Empowering the Future: Meet the Doctoral students of the SAWiSA DSTI–Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri Fellowship

The South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) not only celebrates excellence among distinguished and emerging women scientists — it also paves the way for the next generation of innovators. Meet the brilliant doctoral candidates shaping the future of science in South Africa.
Ms Samantha Filby is a final-year PhD candidate in Economics at UCT, where she previously obtained a Master of Social Science in Economic Development in 2018, graduating with distinction as the top student in her programme. Ms Filby's doctoral research explores how young people in African countries respond to tax-driven cigarette price increases, evaluates the impact of international tax policy benchmarks on smoking behaviour, and assesses the public health implications of alternative cigarette excise tax structures. Through this work, she seeks to equip policymakers with evidence-based insights to guide the adoption of tobacco taxation policies that promote sustainable development and reduce the health, social and economic burdens of tobacco use.
In recognition of her impactful research, Ms Filby was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship (2023-2024), enabling her to conduct research at the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco as a Visiting Student Researcher. To date, she has published 13 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals including British Medical Journal Open, eClinicalMedicine, Tobacco Control, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Tobacco Induced Diseases, and PLoS One. She has presented her findings at major international forums, such as the Africa Conference on Tobacco Control and Development (2021) and the Union World Conference on Lung Health (2023).
Beyond academia, Ms Filby actively engages the public through over 50 research-based media contributions across South African television, radio and print platforms helping to raise awareness and promote evidence-informed debate. At UCT, she also supervises honours students in Economics, mentoring the next generation of socially conscious and critically engaged researchers, particularly young women in the social sciences.

Ms Samantha Filby is a final-year PhD candidate in Economics at UCT, where she previously obtained a Master of Social Science in Economic Development in 2018, graduating with distinction as the top student in her programme. Ms Filby's doctoral research explores how young people in African countries respond to tax-driven cigarette price increases, evaluates the impact of international tax policy benchmarks on smoking behaviour, and assesses the public health implications of alternative cigarette excise tax structures. Through this work, she seeks to equip policymakers with evidence-based insights to guide the adoption of tobacco taxation policies that promote sustainable development and reduce the health, social and economic burdens of tobacco use.
In recognition of her impactful research, Ms Filby was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship (2023-2024), enabling her to conduct research at the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco as a Visiting Student Researcher. To date, she has published 13 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals including British Medical Journal Open, eClinicalMedicine, Tobacco Control, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Tobacco Induced Diseases, and PLoS One. She has presented her findings at major international forums, such as the Africa Conference on Tobacco Control and Development (2021) and the Union World Conference on Lung Health (2023).
Beyond academia, Ms Filby actively engages the public through over 50 research-based media contributions across South African television, radio and print platforms helping to raise awareness and promote evidence-informed debate. At UCT, she also supervises honours students in Economics, mentoring the next generation of socially conscious and critically engaged researchers, particularly young women in the social sciences.