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MEET THE STAFF
Professor Arlene Archer
Arlene Archer is the coordinator of the UCT Writing Centre. She is located at the Upper Campus Writing Centre which is the ‘mothership’ from which all our satellite Writing Centres emerged. Arlene’s research interests include drawing on popular culture and multimodal pedagogies to enable student access writing in Higher Education. Arlene loves the Writing Centre because the “students and the consultants are inspiring” and her hobbies include walking, writing and research. She has a PhD in Applied Linguistics from UCT, is an NRF rated researcher and is co-founding editor of the SAGE journal Multimodality and Society.
ADITI HUNMA
Aditi Hunma is a senior lecturer in the Language Development Group, and acting coordinator of the Writing Centre. She has specialised in the Applied Language and Literacy stream, and co-convenes and teaches on two undergraduate academic literacy courses, Writing in the Humanities and Writing Across Borders. She firmly believes that academic literacy is one of the doorways to epistemic access and success at University. She has been part of a team effort to deliver the Coursera MOOC, Writing Your World: Finding Yourself in the Academic Space. Her research interests include writing pedagogies, the affordances of digital spaces and artificial intelligence and curriculum design. Her hobbies include painting, reading and walks in nature.
Kendi Osano
Kendi Osano is the administrator of the Writing Centre. She holds a Masters degree in Media Studies from UCT and is looking towards a PhD in the same area. In her research, she analyses the ways in which Media represents various entities within society. Her interest in Media representation was motivated by the single story coverage of Africa in the international media outlets. Kendi loves baking and trying out new recipes.
Nicci Isaacs
Nicci Isaacs completed her Masters in Historical Studies at UCT, and is based in the Humanities Education Development Unit overseeing the Plus Tutorial Project, which provides additional forms of teaching and learning support for 4-year degree students. This includes training, supporting and managing tutors. As part of the Writing Centre, Nicci coordinates faculty-wide workshops, working closely with departments and lecturers to embed the workshops as far as possible into the curriculum and set assignments. Her research interests lie in education development, as well as education and pedagogical design in higher education, particularly in helping all students engage more meaningfully with texts, academic writing and digital learning landscapes.
MEET THE CONSULTANTS
Xolisile Thusini
Xolisile Thusini, nearing completion of her P.h D. in Biomedical Engineering, her research focuses on harnessing the power of mathematics and machine learning to revolutionise healthcare, particularly focusing on enhancing X-ray image analysis. Her academic journey has been characterised by dedication to learning and teaching, having previously served as a committed tutor at the University of Cape Town. Her decision to join the writing centre stems from a desire to impart her academic experience and potentially make a meaningful impact on the journeys of others. Beyond academia, Xoli embraces a diverse array of interests. She prioritises holistic well-being, regularly engaging in exercise, jogging, and scenic hikes. A connoisseur of creativity, she frequents art galleries, drawing inspiration from diverse forms of expression. Additionally, Xoli exhibits a keen sense of style, effortlessly blending her academic prowess with a fashionable demeanor.
TATENDA DANDARA
Tatenda Dandara is currently studying towards a Research Masters in Linguistics, centred around the topics of Geosemiotics and Linguistic Ethnography – focusing on the experience of “affect/atmosphere” in certain Linguistic Landscapes. Tatenda enjoys tutoring, mentoring, and collaborating with her peers. This is why working at the Writing Centre is such a fulfilling experience for her. Through her research interests, Tatenda is particularly interested in promoting African languages as equally valuable communicators of intellect and working towards the development of effective multilingual language policies in Southern Africa. In her spare time, Tatenda enjoys reading short stories, listening to multilingual music, and hiking.
Silu coki
Silulundi Coki is a PhD student in African Languages and Literature and holds a master’s degree with distinction. Her research examines how language contributes to the normalisation of gender-based violence in selected isiXhosa literary texts, drawing on African feminist approaches. She is committed to student development, inclusive pedagogy, and academic transformation in higher education. Alongside her doctoral studies, she works as a Writing Consultant, supporting undergraduate and postgraduate students in strengthening their academic writing, critical thinking, and overall performance. With experience in Writing in the Performing Arts as a Teaching Assistant and writing consultant for EDU students, Silulundi designs targeted academic support and adopts holistic strategies that address the academic, personal, and social dimensions of student success.
Olufemi Olubodun
Femi researched the life history of the Pygmy falcon for his doctoral degree at UCT. His research specifically investigated how the falcon responds to weather conditions and its movement ecology. Femi joined the Writing Center because he is keen to share and continue to improve his writing skills as he assists others through their writing journey. During his free time, you might catch him birdwatching on hikes, running, or in a bookshop.
