Melvin Kisten was selected by a panel of judges from the chapter of the Geekulcha Student Society at Sol Plaatje University (SPU) and voted by the public as one of the Top 15 Young Geeks in South Africa for 2021.

Geekulcha is where the young, skilled, creative and ambitious tech minds meet to connect with each other, share knowledge, collaborate on projects, network with industry leaders, obtain training to further improve and enhance their skills, and put these newly acquired skills to work. This platform has over 15 800 techies and innovators across Africa. It focuses on empowering young geeks through enhancing their ICT skills and offering training while exposing them to the big tech industry.

Melvin is the chairperson of the chapter of the Geekulcha Student Society at SPU. He has worked on several open projects and attended hackathon projects to automate repetitive procedures, allow secure file transfer and advance e-learning with learning management. His nomination as one of the Top 15 Young Geeks gives him a chance to work at the forefront of information technology – in the nation and abroad – while also leaving his mark and playing a proactive role in the fourth industrial revolution. This nomination also exposes his talent and skills to the industry and gives him many networking opportunities.

Melvin’s passion for software development led him to major in Applications Development at SPU, where he completed a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Information and Communication Technology.

During his studies, he participated in several hackathon events that aimed to enhance the innovation culture and further establish effective collaboration. He has worked on several projects designed to meet the current needs in IT and he has also acquired certifications from IBM.

Melvin learned about programming techniques and styles that he still implements to this day. Upon graduating, he was employed as a Junior Developer at SPU, where he is responsible for assisting with all aspects of software design and coding.