Hanitriniala is a PhD student in Physics at Stellenbosch University, specialising in genomic data analysis. With a strong academic background, she holds an MSc in Physics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an MSc in Mathematical Sciences from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). Her research focuses on detecting recombination events in large genomic datasets, with expertise in nearest neighbor algorithms and phylogenetic analysis.
In addition to her research, Hanitriniala is proficient in multiple programming languages, including Python, R, C++. Hanitriniala has been recognised with awards such as the Stephen Hawking Award for Academic Excellence at the AIMS South Africa graduation ceremony and has participated in various scientific programmes and coding schools.