Tumelo QHOBELA
Tumelo Qhobela is currently studying towards their MA in English Literary Studies. Their research interests are far and wide with a focus on performance studies, trauma studies and creative non-fiction. Tumelo seeks to interrogate what the limits of language truly are and how these limitations have been creatively and critically challenged. For Tumelo, all academic writing can be mastered with the right tools and practice. Soon enough, these skills can be adapted into all aspects of one’s life. When Tumelo is not reading for school, they are reading for pleasure.
HAYLEY HAYES-ROBERTS
Hayley Hayes-Roberts is a UCT History Access Postdoctoral Fellow, Design Historian, NIHSS peer mentor and completed a PhD in History thesis ‘Frameworks of Representation: A Design History of the District Six Museum in Cape Town’ at UWC in 2020. Areas of expertise - experience include Museum and Heritage studies, exhibition curatorship, Art History, Design Thinking, Design, Social, Textile, Fashion and Oral History. Qualified Graphic and Textile designer, lectured in Textile History, Design and Visual Art with a B: Tech Degree in Post school Education, Postgrad Diploma in Museum and Heritage studies, and a MA in History. Enjoys beekeeping and hiking.
Silke Brandt
Silke Brandt is currently studying towards her Doctoral degree in Marine Biology. Her research aims to unravel some of the mysteries of the seafloor surrounding South Africa. Silke's passion for the sea extends to marine conservation and education. She joined the writing centre to help facilitate access to mentorship and to empower students to pursue their educational goals with confidence. When Silke is not PhDing, she is probably walking her dogs or spending time outdoors, and to paraphrase Douglas Adams, listening to the whooshing noise of deadlines as they go by.
Orrie Staschen
Orrie Staschen is a PhD candidate in the UCT School of Education’s applied language and literacy studies department with a research focus on digital and data-driven approaches to literacy education. Apart from his role as a writing centre consultant, he has also lectured on an academic writing course and believes strongly in making the academic writing conventions of the university more explicit, for both new and established students. In his free time, he enjoys reading, football, climbing and the outdoors.
Nelisa ndunge
Nelisa Ndunge is currently working towards her Masters in sociolinguistics. She has a Bachelor of Social Sciences, triple majoring in English Language and Literature, Linguistics and Sociology. She has also attained her BA Honours in Linguistics. Her research is deeply rooted in the intersections of land and language, specifically exploring how Black women talk and relate to land in South Africa’s post-apartheid context. Grounded in assemblage theory and informed by African Feminist scholarship, her work investigates how discourse around land operates symbolically and materially within everyday practices. In this way, it seeks to examine how land is experienced, narrated and relationally constructed in post-apartheid contexts. Nelisa is particularly passionate about spatial justice and the slow, intentional cultivation of a decolonial mindset. When she isn’t refining her thesis at a local café, she finds her rhythm in Ballroom and Latin dancing. At the Writing Centre, she approaches every session as a collaborative garden. A place to impart durable writing skills in an effort to assist writers unearth their own voices, one conversation at time.
Samuel Julius
Samuel Julius is pursuing his Research Masters in Anthropology. His research focuses on arts, youth, sports, masculinities and performances of identity. He is excited by people and their differences, and joined the Writing Centre to share the tips and tricks of academic writing while advocating for more accessible language and storytelling in academia. In his free time, he loves to watch sports, play the piano or waste his time on YouTube.
CAITLIN LUTER
Caitlin Luter is working towards her Research Masters degree in Gender Studies. Her research focuses on the role of maternal identity and practice in Cape Coloured communities and seeks to understand the complex entanglements between the cultural figure of the Coloured mother and the creolised communities that have emerged in the wake of enslavement and displacement. Caitlin combines her passion for reading and writing with her experiences of undergraduate tutoring and mentoring in her role as writing consultant. She also enjoys discovering and listening to music, assisting families with genealogical research, and is always reading at least two novels!
Nicola goosen
Nicola is a PhD student in Linguistics. Her research explores how discourse is used to attain and maintain power, particularly looking at queerphobia. Her other research interests include institutional abuse, gender and discourse, and neocolonialism. She is passionate about bringing understanding and empathy to the academy, particularly for neurodiverse academics. She strives to help students recognise their potential and feel more confident in their academic abilities, while providing practical knowledge that will follow you through your career. When she's not on campus, she's probably at the ballet studio or watching artistic gymnastics!
