science stars issue 2

SCIENCESTARSIssue 02 | July 2013

THE TIMELESS POWER OF PHYSICS

NEW BE

NEW BEGINNINGS

4 Science Stars Magazine Issue 2 | www.sciencestars.co.za

CO

NT

EN

Ts

FEATURES

6 FOREWORD

Minister of Department Science and Technology: Derek Hanekom

8 Sir isaac newton

The knight in shining science

13 Innovation in practise

The Hydrogen golf cart

17 How you can afford uct

Dr Max Price outlines the new plan

19 obama at uct

The American President’s visit in pictures

22 Soweto science centre

Excellence in science

26 bmw in action

Building the future

28 everyday physics

Look around you

32 a dream coming alive

Impossible is nothing

42 nATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK

Coming to all provinces

CONTENTSCONTENTS

5Science Stars Magazine Issue 2 | www.sciencestars.co.za

Evans Nyasha Manyonga

I am very happy and proud to

present you with the second edi-

tion of Science Stars. Your feed-

back from our inaugural edition

was really impressive.

The National Science Week, an

initiative that really excites me

is upon us. It is an initiative of

the Department of Science and

Technology (DST). It is a coun-

trywide celebration of science

involving various stakehold-

ers and role players conducting

science-based activities. The National Science Week is run in all nine

provinces simultaneously at multiple sites per province.

Our theme for this edition is physics. The cover story outlines more

about the physics and mathematics guru Sir Isaac Newton, outlin-

ing some of his important contributions to the physics sector. And

keeping to our traditional authentic mix of international and local

we have Rotondwa Mudau a young physicist from The University of

Johannesburg. We also mixed this edition with different science dis-

ciplines and another favourite is the Actuarial Science article. Read it

and learn more about the sector as a potential career choice.

Please feel free to write to us and give us any feedback or sugges-

tions you may feel necessary. You can also comment on the Science

Stars facebook page and we will feature your comments in our next

edition.

I hope this edition will be as good as you hoped. We have certainly

enjoyed putting it together. As promised we aim to be your friend in

science and education in general. A set goal is the master of motiva-

tion and nothing is impossible if you are motivated and driven. The

future is in your hands.

Managing Editor • Evans [email protected]

Art Director • Nkabanhle [email protected]

Contributing Writer • Unathi Kondile

Contributing Writer • Joel Guy

Chairman • Madambi Rambuda

Sales Executive • Siseko [email protected]

Ambassador • Azwindinni Muronga

Copyright 2013 Roswika Media. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any means, electronically or mechanically, without prior permission.

Science Stars is published by Roswika Media - a member of Shanduka Black Umbrellas.

31 Brickfield Road,Upper East Side, Unit 9BCape Town

021 447 [email protected]

LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR teamScience Stars

Managing Editor

The future is in our hands

Ed’s Note


Derek Hanekom

THE MINISTERS

FOREWORD

Welcome to the special National Science Week edition of Science Stars.

Led by the Department of Science and Technology, National Science Week sees exciting science-related activi-ties taking place all over the country, from special science centre programmes and excursions to zoos, to talks at uni-versities and open days at science councils. Try and join in some of them - there will be more details in the media.

National Science Week aims to engage people from all walks of life. This year our messages will reach millions in their homes through popular TV soapies.

You will find some excellent articies in this edition of Science Stars, including profiles of modern-day role mod-els and a feature on Sir Isaac Newton, whose theories are the foundation of modern physics. With climate change

Minister of the Department of Science & Technology

“Science is a vital part of modern healthcare, communication, transport and even sport”

becoming a frightening reality, the world needs to find cleaner sources of energy, so you will enjoy reading about a golf cart that runs on hydrogen fuel cells (developed in South Africa, of course).

Science is a vital part of modern healthcare, communica-tion, transport and even sport, and the perfect career for men and women with enquiring minds. Enjoy Science Stars and be inspired to find out more.

FOREWORD

NSFAS is a registered credit provider in terms ofthe National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCRCP 2655)

visit the financial aid office on campus,contact NSFAS on 021 763 3232

Standard SMS rates apply.Email [email protected] or visitwww.nsfas.org.za

FOR MORE INFORMATION

TO STUDYMONEY

SCHOOL?

DO YOU NEED

AFTER

Let us help you make your career dreams a reality...

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides loans and bursaries to eligible students for studies at public universities and Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges in South Africa.

NSFAS OFFERS BURSARIES:

Bursaries are offered to eligible students in need who are studying in various scarce skills areas such as teaching and social work. Eligible students are those whose academic results enable them to enter university. As of 2011, the South African government has also increased bursary funds to help students enrolled in certain NATED programmes (N1-N6 in engineering and N4-N6 in all other fields) as well as the National Certificate (Vocational) at public FET Colleges. If you qualify for funding according to a financial means test, this bursary could cover the costs of your tuition, food and accommodation.

STUDENT LOANS GIVE HOPE:

NSFAS loans are also available for qualifying university students for their first undergraduate degree or diploma. If you do well academically,a portion of the loan may also be converted intoa bursary. Funding is limited and not all students who apply will receive an award.

or SMS your question to 32261


THE KNIGHT IN SHINING SCIENCE

BY JOEL GUY CHABATA

NEWTON

In 1705 he was knight-

ed, not for his scientific

achievements as many

popularly think, but for

political reasons.

SIRISAAC NEWTON

Ever since his emer-gence on earth, mankind has been innovating with many

things for many eons, but only advancing ever so slowly. Then about three to four hun-dred years ago a new era dawned, especially across Western Europe. This period would later be known as the Scientific Revolution, a time when unprecedented advanc-es in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology, medicine and chemistry seemed to have flourished.

Many science luminaries were born and lived through these centuries that saw a funda-mental change in various sci-entific ideas. On 25 December 1642, at Woolsthorpe, near Grantham in Lincolnshire, England, arguably one of the

most influential scientists in history was born. His name was Isaac Newton. At age 12 he started to attend Grammar School at Grantham. Later in 1661 Newton matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge and eventually obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in 1665. Still at Cambridge, he went on to be granted a Master’s Degree in 1668 and the fol-lowing year he got elected Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, aged only 27. 1672 saw Newton being

elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

There were many other high-lights in his life, and up until 1696, Cambridge University remained his home where he delivered lectures most of the time. Sometime in 1696, Newton left Cambridge for London to assume the position of Warden of the Royal Mint and later became a Master of the same, overseeing the pro-duction of the Pound Sterling.

During his years in London he became more involved in pub-lic life and became a powerful and able politician. He was a member of parliament for the University of Cambridge in the years 1689–1690 and 1701–1702, and was later elected president of the Royal Society in 1703.

The Knight in Shining Science


“Mauris a purus et justo adips isc ing fugiats. Duis quis tempus ptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent”

NEWTON


WHO WAS NEWTON?

The falling apple influenced his inspiration to investigate gravity.Mr Newton... A very young … but of an extraordinary genius and proficiency in these things (In a letter to British Mathematician John Collins by Isaac Barrow).Published the single most influ-ential book on physics and pos-sibly of all sciences, it contains information on nearly all of the essential concepts of physics, except energy.In 1705, he was knighted by Queen of England, Queen Anne.

