Biography:
Masimthembe Lala statistics lecturer in the Mathematics Science Department in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering at the University of Zululand. He was a Statistics Lecturer with teaching and research experience at the University of Fort Hare. He has taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Statistics, including Statistics for Economics, Elementary Statistics for Commerce Students, Social Statistics, Linear Models, and Honors-level modules. His responsibilities have encompassed curriculum delivery, assessment design, examination marking, and the use of online learning platforms such as Moodle and Blackboard. He has also supervised Honors students in their research projects, offering mentorship and academic guidance.
In addition to his academic work, he gained professional experience as a Data Analyst at Transnet National Port Authority, where he contributed to data cleaning, financial modelling, and stakeholder engagements in renewable energy and desalination projects. His combined academic and industry background demonstrates his commitment to advancing education and applied statistical practice.
Lecture ‘s the following modules:
Mathematics And Statistics for Commerce
Elementary Statistics for Commerce Students
Linear Models
Categorical Data Analysis
Qualifications:
Master of Science in BioStatistics and Epidemiology (University of Fort Hare), Bachelor of Science Honours in Applied Statistics (University of Fort Hare), Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Statistics & Computer Sciences (University of Fort Hare)
Research interests:
Masimthembe Lala’s research interests lie in the development and application of statistical methods to address pressing public health and biomedical challenges. With a foundation in biostatistics, he is particularly drawn to survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis, and categorical data modelling. He is also interested in the integration of statistical learning methods with classical inference to enhance predictive modelling in health research.
The application areas of his work include infectious disease epidemiology, chronic disease outcomes, and the evaluation of health interventions, with a strong emphasis on challenges relevant to the South African and broader African context. Beyond methodological innovation, his goal is to bridge the gap by advancing reproducible research practices and promoting the efficient dissemination of statistical findings to achieve real-world impact.
emphasis on its mineral nutrient requirements and its major pest, the groundnut leaf miner from which his has produced numerous publications.