When Natali van Zijl began her journey at Stellenbosch University (SU) in 2015, she couldn’t have predicted that her path in chemical engineering would eventually lead her to study the human brain at the University of Oxford. Today, she stands as a compelling example of how a strong foundation in chemical engineering can unlock diverse and unexpected opportunities – from mining operations to biomedical research.

Natali initially enrolled in Civil Engineering but soon found herself missing the natural sciences. At one point, she even considered switching to a BSc in Human Life Sciences. However, after conversations with family, friends, and a particularly pivotal one with Prof Hansie Knoetze – now Emeritus Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at SU – who described chemical engineering as a bridge between engineering and the natural sciences, she realised she had found her fit. “It was exactly what I had been looking for,” she recalls.

She completed her BEng in Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch from 2015 to 2018, gravitating towards subjects like modelling and optimisation. This interest led her to a master’s degree with SU’s Machine Learning group from 2019 to 2020. Her research focused on improving the interpretability of causality maps – tools that help trace faults in mineral processing plants by showing cause-effect relationships between variables such as flow rate or tank level. While she initially wasn’t particularly drawn to the mining industry, she came to appreciate its broader significance. “I came to appreciate that the technological advancements I admire, rely on the extraction of precious metals, that entire communities depend on the jobs created by the mining sector, and that there are researchers who are actively working to make the industry more sustainable.”

In 2020, Natali was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and took the opportunity to pursue a long-held interest in human physiology by transitioning into biomedical engineering. “Transitioning into biomedical engineering was not something I had originally planned, but I knew that it was the right step for me,” she reflects. “It allowed me to continue using an engineering mindset while applying my research to human physiology. I now had the chance to contribute to the meaningful goal of improving patient care and public health.” At the University of Oxford, she began a PhD in computational modelling of blood flow regulation in the human brain, submitting her thesis in March 2025. Her work aimed to shed light on the body’s built-in mechanisms that regulate blood flow to the brain – systems that are vital for brain function but become impaired in conditions like stroke or dementia. By disentangling the magnitudes and timings of these regulatory responses under different physiological conditions, her research contributes to the development of more targeted treatments in the future.

Though mineral processing and biomedical research may seem worlds apart, Natali sees them as different applications of the same fundamental tools: mathematical modelling and signal processing. Her undergraduate studies had already equipped her with knowledge of fluid dynamics and control theory – concepts that proved essential when studying cerebral blood flow. While the shift between fields was demanding, it was also deeply rewarding. “There were many unfamiliar terms,” she remembers, “but I was reassured when I could still recognise the structure of the graphs and the logic of the equations, even though the symbols and labels were new.”

Beyond the academic challenge, the interdisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering became one of the most enriching aspects of her PhD. Working with supervisors from different scientific backgrounds – including physicists – often meant drawing diagrams to bridge conceptual gaps and ensure mutual understanding. Through this, she developed not only technical insight but also the ability to communicate across disciplines, a skill increasingly valuable in modern research.

Her motivation runs deeper than intellectual curiosity. Having witnessed the effects of stroke and dementia in her own family, Natali is driven by the desire to make a meaningful impact on healthcare. She recently explored blood flow regulation in postpartum women, a project that sparked a growing interest in women’s health research. Emerging findings, such as anatomical brain changes lasting up to two years after childbirth, suggest there is much still to uncover – and she’s excited to be part of that exploration.

Natali is also passionate about expanding how people perceive biomedical engineering. She points out that the field is often misunderstood as being limited to biomechanics or prosthetic development. “It’s not all about developing artificial hip replacements or advanced prosthetics!” she says. “In reality, biomedical engineering is a growing field, encompassing things like developing sensors, diagnostic tests, and modelling physiological systems.” Her own experience reflects the field’s diversity and potential – and she believes chemical engineers are well-positioned to contribute. Despite the dominance of mechanical and electrical engineering backgrounds in biomedical research, Natali sees the chemical engineering skillset as equally valuable. The problem-solving mindset, coupled with a broad grounding in chemistry, thermodynamics, and systems thinking, makes for a powerful foundation.

When she first switched to chemical engineering, she imagined a future working at a company like Sasol or in the financial sector. What she didn’t expect was that it would serve as a stepping stone to a career in physiology-based computational modelling. Her advice to students curious about engineering but drawn to areas like data science or healthcare is simple: don’t box yourself in. “A degree in chemical engineering proves to the world, and certainly more importantly, to yourself that you are a capable problem solver,” she says. “There’s no point in hiding the truth, I did spend a lot of time learning about processing plants, especially how to prevent explosions in them! But, at the same time, I was gaining a strong basis in subjects like applied maths, chemistry, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and control theory.”

Today, Natali continues her academic journey as a postdoctoral fellow at King’s College London, now modelling blood flow in the heart instead of the brain. Her current work focuses on developing disease-specific virtual populations as part of cardiovascular research. Looking ahead, she hopes to remain in academia, drawn to research, teaching, and mentoring.

Natali van Zijl’s story is a powerful reminder of the flexibility and reach of a chemical engineering degree. For students at the start of their own journeys, her experience offers both inspiration and encouragement – showing how one decision to bridge the gap between engineering and natural science can open doors to opportunities across disciplines, continents, and even inside the human body.