Full Name: Isaac NewtonBorn: December 25 1642 or January 4 1643

Died: March 20 (31) 1727Country of birth: EnglandFellow of: Trinity CollegeSecond Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, succeeding Isaac Barrow: University of CambridgePatriotic and academic honours: Made Sir, Lucasian Professor, Greatest mind of the 17th century,

“In physics, Newton gave us the laws of gravitation and motion, established the study of optics and

invented the Newtonian reflecting telescope.”

NEWTON

In 1705 he was knighted, not for his scientific achieve-ments as many popularly think, but for political rea-sons. Nonetheless, Sir Isaac Newton was definitely one of the key players in the Scientific Revolution. Newton died a bachelor in his sleep on 20 March 1727.

A question could be asked: So what were Newton’s real contributions to science that he became so famous for? Well, Newton was principally a physicist and mathemati-cian and he made profound contributions to both fields. The laws and theories he dis-covered furthered our under-standing of the universe and also gave future scientists the tools to figure out how to trav-el to the moon and beyond. He did all this by studying and improving upon the work of earlier scientists and also by exchanging notes with his contemporaries in addition to his meticulous working.

In physics, Newton gave us the laws of gravitation and motion, established the study of optics and invented the Newtonian reflecting tele-scope. As a mathematician, Newton also contributed to the different branches of mathematics during his time but became famous for his calculus. Isaac Newton also published numerous tracts and papers and most

notably the three books: Geographia Generalis,1672, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), 1687, and Opticks, 1704.In his three books that made up the Principia (short for Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematic), Newton laid out his famous three laws of motion which relate the forces acting on a body to its motion by stating that: “Every object in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force; force equals mass times

acceleration; to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

In these three books Newton also formulated the universal law of gravitation. (You might have heard the famous story in which he watched an apple falling from a tree and thereby getting inspired to investigate the force of gravity.) These laws were later to dominate scientists under-standing of the physical world for many decades.

Also of note, the laws went on to validate that the motion of objects on earth that of planets and other objects in space was governed by the same laws. In formulating the laws of motion and gravita-tion, Newton also confirmed that the cosmos is heliocentric. You might have been amazed by


the rainbow ever since you were young. Newton man-aged to create one. Well, not a real one in the sky of cause. But he split natural or white light into its constituent colours, which happen to be the colours of the rainbow. Not only that.

He further reformed the dif-ferent colours back into white light. This demonstrated that natural light is composed of many colours. This put to rest hostility he had initially expe-rienced from his peers as it was generally believed that colours were modified forms of white light.

These and other ideas on light were contained in the book Opticks, which Newton got published only after his crit-ics had died. Still in the optics field, Newton built the first practical reflecting telescope.

Newton’s mathematical prow-ess saw him making equally important discoveries in math-ematics as in physics.

He made great contributions to analytical geometry and algebra, and discovered the binomial theorem.

The mathematics of the day was limited to dealing with constant quantities. This restricted Newton who also wanted to work with chang-ing quantities. He then had to invent what he called the sci-

ISAAC NEWTON

AT THE COUNTERFIER

ence of ‘fluxions’. This is what we call calculus today and it is an important tool for scientists and other people who use it in their professions. Newton does not get all the credit for this discovery though.

A German mathematician, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, independently developed his own form of calculus at the same time as Newton.Great minds seem never to rest. Newton’s ever inquisitive mind led him to read and write a lot about other non-scientific subjects like alchemy, history and theology.

In fact he wrote more on these subjects than he did on phys-ics and mathematics. Perhaps

these made him into a philos-opher of some sort, leaving us with many memorable quotes including the one where he says, “To me there has never been a higher source of earth-ly honour or distinction than that connected with advances in science.”

Sir Isaac Newton’s numerous discoveries still have a bear-ing on today’s science. His various theories, developed by improving upon what previous scientists and his contempo-raries had done, still hold true even centuries after his death.

And this just makes one of his other quotes very apt: “If I have seen further than oth-ers, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”

NEWTON

www.maties.com

Are you creative and eager to explore? So is Stellenbosch University.

Do you see the world as your classroom and your future as yours to shape?

Stellenbosch University does. Are you driven to make a difference?

Then Stellenbosch is the place for you.

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StellenboschUniversity.What setsus apart?


Hydrogen vehicle!? Yep, we saw it with our own eyes, sat inside it and now we present to you the picture.

It can easily do 50 km per day on Hydrogen alone. And sooner or later we could see a rise in the number of hydrogen powered small cars.

This nifty golf cart can seat up to four people and is powered by fuel cell technology. Ever heard of this technology?

Well, a fuel cell is an electrochemi-cal energy conversion device. Think oxidation and then it makes sense; hydrogen atoms react with oxygen atoms to form water and this releas-es electrons that flow through an external circuit as an electric current.

So a fuel cell converts chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity. And unlike fossil fuels there is no pollution in this process.

In case you are still trying to picture

this process, think of a battery. A battery is also an electrochemi-cal device. The difference between a battery and a fuel cell is that a battery dies. A battery has all of its chemicals stored inside it and uses them to produces its electricity.

A fuel cell on the other hand has chemicals constantly flowing into it so it doesn’t die like a battery. As long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity will flow out of the fuel cell. All that is needed is hydrogen and oxygen as chemicals. Oh, and you will need a catalyst. The most common catalyst for fuel cells is platinum and we all know South Africa is the world’s largest platinum producer. So we have no excuses. We have hydrogen, oxygen and an abundance of plati-num in our country.

So the golf car in the picture is produced by Hydrogen South Africa (HySA). If anyone asks you what HySA is, just tell them it is a research programme that was

MEET THE HYDROGEN GOLF CAR

started by the Department of Science and Technology. The programme aims to increase the country’s research in hydrogen and fuel cells and, impor-tantly, to create job opportunities. It is based at the University of the Western Cape, in Cape Town.

For more of Fuel Cell technology types you can visit the Fuel Cell Today web-site on www. www.fuelcelltoday.com as well as the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA Systems) website on www.hysa-systems.org

INNOVATION IN PRACTISE

Hydrogen Golf Cart

A

HYDROGEN


ACTUARIAL SCIENCE

ctuarial Science is the subject that is between math-

ematics and business. Actuarial Science essentially

evaluates personal risk on a more scientific basis in

order to estimate how much insurance should be paid.

Which is why the study of mathematics is absolutely important if

you aim to get into the field.

Actuaries gather and analyse information to answer financial

questions, such as how likely events like death, sickness, injury,

disability, unemployment or loss of property are, and how much

they may cost. They evaluate financial information to estimate

things like how much people need to contribute to their pension

plans to give them enough money to retire, and how companies

can wisely invest their money.

EmploymentActuaries find employment in the Insurance industry, as profes-

sionals and consultants employed to certify the financial sound-

ness of pension and insurance plans. They are also employed

in larger private organisations that mainly deal in risk calcu-

lation and in government agencies like the Social Security

Administration, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and

Department of Housing and Urban Development.

StudyThe training of Actuaries is mostly based on mathematical

groundwork in collaboration with strong backing in economics

and business studies. So if you would like to be one of the most

highly respected Actuaries in South Africa then you should make

sure you work hard at your Mathematics skills.

