I met Prof Este Vorster for the first time in January 1990.
Xxx On that first opportunity: I came to the university looking to start a post graduate degree programme in physiology. All the projects in the programme were full and she said she would take me into a research project even though I did not take nutrition as a subject. This was my first encounter with this incredible woman who always went the extra mile. The project was on the effects of an alpha glucosidase inhibitor (now known as Glucophage) on obesity in Zucker fatty rats – my comrade in arms was Welma Stonehouse and she did a feeding trail in these same rats using fish oil. And so we lived our first experience of the way in which she empowered.
Xxx The field trips: After completion of my Hons degree there were numerous field studies and trips – the ministers of the Reformed Church, Slough in the Kalahari with Isabel Schmidt, the trips to Tshikundamalema in Venda with the Hans Snyckers Institute and to !Xun and Khwe communities at Schmidtsdrift with Marius Coetzee of the University of the Free State. Then came some of the bigger studies – the start of the Lipid Clinic and the THUSA study, PURE and the numerous smaller nutrition intervention studies that she initiated. Everywhere we went the blood flowed, the centrifuges spun and the people had fun [mostly].
Xxx On gathering and scattering: She had a fantastic network of like-minded people who shaped her. I am reminded by a quote by Helen Walton “It is not what you gather but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived”. Prof Vorster had an abundance mentality – she kept on scattering, sharing, empowering, creating opportunity. She was never concerned that people might steal her ideas – simply because she had so many!
Xxx On sticking your neck out: I remember how she pushed us to present at conferences as junior post grad students without us even thinking we would be able to do it – That first physiology conference in Gordons Bay, then Pretoria, Langebaan, Durban and the world. she taught me that to make things happen, to make change happen, one has to take risks and often bite off more than you think you can chew. Growth does not happen in the comfort zone.
Xxx On showing confidence in others: I always respected and appreciated that she had more confidence in our (my) ability than we had. I remember the day she waltzed into the office – extremely excited – with a paper in her hand. To this day I remember the title – the Normal and Morbid Biology of Fibrinogen. My job was to study this paper so that would know what there is to know about fibrinogen. There was not a single sentence in the whole paper that I understood – but she understood the importance of challenge and how to get the best from people in a positive constructive way.
Xxx On conflict resolution: I remember one day being summoned to her office. In the office she had a post grad student and her parents – all extremely upset. It turned out that the student had been working on my computer without me knowing and I had then deleted all her data. I recall seeing the strange files and simply deleting them (in the days before “undo” and “trash”). That day she taught me something about keeping calm and paying attention to motives and giving benefit of the doubt as a default response.
Xxx On values: “Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do” – this is something that she often said and she lived by this value in all her dealings in all situations – also when things were really difficult and she could have chosen for a course of action that could have greater benefit for herself she always chose to do the right thing because it was the right thing to do. This is something that has stuck with me and I am grateful for such a life lesson.
Xxx On air-conditioning: I recall the time we went to the Kruger Park with Christine Edwards from Scotland (in February). We were so excited to show her something of our country and went to great efforts to make this a memorable trip. The whole trip Christine was quiet and slept a lot – even in the park. We were really “surprised” at this only later to learn that she felt that she was going to die of the heat! Note to self: DO NOT take guests to the park in February without air-conditioning.
Xxx On making mistakes: Prof Vorster was often very philosophical about things that went wrong and she would often say that it is only in heaven that we will be able to do the perfect study with the ideal design. [With the greatest respect] – Some part of me hopes that she is already organising the study participants for THAT study…
Xxx On the enjoyment of work: Yes, she worked hard and with great dedication but my lesson here was that she also enjoyed every minute of it [unless it was bureaucratic nonsense]. She enjoyed the discovery, the intellectual stimulation and the thrill of learning and creating. She was an academic at heart and loved it.
Xxx On leaving a legacy: The legacy of a great leader and academic does not lie in the publications, prizes and grants – it lies in the people she helped develop, the opportunities she shared. It lies in the giving, in the scattering and not the gathering. What a fantastic legacy she has left behind!
Xxx It has been an absolute honour being her student, sidekick and colleague. She has made me who I am as a professional and shaped who I am as a person.
