental, health and safety issues are also at the core of the projects we do and ethical practices.

What have you appreciated most about your engineering journey?   

Engineering has grown my critical thinking and innate creativity. I encounter problems that I need to solve to optimize processes, and this really broadens my mind, and I appreciate being able to utilize my curiosity to generate innovative ideas even outside of formal work. At home, I am known for frequently reminding everyone that ‘if you’re having difficulty performing a task, there probably is an easier way of doing it and you must stop to imagine what that easier way might be’. As an engineer, I also draw lessons from my field. I am encouraged by the fact that just as ore must go through a process of refining, that includes crushing, sometimes with heat applied, to produce something of greater value, I as a person can endure challenging circumstances trusting that from this refining process I can grow, rise and soar. My approach to my work has also been shaped by the research skills and culture of inquisitiveness that I cultivated in my studies over the years.

Any mentors or role models you’d like to tell us about? What insight or wisdom did they impart?

Well, I have already mentioned Pride Gwengwe, but my chief role model is my mom; a very hardworking woman who, while raising three kids, managed to continuously work on her career. She started off with a nursing diploma, advanced to a nursing degree and continued to challenge herself intellectually until she attained her PhD in Public Health and an MBA at 65. What inspires me even to this day is her passion for what she does. She is 69 years old now, and still teaches at a university, taking on community projects, ploughing back into society and doing it with such zeal, enthusiasm and a big smile on her face. I like to think a bit of her stardust has rubbed off onto me.

What activities or interests do you enjoy outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and travelling. Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m a hands-on swim mom and sometimes, swim meets span over days and require travel to venues out of town. It’s busy but I absolutely love the camaraderie around competitive swimming. I enjoy staying active as part of my self-care routine and this I do by either following training programs or running outdoors, weather permitting, and I’m proud to say I ran my first half marathon at Queen City in September 2025. I also enjoy watching movies, going to church, hanging out with friends, and serving as a reviewer for peer reviewed journals; my own way of ploughing back, contributing to advancing science and staying current on research trends and the field’s state of the art.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Over the years, the popular Southern African phrase “Munhu munhu nevanhu/Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” translated to mean “A person is a person through other persons” has grown to have such profound meaning to me, as a person who has resided in three countries across four decades. No man is an island; we are all interconnected and how important it is for people to support, encourage, and show empathy towards each other cannot be overstated. This in turn creates an environment for each person to flourish and be the best version of themselves. Indeed, we can all do great things when we lean on each other. Above all, my journey is grounded in my faith.

STEM fields benefit from talents of all genders, and diversity strengthens innovation, creativity and problem solving. I want to encourage young girls that they must take up space in engineering as the doors of opportunities are many.

The mining industry in Saskatchewan is increasingly embracing the empowerment of women in mining through different initiatives such as the WiM/WiN conferences, which I had the privilege of attending in 2023 and 2025. Being in the company of like-minded women fosters a culture of community, helps you learn from others as they also learn from you, and I encourage women in the field to participate in such conferences. I am also blessed to work for an organization that supports a good work-life balance. This has enabled me to thrive in my career, helping the world grow the food it needs, while still being available for my family.