So what’s so scientific about it you would ask? Well during the

17th century major advancements were made in mathematics

in Germany, France and England. During this period there was a

strong need to place the valuation of personal risk on a more sci-

entific basis. The probability theory emerged from this as a strong

mathematical discipline and the compound interest art was also

in-cooperated, and the foundation of actuarial studies was built.

Mathematics and science move hand in hand and therefore these

academic cousins actually come together and make the discipline

of Actuarial Science.

The Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) sets qualifying

exams for Actuaries. Universities do not offer complete qualifying

courses but the initial training can be done by studying a degree

with actuarial subjects, such as Business Science and BCom/BSc

Actuarial and Mathematics degrees.

A senior certificate with matriculation exemption for a degree

course and mathematics and english are compulsory subjects if

you plan on studying towards this program.

To be an Actuary you should..• Enjoy mathematics and science

• Have strong problem solving skills

• Be intelligent, driven, analytical and creative

• Stay up-to-date with economic and social trends, legislation

and developments in health, business, finance and markets

• Have patience, good judgment and decision-making skills,

and have some interest in business;

• Be hardworking and responsible;

• Have good communication skills.

Earning potentialActuaries can earn between R12 000 to R55 000 a month

depending on you qualifications and level of experience.

A STRONG CAREER CHOICE

PLANNING FOR TOMORROW

A

The challenge Being an Actuary requires:

Sacrifice,dedicationandhardwork

Provennumeracyskills(Mathematics)

Communicationskills(English)

Anappetiteforchallenge

Drive,energyandinitiative

Thatspecialx-factorthatprovesyou’reacutabovetherest!

The reward Attheendofthejourneyyouwilljoinanelite,talentedpool.

Youwillberecognisedasatop-earningnicheprofessionalwithspecialisedskillsinriskmanagementacrossarangeoffinancialarenas–finance,fundmanagement,investmentproductdesign,solutiondevelopmentandconsulting,andretirementandriskplanning–amongothers.

For more information, contact Banele Dondolo at 021 509 2656, email [email protected] or Sibongile Ncube at 011 217 1707, email [email protected]. I www.oldmutual.co.za/careers

You get support from the day you matriculate, throughout your actuarial studies to qualification and beyond. Our Chief Executive Officer, Long-Term Savings, Paul Hanratty, began his journey as a bursary student. We now offer you a bursary to study at UCT or Stellenbosch – if YOU think you have what it takes, use the Old Mutual opportunity to SHINE!

PreferencewillbegiventoblackSouthAfricanlearnersi.e.Africans,ColouredandIndians(itoofEEAct).

The Old Mutual opportunity

Closing date: 30 July 2013

The bursary covers

Tuitionfees

Accommodationwithmeals

Travelandbookallowance

Incentivesforgoodperformance

Academicandemotionalsupport

Goodnetworkingopportunities

Vacationworkfromsecondyear

The Old Mutual edge to keep you going

One-on-onementoringbyanexperienced

qualifiedactuary

Guaranteedemploymentafteruniversity

In-houserotationprogrammeexposingyouto

variousaspectsofourbusiness

Workingwithacknowledgedindustry-leading

expertsindifferentfields,shapingSouthAfrica’s

financialfuture.

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How awesome are you really?


How UCT Financial Aid helps students from different family income groups*

If your family income is: For total cost of study at

R80 000, UCT Financial Aid

may provide as much as:

And in such a case your family

will need to pay only:

Less than R50 000

R79 000

R1 000

R50 000 – R230 000

R70 000

R10 000

If your family income is: You can apply for a bursary of up

to:

And your family will need to pay

only:

R230 000 –R330 000

50% of the tuition fee

R40 000 (or R15 000 if you qualify for

a loan of R25 000)

R330 000 – R430 000



a loan of R25 000)

R430 000 – R480 000



a loan of R25 000)

* This table contains illustrations of general examples only. Actual financial aid will be worked out on a case-‐by-‐case basis, depending on each student’s particular situation. Costs are affected by which residence a student lives in, transportation needs, food needs, as well as other factors. Please apply to UCT Financial Aid to find out what you might be eligible to receive.

HOW YOU CAN AFFORD TO STUDY AT UCT

University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice Chancellor, Dr

Max Price outlines how studying at the prestigious in-

stitution just became much easier and less expensive.

f you are working hard to achieve high matric

scores, you are the kind of student the University

of Cape Town (UCT) is looking for. And if you are

accepted to UCT, you don’t have to worry about

how to pay for it, even if your family cannot afford

to help you.

UCT is seeking the best learners from across South

Africa: students who will become the next generation

of engineers, health practitioners, actuarial scientists,

astronomers, lawyers, political scientists, opera stars,

musicians, writers, teachers, mathematicians, research-

ers and university professors – the people who will help

South Africa to grow and prosper.

We know many of the best students can come from

families that will find it difficult or impossible to pay

for a university education. So UCT Financial Aid makes it

possible for these students to come to UCT at very little

cost to their families. For most programmes at UCT, the

total cost of study – including tuition, books, food allow-

ance, housing, local travel and other necessities – comes

to about R80 000 a year.

But with UCT Financial Aid your family might be

required to make a family contribution of as little as

R1000 a year, if your family income is less than R50 000

a year.

A student whose family income is between R50 000 and

R230 000 a year would need to provide a family contri-

bution that is higher, but UCT Financial Aid would still

provide most of the total cost of study. A student in this

income bracket might need to pay just R10 000 a year. If

the total cost of study adds up to R80 000, then in this

case, UCT Financial Aid would provide the remaining

IR70 000. It all depends on the expected family contribution.

UCT Financial Aid can also help students whose family incomes are

too high for government assistance – family incomes of between

R230 000 and R480 000. These students can apply for a UCT bur-

sary to help cover part of their course fee costs. These bursaries

could cover up to 50% of the tuition fee for a family with an income

below R330 000, 40% of the tuition fee for a family with an income

between R330 000 and R430 000, and 30% of the tuition fee for

families with an income between R430 000 and R480 000. These

students are also eligible to apply for loans for a further R25 000,

subject to meeting the requirements.

Last year 3349 students received financial assistance from UCT.

Some of these students have agreed to share their stories with you:

Bokang Mauba is a fourth-year Medicine student in residence

UCTUCT


at UCT. He comes from Mokeng, near

Nelspruit in the Free State, and complet-

ed high school at “Wise Up” in Gauteng.

Bokang says: “Getting accepted into UCT

was the highlight of my high school

career. However, a constant shadow was

the fact that I had no way of paying

my way through university, much less

Medicine, which happened to be the most

expensive undergraduate course on offer

at UCT. UCT Financial Aid paid for all

my tuition and residence fees and pro-

vided me with a 40% fees-off bursary if I

passed my university years in UCT. During

my second year, Financial Aid offered me

a scholarship to completely pay for our

tuition. Had it not been for UCT Financial

Aid, I would have had to remain at home,

take up a part-time job and study in a

different college. I would have been very

unhappy, and the world could have very

well lost a passionate and committed

doctor and leader. I am an involved stu-

dent leader, a mentor and tutor, part of

the UCT Karate team, a volunteer student

doctor, and I’ve been making new friends

every year.