I met Prof Este Vorster for the first time in January 1990.
Xxx On that first opportunity: I came to the university looking to start a post graduate degree programme in physiology. All the projects in the programme were full and she said she would take me into a research project even though I did not take nutrition as a subject. This was my first encounter with this incredible woman who always went the extra mile. The project was on the effects of an alpha glucosidase inhibitor (now known as Glucophage) on obesity in Zucker fatty rats – my comrade in arms was Welma Stonehouse and she did a feeding trail in these same rats using fish oil. And so we lived our first experience of the way in which she empowered.
Xxx The field trips: After completion of my Hons degree there were numerous field studies and trips – the ministers of the Reformed Church, Slough in the Kalahari with Isabel Schmidt, the trips to Tshikundamalema in Venda with the Hans Snyckers Institute and to !Xun and Khwe communities at Schmidtsdrift with Marius Coetzee of the University of the Free State. Then came some of the bigger studies – the start of the Lipid Clinic and the THUSA study, PURE and the numerous smaller nutrition intervention studies that she initiated. Everywhere we went the blood flowed, the centrifuges spun and the people had fun [mostly].
Xxx On gathering and scattering: She had a fantastic network of like-minded people who shaped her. I am reminded by a quote by Helen Walton “It is not what you gather but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived”. Prof Vorster had an abundance mentality – she kept on scattering, sharing, empowering, creating opportunity. She was never concerned that people might steal her ideas – simply because she had so many!
Xxx On sticking your neck out: I remember how she pushed us to present at conferences as junior post grad students without us even thinking we would be able to do it – That first physiology conference in Gordons Bay, then Pretoria, Langebaan, Durban and the world. she taught me that to make things happen, to make change happen, one has to take risks and often bite off more than you think you can chew. Growth does not happen in the comfort zone.
Xxx On showing confidence in others: I always respected and appreciated that she had more confidence in our (my) ability than we had. I remember the day she waltzed into the office – extremely excited – with a paper in her hand. To this day I remember the title – the Normal and Morbid Biology of Fibrinogen. My job was to study this paper so that would know what there is to know about fibrinogen. There was not a single sentence in the whole paper that I understood – but she understood the importance of challenge and how to get the best from people in a positive constructive way.
Xxx On conflict resolution: I remember one day being summoned to her office. In the office she had a post grad student and her parents – all extremely upset. It turned out that the student had been working on my computer without me knowing and I had then deleted all her data. I recall seeing the strange files and simply deleting them (in the days before “undo” and “trash”). That day she taught me something about keeping calm and paying attention to motives and giving benefit of the doubt as a default response.
Xxx On values: “Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do” – this is something that she often said and she lived by this value in all her dealings in all situations – also when things were really difficult and she could have chosen for a course of action that could have greater benefit for herself she always chose to do the right thing because it was the right thing to do. This is something that has stuck with me and I am grateful for such a life lesson.
Xxx On air-conditioning: I recall the time we went to the Kruger Park with Christine Edwards from Scotland (in February). We were so excited to show her something of our country and went to great efforts to make this a memorable trip. The whole trip Christine was quiet and slept a lot – even in the park. We were really “surprised” at this only later to learn that she felt that she was going to die of the heat! Note to self: DO NOT take guests to the park in February without air-conditioning.
Xxx On making mistakes: Prof Vorster was often very philosophical about things that went wrong and she would often say that it is only in heaven that we will be able to do the perfect study with the ideal design. [With the greatest respect] – Some part of me hopes that she is already organising the study participants for THAT study…
Xxx On the enjoyment of work: Yes, she worked hard and with great dedication but my lesson here was that she also enjoyed every minute of it [unless it was bureaucratic nonsense]. She enjoyed the discovery, the intellectual stimulation and the thrill of learning and creating. She was an academic at heart and loved it.
Xxx On leaving a legacy: The legacy of a great leader and academic does not lie in the publications, prizes and grants – it lies in the people she helped develop, the opportunities she shared. It lies in the giving, in the scattering and not the gathering. What a fantastic legacy she has left behind!
Xxx It has been an absolute honour being her student, sidekick and colleague. She has made me who I am as a professional and shaped who I am as a person.