This is more than I had imagined I would

achieve in my varsity years. I owe UCT

Financial Aid my life as I know it now.”

Jason is a final-year medical student from

a middle-class family in Kalk Bay. He

says: “To my surprise I was accepted into

the UCT Financial Aid programme. I’m the All images provided by UCT

oldest son. I have three younger sisters.

My father is a lecturer. We live comfort-

ably, but in order to support four kids, my

parents couldn’t afford the fees for me, as

well as my sisters … so it was definitely

a reason for me to seek financial aid for

my studies. UCT pays about 80% of my

fee and I have to pay the remaining 20%.

I’m keen to get out into the community

and to apply my skills to help people and

to really make a difference in the coun-

try, thanks to the excellent teaching I’ve

received at UCT.

Sivenkosi (“Sive”) Gubangxa is a third-

year drama student from Salt River in

Cape Town. She lives with her widowed

mother and siblings. Sive’s financial assis-

tance covers not only her tuition but also

her books and a travelling allowance that

allows her to commute to UCT. “If I didn’t

have this level of support I would always

be struggling,” she says. “I’d be looking to

borrow books, for instance. This way, my

education is made easier and smoother. I

don’t need to worry about money all the

time. The food allowance, as well as the

textbook allowance, has been wonder-

ful. I definitely want to be in the theatre

world one day – acting and performing.

Financial aid from UCT has helped me to

dream big.”

If you are dreaming big about your

future, I invite you to apply to Africa’s

top university. Visit www.uct.ac.za to get

information online about the many dif-

ferent degree programmes we offer. You

can apply online or email admissions@

uct.ac.za.

UCT VICE CHANCELLOR

DR MAX PRICE

UCT


As part of his African visit

United States President,

Barack Obama visited the

University of Cape Town

(UCT). Here are some im-

ages from the visit.

PRESIDENTOBAMAAT UCT

e

All images provided by UCT All images provided by UCT

UCT VICE CHANCELLOR

DR MAX PRICE

OBAMA


RESEARCHER:

SANDILE NGCOBO

CSIR

COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR)

Prince Ngcobo’s laser future looks bright

andile Ngcobo (30) is a young, learned and modern South African man but has not forgotten his roots. This young Zulu inkosana hails from Kwa-Mafunze vil-lage on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. Mapholoba, his clan name, is from a royal fam-

ily but he shies away from divulging his royal lineage.

He is now a researcher within the mathematical optics research group at the CSIR National Laser Centre.

Ngcobo studied physics because he says he loves the subject. “If you study physics you basically broaden your horizons and you are guaranteed a job,” he says, adding that he signed his first job contract while he was still busy with his honours stud-ies. “I started working at the HartRAO (Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observation).”

At the CSIR, this inkosana designs laser resonators. Resonators consist of an active media and two mirrors on each side, of which one is highly reflective while the other is only partially reflective and allows emission of laser light.

The laser light can be used in many applications such as range finding. For example, by shooting a laser light to a distant object and timing how long it takes for the reflected light to come back to you, one can determine how far the object is by using a simple physics equation: distance=speed×time, since the speed of light is known to be constant.

Other applications are in laser materials processing where laser is used to cut steel. “This process is accurate and much faster than other methods,” he says.

Ngcobo is currently working on lasers emitting light that could be used in both applications.He is the second born of ten children in his family. He says his parents allowed him to explore things as a small boy and that

Sis why he ended up in physics. “I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a laser, although I used to be very impressed with the sword laser in movies such as Star Trek,” he says. “And today I design lasers for a living,” he says grinning widely.He has been designing lasers for the past four years and was part of the team that designed and developed a two-micron, high-power, diode-pumped thulium yttrium lithium fluoride slab laser. This laser has the highest output power in the world. “The laser is a technological demonstrator and can be used in many applica-tions such as laser materials processing and in laser surgery,” he says.Ngcobo is a married father of two and has three publications to his name, he is planning on starting his PhD studies.


CSIR

SPIE outreach coordinator, Brent Johnson, says: “It is our pleasure to announce the

“It is always nice to get recognition for the work you have done and continue to do”

promotion of Prof Andrew Forbes to SPIE Fellow. It was by the recognition of his significant service to this society and to the greater science community, as well as the recognition of noteworthy techni-cal achievements, that the SPIE Fellows Committee and the Board of Directors concluded to promote him.”

Forbes was presented publicly with his new fellow plaque at the SPIE Photonics West conference in February in San Francisco, USA.

Forbes comments: “It is always nice to get recognition for the work you have done and continue to do. Over and above this, my Fellowship appointment is a reflection of the fact that we [at the CSIR] do scientific work which resonates with what SPIE is about – applied sci-ence.”

Forbes is one of 69 new Fellows recently inducted into SPIE. They have been drawn from industry and universities around the world. “All these people are highly esteemed,” he says and adds, “I feel honoured and humbled to be included in the ranks of the SPIE Fellows.”As an active member of SPIE, Forbes has served as a programme committee

The Council for Scientific and

Industrial Research (CSIR) chief

scientist, Prof Andrew Forbes, has

become the first South African and

third African to be inducted into the

elite Fellowship Class of the Society

of Photo-optical Instrumentation

Engineers (SPIE). SPIE is the interna-

tional society for optics and photonics.

member for conferences on laser beam shaping; laser resonators and beam con-trol conference; and optical technologies for arming; safing; fusing; and firing. He is also the founder and Student Chapter Advisor for the CSIR SPIE Student Chapter.

In addition to being a regular volunteer at SPIE events and conference attendee, he has been an author or co-author of over 50 SPIE conference and/or SPIE journal papers.

The other two African academics who were both promoted to SPIE Fellows (in 2009) are Professors Paul Buahbassuah of Ghana and Zorah Ben-Lakhdar of Tunisia.

It is also noteworthy that since its incep-tion in 1955, SPIE has only inducted over 1000 of its members to fellowship status, making this a truly exclusive club and a rare honour for South Africa and Africa.About SPIE:SPIE is the international society for optics

and photonics, a not-for-profit organisa-tion founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies.

The society serves nearly 225 000 constit-uents from approximately 150 countries, offering conferences; continuing educa-tion; books; journals; a digital library in support of interdisciplinary information exchange; professional growth; and patent precedent. SPIE provided R29.7 million (or US$3.3 million) in support of education and outreach programmes in 2012.

SPIE recognises significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidis-ciplinary fields of optics, photonics, and imaging.

SPIE Fellows are honoured for their tech-nical achievements and for their service to the general optics community and to SPIE in particular. More than 1 000 SPIE members have become Fellows since the Society’s inception in 1955.

Local scientist becomes the first SA Fellow of international optics and photonics society

Prof Andrew Forbes


he long term goal of the Soweto Science Centre will be

to create a culture of science in Soweto according to

Professor Azwinndini Muronga, Director of the University

of Johannesburg Soweto Science Centre.

In the short term, the centre is harnessing high school learners to

prepare them for tertiary education. The programme was conceptu-

alised after a realisation that learners from high schools fell short

of tertiary education readiness.

Located at the foot of the Enoch Sontonga hill—named after the

country’s national anthem original composer; the science centre

is within the environs of the world’s largest hospital, Chris Hani

Baragwanath and just several hundreds of metres from the iconic

twin towers of Soweto.

The science centre is well placed to attract its target market, high

school learners from Grade 10.

Established in 2011, the centre is growing and realising its goal.

It has produced some of the best learners in the country. Most of

them have successfully pursued studies in various universities in

the country.

Professor Muronga says the overwhelming response from the com-

munity has dispelled the commonly regarded assumption that

Soweto learners ‘do not care about studying’.

Despite challenges such as lack of transport money for learners,

Professor Muronga says at best, the centre hosts up to 800 learn-

ers. Students come for supplementary education on Fridays and

Saturday. The centre is well suited for the complementary tutorials.

The lecture rooms accommodate between 90 and 800 students.

The rooms are equipped with high tech digital projectors that make

the learning experience easy for students.

The laboratories are well installed to offer students a proper assim-

ilation environment to undertake scientific experiments.

The centre has hosted the mobile lab handover by the then Deputy

Minister of the Department of Science and Technology, Derek

Hanekom.

This, according to Professor Muronga is a highlight that shows

recognition of their existence and impact. The launch of a national

science week in 2012 tested the centre’s capacity to cater for more

learners, with enough resources and support. The week saw at least

6000 learners and parents from schools around Gauteng Province

attending the event.

The centre is looking beyond serving just Soweto. It is currently

operating a virtual science centre in the Free State province. The

inroads for the establishment of such satellite centres are also ear-

marked for provinces such as Limpopo.

Partnerships are the hallmark of this science centre.

“The centre this year will be launching the space laboratory in

a joint venture with the United States Embassy,” says Professor

Muronga.

For Professor Muronga, such a prospective of having a space high

tech laboratory heightens his vision of one day having a learner

from Soweto discovering some unknown planet.

THE SOWETO SCIENCE CENTRE

T

Prof Azwinndini Muronga

THE FUTURE OF EXCELLENCE

SCIENCE CENTRE

SMS Stars to 45813 or Scan the QR Code to get more info from UJStandard SMS rates

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Want to study at UJ? Be CLEAR about it. Choose your subjects wisely in Grade 9. Learn well in Grade 10. Earn the good marks you need to go to university in Grade 11. Apply early with those marks in Grade 12; and Register at UJ for your first year if you are accepted. So if you want to continue studying once you finish school, then you need to put in the ground work while you’re still there. It all adds up to being CLEAR. Reach your goal of studying at UJ. Be anything you want to be. Be CLEAR about your future.

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THE DST BUDGET VOTE SIMPLIFIED

SUPPORTING SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

n the 16th of May this year we visited parlia-ment to get the low down on Minister Derek Hanekom’s Budget Vote address. For the 2013/2014 cycle Science and Technology was

given R6,2 billion to work with. 92% of this money goes to seven entities that report to the Department of Science and Technology as follows:

What else did the minister focus on:The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will be investing substantial amounts to support areas of science and technology that are still in the developmental stage, including the following:

Square Kilometre Array (SKA)The detailed design and pre-construction phase of the

SKA project starts this year. The construction of the

64-dish MeerKAT has begun, and will be completed by

2016. On its own, the MeerKAT will be the largest radio

telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. The SKA, when

its 3 000 dishes have been completed, will be the larg-

est and most sensitive radio telescope in the world by

far. Almost R2 billion has been given to the SKA project

and since this is a global project, South Africa’s invest-

ment will leverage significant international resources.

KetlaphelaIn 2012, Cabinet approved the establishment of Ketlaphela, a fully backward-integrated pharmaceutical company aimed at the local manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredi-ents (API) for antiretrovirals (ARVs). The project is in line with the plans of the South African government to address HIV and Aids with a domestic solution. Ketlaphela will ini-tially target South Africa’s burden of disease (starting with HIV and Aids, followed later by other communicable and non-communicable diseases) and subsequently expand into the rest of southern Africa. It is anticipated that the multi-billion rand ARV project, expected to be based in Pelindaba, will create a more than 1 600 jobs and reduce the coun-try’s R15 billion pharmaceutical trade deficit by 10%.

Space ScienceAs part of the four-country African Resource Management Constellation, South Africa has begun work on the ZA-ARMC1 satellite, for which R232 million has been allo-cated over the next three years. This satellite will greatly enhance Africa’s ability to monitor and manage its precious natural resources. The process of transferring the capabili-ties and intellectual property of SunSpace into an ongoing satellite programme is continuing through the services of a business rescue plan.

Indigenous knowledge systemsIn May the Department of Science and Technology launched the National Indigenous Knowledge Recordal System and the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Bioprospecting and Product Development Consortium. Together, these interventions will considerably strengthen the country’s ability to use indigenous knowledge to devel-op products and services. The National Recordal System is the first ever Internet-based national digital system to

O

R781 996 000 to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).R1 112 879 000 to the National Research Foundation.R223 630 000 to the Human Sciences Research Council.R35 237 000 to the Africa Institute of South Africa.R20 744 000 to the Academy of Science of South Africa.R111 708 000 to the South African National Space Agency.R481 081 000 to the Technology Innovation

DST BUDGET VOTE


document indigenous knowledge. It was developed by the CSIR, informed by data from the World Intellectual Property Organisation and India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library. R22m was invested in its development.

Human Capital DevelopmentA total of 139 research and educational sites have now been connected with high-speed networks through the South African National Research Network (SANReN). This has virtually eliminated the digital divide between urban and remotely located institutions. Through SANReN, rural universities are just as able to participate in global experiments as urban universities. SANReN opens up new possibilities in the way teaching and research are conducted, with the high-speed transport of large data-sets, participation in global experiments regardless of physical location, and collaborative online teaching. The investment in SANReN has reduced internet costs for participating institutions by a factor of more than 10. The DST will invest about R600 million in the next five years to more than double the international bandwidth of SANReN.

Bio-economy StrategyThe Strategy has been finalised and will be presented to Cabinet for approval. The strategy is designed to amal-gamate South Africa’s experience, expertise and competi-tive advantages to create a world-class biotechnological system of innovation. More than R400 million has been budgeted for the implementation of the strategy.

Titanium InitiativeThe titanium industry development initiative is progress-ing according to plan. The DST is investing more than R100 million over the next two years in this key initiative, through the Titanium Centre of Competence hosted by the CSIR. A key activity is the development of a novel low cost process for the production of titanium metal powder, which will provide South Africa with a global competitive advantage. A pilot plant is under construction at the CSIR campus in Pretoria, with a capacity of 2kg per hour of titanium powder.

MINISTER OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DEREK HANEKOM

DST BUDGET VOTE


hat cars are you most likely to

see in the president of South

Africa’s convoy?

Clue: They are black, sleek and fast with blue lights

on top.

Still guessing?They are considered to be high techn cars,

science on wheels and leaders in automotive

engineering and innovation around the world.

Still guessing?In May we were invited to the official hando-

ver of the first educational display BMW for

the Cape Town Science Centre. The centre’s

director, Ms Julie Cleverdon welcomed this

addition exclaiming “if you want to make sci-

ence real you must show its value in everyday

things like a car.”

So when next you visit the Science Centre in

Observatory, Cape Town, you will be greeted

by a BMW 3-Series that sports all the latest

technological innovations. In trying to tie up

science with cars Guy Kilfoil (BMW’s General

Manager: Communications & Public Affairs)

added that “car technology makes maths and

science tangible”. Which basically means many

of the concepts you come across in science

World class engineering

W

SCIENCE IN A CAR

BMW

Science Stars Magazine Issue 2 | www.sciencestars.co.za26


studies such as inertia, acceleration, friction,

combustion, aerodynamics, electricity and

telematics actually play a big role in car

technology.

Seeing how it all comes together in a car

makes science even more fun. After all sci-

ence is best learnt practically – hence every

now and again science teachers do those

exciting experiments in classrooms.

So, as a commitment to enhancing young

people’s access to science, maths, engineer-

ing and technology, BMW South Africa and

the Department of Science and Technology

are now working together to bring edu-

cational themes to life. In total BMW has

donated five BMWs. The first one is now in

Cape Town. The remaining four educational

display cars will be handed over in the

coming months to science centres in four

other provinces.

We hope to see you studying a BMW at your

nearest science centre soon!

DST SPOKESPERSON NTHABISENG MAOELA

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

CHIEF OF STAFF

NURUNESSA MOOLLA

MINISTERS PA

MELANIE TITUS

BMW GENERAL MANAGER

GUY KILFOIL

MINISTER OF DST

DEREK HANEKOM

DIRECTOR OF THE CAPE TOWN SCIENCE CENTRE

JULIE CLEVERDON

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

BMW


PHYSICS

The rainbow demonstrates refraction, one of the 10 everyday science principles.1

hysics is ever present around

us. In fact it essentially influ-

ences everything we do.

When we walk or run our

motion is part of the laws of mechanics

and thermodynamics. The food we eat

undergoes chemical reactions produc-

ing heat energy which is converted into

mechanical energy while refrigerators,

pressure cookers, washing machines, tele-

visions, music system, computers, etc. are

all designed on the principles of physics.

PEven when we speak, we produce sound

properties of which like pitch and inten-

sity are studied in physics and the elec-

tricity we use everyday at school, home

or even in the everyday world is a gift of

physics. Next time you go on a drive with

your parents or friends remember it is

all thanks to physics. Had there been no

study of the science of physics, its devel-

opment and application in providing all

these facilities, we would have remained

tribals forever.

“The higher the temperature of the molecules, the greater the kinetic energy and the faster the molecules will move”

Listed below are some examples of physics in action according to Sarah

Grace McCandless:

The Doppler effect: When

you hear an ambulance,

police car, or other emer-

gency vehicle in the distance, ever noticed

how the pitch of the siren changes, first

becoming higher as it approaches, then

lower as it passes? What you’re hearing

is a result of a shift in the frequency of

sound waves around the object, which is

known more commonly as the Doppler

Bernoulli Principle: Have you

ever wondered how something

as heavy as an airplane man-

ages to stay aloft in the sky?

Doesn’t seem to make much

sense, unless you’re familiar the Bernoulli

Principle (or in some circles, the Bernoulli

Equation). Discovered in the 1700s by

Swiss physicist and mathematician Daniel

Bernoulli, this law of physics stipulates

that the pressure of a fluid (liquid or

gas) decreases as the speed of the fluid

increases [National Aeronautics and Space

Administration].

So what does this have to do with air-

planes? Well, the shape of the plane’s

wing as it passes through the air cre-

ates lower pressure above the wing than

beneath it. This pressure difference is

what allows the wings to push upward

and the plane to take flight. The faster the

wing moves, the more lift is created, play-

ing a key role in making sure air traffic

stays on the up and up.

2

3

Effect. It’s named after Austrian mathema-

tician and physicist Christian Doppler who

first discovered this principle in the mid-

1800s [National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Association]. When something is moving

toward you, sound waves bunch up, lead-

ing to an increase in pitch due to this

compression. When it’s moving away from

you, the waves start to expand, leading to

a decrease in sound.

PHYSICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVESJust look around


PHYSICS

Classical states of matter Next time someone asks you,

“What’s the matter?” if you want to answer

literally, choose from one of the following

three options: solid, liquid or gas. Though

some scientists also argue that plasma

should be considered as well, these three

selections are generally used across the

board as the primary states.

Each one is defined by major physical

characteristics, determined in large part

by the kinetic energy of molecules (which

spreads them apart) as well as attractive

forces (which pull them together) [Kurtus].

The temperature or energy determines

which force wins. The higher the tem-

perature of the molecules, the greater the

kinetic energy and the faster the mol-

ecules will move.

You can see this in action by starting with

a glass full of ice cubes, representing

the solid state when the molecules are

confined to vibrating either in place or in

rotation. As the ice melts, the molecules

gain enough kinetic energy to overcome

the force until it becomes liquid.

If the water is boiling (or else in a very

reduced pressure), the molecules are

extremely energetic and their kinetic

energy is greater than the attractive

force between them. Thus, the water will

become gas and spread beyond an open

container [Kurtus]. The water will ulti-

mately evaporate, though it evaporates

more slowly at freezing point than boil-

ing point because the energy required to

break up the bonds holding water mole-

cules together happens more quickly with

the latter option [United States Geological

Survey].

MagnetismThe phrase “opposites attract”

may be tossed around when

discussing social relationships, but its

roots are purely scientific, tracing back to

the concept of magnetism. Observations

and recognition of this natural force traces

back throughout many centuries [National

Aeronautics and Space Administration].

However, physician and scientist William

Gilbert is most frequently credited with

creating the science of magnetism in 1600

[British Broadcasting Corporation].

Magnetism is a force that occurs when

materials attract or repel other materials

at a distance. The most common example

of this is probably on display as a magnet

stuck to your fridge. A magnet has a strong

magnetic field and attracts materials

like the iron in your fridge door. Magnets

have two poles (north and south) and will

be attracted by the opposite pole and

repelled by the like pole of the other mag-

net [Kurtus]. The magnet may not stick to

a stainless steel fridge because that has

different proportions of nickel, which tend

to interfere with iron atoms.

Gravitational PullWhat goes up, must come down. No really, it must. So

sayeth Sir Isaac Newton, a master-of-all-trades in his time, including math-ematician, astronomer, physicist, and alchemist (just to name a few) [Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematics]. While there’s a lovely story about an apple falling on Newton’s head serving as his gravitational “Ah-ha” moment, whether or not this actually happened has been debated [Gefter].What hasn’t been debated is his insight and ultimate conclusion: Gravity is the force that attracts objects towards Earth, the result being that all objects fall at the same rate, regardless of mass. [Kurtus]. However gravitational force or pull can vary on other celestial bodies. On Earth, the force is always equal to the weight of the object, as opposed to a location like the moon, where the force of gravity is about 1/6 that of Earth (which is why astronauts always need to be tethered down when walk-ing its surface). But for those on our planet, go ahead and toss that apple or ball into the air, because it will fall right back down into your lap.

high to low pressure, the Earth rotates

under it, serving as the object or rotat-

ing frame of reference. However, motions

over its surface such as wind are sub-

ject to acceleration. At the equator, the

Coriolis force is zero, but in the Northern

Hemisphere, wind turns to the right of its

direction of motion, while in the Southern

Hemisphere, it turns to the left, making

the Coriolis force one to be reckoned with

when it comes to studying storms and

oceanic currents.

The Coriolis ForceHow is it possible for wind

to flow in curved trajectories,

or even counterclockwise?

The scientific explanation traces back to

a mathematical equation known as the

Coriolis force, and as you might imagine,

it’s a bit more complicated than 1+1=2.

First discovered in 1835 by French sci-

entist Gustave-Gaspard Coriolis, it dem-

onstrates that objects moving within a

rotating coordinate system do not actually

deviate from their path, but simply appear

to do so because of the motion of the

coordinate [USA Today].

Case in point: As air begins to flow from

4 5

7

6


WRITING TO CHANGE THE WORLD

very young South African

learner is bright. Given the

right opportunities many

shine. And so it is with the

three young learners we are featuring

on this page.

Before we announce them and their

achievements we’d like to clue you up

on something relevant to their achieve-

ments. Did you know that last year the

German-South African Year of Science

was launched?

Well it was. South Africa and Germany

have been working together in the fields

of science and technology since 1996!

It’s been a great relationship. Sharing

knowledge and scientific research

findings together. And to celebrate 16

years of working together there were

a number of activities lined up for the

2012/2013 Year of Science.

One of these activities was an essay

writing competition. Budding scientists

from various schools were invited to

provide answers to some serious prob-

lems that we humans are facing here on

earth.

The essay themes were: Astronomy,

Bio-economy, Climate Change, Social

Change, Social Sciences and Humanities,

Urbanisation or Megacities, Health

Innovation and Human Capital

Development.

And guess what?

This year three winning essays came-

from South Africa. They were announced

in Berlin (Germany). The winning essays

belonged to:

From left to right in the picture

1. Thandeka Nzimande from Litsibogo

Girls High in Gauteng. .

3 Mukundi Mushiana from Mbilwi

Secondary School in Limpopo.

3. Zandile Mashabane from Mahhusha

Agricultural High School in Mpumalanga

Thandeka Nzimande’s essay was titled

Climate Change: Friend or Foe? In this

essay she lists the causes of climate

change, whilst encouraging South

Africans – especially scientists - to do

more to fight climate change.

Zandile Mashabane also chose Climate

Change and decided to write about the

impact of Global Warming, where she

focused on utilising more Solar energy

as a solution.

Mukundi Mushiana chose the

Urbanisation theme. In his essay he

looked at Urbanisation in South Africa

- investigating why people leave the

rural areas and how rural areas can be

developed.

The Department of Science and

Technology also celebrated the trios

achievements. Minister Derek Hanekom

invited them to parliament for his bud-

get vote speech and later awarded them

with laptops.

MINISTER DEREK HANEKOM WITH THE ESSAY WINNERS

E

Scientists can be writers too

ESSAY WINNERS


Congratulations to Aduma Yourlendur Tshungu and Thuliswe Jucwa for win-ning our Facebok like competition. Carry on spreading the word and invite your friends to like the Science Stars Facebook page and you may be next in line to win big prizes.

Here are a few select comments from the Science Stars Magazine Facebook page:

Aduma Yourlehndur Tshungu“Only those who dare to dream actually realise those dreams. If history has taught us

anything as it rightly should, it is that your birth circumstances do not determine your

future... Anyone can rise from humble and poor circumstances to unimaginable success.

It is what you put in that determines where your life ultimately goes.. Education is the

key to success.” Written by: Evans Nyasha Manyonga #inspired_winx!!!

Thulisiwe JucwaPlz do not forget St James(RC) Secondary School for the

Science Stars magazine Issue 2

Oscar Mabece1 of Sciencer Stars’s main goals shud be

‘Making science & technology cool’ so as 2

have more appeal 2 youngsters... All 2getha

the mag seems like an awesum initiative..

Thulisiwe MkhonzaReally love the mag.. Please keep up the good

work guys

James NcubeYou guys should make sure we get more copies

because we are sharing the mag. At least if all

of us get one each it would really make a big

difference. Luv your mag!!!

KIDS

COMMENTS

Fani NdabaCant wait for the next Science Stars issue. I

always thought science was hard. Really love

it now.

KIDS COMMENTS


A DREAM COMING ALIVE

otondwa Mudau (25) was born in Tshikonelo a

village in Venda. She moved to Ngwenani village

after her mother passed away in 1990 to live

with her grandmother then later moved to live

with her father in Louis Trichardt (now Makhado). She has eight

siblings and is currently in the physics sector. Studying towards

a Masters degree. In an interview with Science Stars Magazine

she outlined more about her background and interest in sci-

ence.

When did you take interest in science?I think because I was always good in Math and Science I have

always had a liking for science. I think that’s the natural pro-

gression. If you like Math and Science your career path will be

in those fields.

What area do you specialise in, in the science field?I am currently doing Nuclear Physics, specifically Nuclear

Reactor Physics. I am currently working on specialising in

Geant4( a monte Carlo simulation tool that is c++ based).

What exactly does your area of specialisation entail?What I am busy with entails simulating a Nuclear Reactor. This

is necessary for the control, maintenance, operation, regula-

tion, forensic analysis and scenario testing of a nuclear reactor.

Obviously we cant go into the reactor to see what is happening

so we use simulation tools to predict what is going on inside.

R(simulation is creating an environment that is environmentally

similar to the real thing).

Can you give us a brief outline of your education to date?I went to creche in Ngwenani village where my aunt was one of

the teachers. She made a couple of us wash dishes after lunch.

Good memories. Then attended Primary School in a neighbour-

ing village called Ngulumbi. I think it’s there where we discov-

ered my Math abilities. I was such a teacher’s pet there, I was

smart, clean and respectful! I think naturally my teacher’s loved

me. Ratshitanga Primary School with always be the best primary

school. When I was going to Grade 6 I moved to Louis Trichardt

to a primary school called Soutpansberg primary. It was ter-

rible at first because I couldn’t speak English and I didn’t know

anyone. It was such a shock to my system. From being a popular

kid in Ratshitanga to being a nobody in Soutpansberg. Literally

from hero to zero! But I bounced back, I had to. Even though my

grades and everything had dropped. I went to Louis Trichardt

high in 2001 and took it as a chance to prove myself as we

were all starting afresh. I had the best High School experience

because I worked really hard and every now and then my name

made itself on the top ten board in reception. I was a member

of the Learner Executive Council (LEC) in other words a prefect

and I was also in the provincial hockey team for three consecu-

tive years. After high school I went to Stellenbosch University. I

also had the time of my life there. I met so many amazing peo-

ple who will probably stay my friends for life. I did my Bachelor

Impossible is nothing

PROFILE


PHYSICIST: ROTONDWA MUDAU

of Science in Physics and also BSc

Honours in Nuclear Physics there. Then

moved to University of Johannesburg last

year to do my MSc in Nuclear Physics.

Who inspired you to get where you are?In terms of studies I think my Professors

and Lecturers. They are so far ahead that

you can’t stop half way if you spend all

your time surrounded by them. They have

set the bar so high. Most of them are

Doctors but they are so down to earth. I

think I’d feel like a failure if I didn’t go

all the way and in life in general I am

surrounded by go getters. I have amaz-

ing role models, my family and all my

friends. They all live their lives with so

much zeal and tenacity. It would be very

odd if I found myself down and battered.

I am really inspired.

Who would you say was you greatest influence?My Father. He has managed to tell me

every single day (I am not exaggerating)

that I must be the best. Every single day,

he phones me and tells me I must be

the best. Partly he’s leaving vicariously

through me, partly just an awesome

encouraging father.

What can you put down as your greatest success to date?Believe it or not it would be getting a

bronze medal at an inter-schools athlet-

ics tournament in 2006. The reason is

I was always terrified of running 400

meters because I didn’t want to lose.

I wasn’t the best athlete but I made a

pact with myself to not get out of high

school without a medal from the biggest

tournament in high school. So I did it

after losing since Grade 10. Getting my

Honours degree was also a lot of hard-

work. So I am really proud of that.

What was your most overwhelming aca-demic challenge?

Haha (she laughs) being taught Physics,

Stats and Applied maths in Afrikaans

when I was in Stellenbosch. Grade 6

was also hard because I couldn’t speak

English. I think language creates a huge

challenge. But you need to learn and

get with it. Honours was difficult, MSc is

also really difficult.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?That’s not so easy, 5 years is not a long

time! Oh my gosh I will be 30! At 30 I

would like to have obtained a PhD and

creating waves in the area of Science

in South Africa. I think there’s a real

need for Africans to represent and own

Science in the world at large. There are

no real barriers anymore as everything

is so globalised, meaning it is acces-

sible. So we need Africans to really dive

in and learn Science. We need research,

we need innovators, and we need to be

able to claim things like inventor of the

internet or the car etc.. These inven-

tions come from doing a lot of research.

We need to encourage our youth to

do research, to spend hours

pondering on the same

thing without worry-

ing about money.

I really hope

by that time

we would

have done

enough

work to

push for

that. Build

a secret

location

somewhere

where the

crème of the

crop would be

locked in, doing work

not worrying about money.

And the obvious, I would like to

have been married and being a mum to

a few sons and maybe a girl. To also be

a brilliant guitarist and vocalist. Gosh, so

much!

What word of advice can you give to the younger guys aspiring to get in your field of study?Dream! Don’t underestimate the power

of dreaming and being optimistic about

your life. Dream the craziest dreams

and just go for it! There was no way I

would have imagined my life right now.

I rub shoulders with giants in Physics,

the likes of Azwinndini Muronga, Simon

Conell, John Ellis etc, and all I had to

offer was a dream of being the best, and

willing to put in the hours and asking

a lot of questions. Be tenacious! I mean

be very stubborn and protective of your

dreams because people will be on your

case about doing other things (finding a

job, starting a family etc.) As for being in

my field, work hard in your math and sci-

ence in high school. Work hard for your

undergraduate degrees and the sky will

be the limit for you. So

dream and work

hard!

PROFILE


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| Are you curious about how thingswork and like to solve problems? |Do you enjoy working in a team andwant to create things that will improvepeoples’ lives? | Do you have an aptitude for science and mathematicsand good grades in Senior CertificateMathematics and Physical Science?|

YES?Then you should consider becoming an engineer!

What do engineers do?

Engineers create, maintain and develop things that are needed but do not exist in the natural world. Engineering uses science, maths and technology tosolve problems by finding the most suitable solution.An important part of engineering involves identifyingand understanding the constraints of a design, to enable it to function successfully within these limits.

According to the Engineering Profession Act (No.46 of 2000), engineers can register in four professional categories, namely:• Professional Engineer – Entry level qualification:

BSc (Eng)/BEng, four year degree.• Professional Engineer – Technologist

Entry level qualification: BTech (Eng) degree.• Professional Certified Engineer – Entry level qualifi-

cation: GCC (Government Certificate of Competency).• Professional Engineering Technician – Entry level

qualification: three-year Diploma in Engineering from a University of Technology.

Branches of Engineering

Engineering is a broad discipline which can be dividedinto many specialised fields or sub-disciplines. Althoughinitial training is usually in a specific engineering field, an engineer can become multi-disciplined and work inseveral engineering fields during their career. The ninemain engineering disciplines are:• Mechanical Engineering• Electrical Engineering• Civil Engineering• Aeronautical Engineering• Industrial Engineering• Metallurgical and Material Engineering• Mining Engineering• Agricultural Engineering• Chemical Engineering

In addition to these, specialisation is also possible inother engineering fields, such as:• Biomedical Engineering• Measurement and Control Engineering

What school subjects do I need to become an engineer?

The basic requirements for studying engineering are:• BEng: National certificate with about 60% in both

Mathematics (not Mathematics Literacy) and Physical Science and an overall average of 60%.

• BTech: A senior certificatewith a minimum of 40% in Mathematics (not Mathematics Literacy) and Physical Science.

Design and production:Loretta Steyn Graphic Design Studio Email: [email protected]

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SAASTA


QUIZ


SHANDUKA FOUNDATIONGROWING A CULTURE OF GIVING

ocial responsibility is one of the values that underpin Shanduka Group, and this is made evident through mon-

etary investment and employee partici-pation.

Launched in 2004, Shanduka Foundation is the vehicle through which the Cyril Ramaphosa-chaired Shanduka Group channels its social and community development initiatives. The foundation has three areas of focus: improving schools;incubating and mentoring black emerging small enterprises; and providing bursaries for needy and deserving students studying towards business-related qualifications.

These objectives are achieved through Adopt-a-School Foundation, Shanduka Black Umbrellas, and the CyrilRamaphosa Education Trust respec-tively.Ramaphosa started the Adopt-a-School Foundation after donating a fax machine to a school he attended as a young man and realised the myriad needs of this school and others like it. He then mobilised other individuals and companies to join him and contribute to the improvement of schools.

The decision to start the Adopt-a-School Foundation was based on the belief that children are our future and

Stherefore, education will ensure a bet-ter future for all. Selected schools must have strong leadership and active community involvement. The aim is to improve the academic,infrastructural, social and security envi-ronment in schools, by ensuring that they have the necessary management and community leadership to create an environment conducivefor teaching and learning.

Supporting small businesses has always been a key focus of Shanduka Foundation. This gained traction when the foundation was approached by Charles Maisel and Mark Frankel, who started the Black Umbrellas incubation centre in Cape Town, and were looking forpartners. In partnering withthem, Shanduka Foundation capitalised the Johannesburg branch and mobilised other corporates to support enterprise development through this initiative.

As a result, there are today four Shanduka Black Umbrellascentres – in Cape Town, Johannesburg Pretoria and Durban. To qualify for incu-bation, entrepreneurs selected must have a proven level of skills and have a business idea that can beimplemented immediately. Their busi-ness concepts must be past the concep-tual stage. People with skills who want to start or grow their businesses are encouraged to apply.

The Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust pro-gramme was started using money raised by Ramaphosa speaking at different events to fund bursaries for deserving students. Academically deserving students who need financial support qualify for bursa-ries; additionally, they have to be studying towards a business qualification. In addi-tion to financial assistance, the students are mentored throughout their studies and have an opportunity to spend their holi-days at Shanduka for experiential learning.

Importantly, Shanduka employees are fully involved in this initiative and all the com-pany’s other CSI projects. Social respon-sibility is one of our values and is part of our mission– ‘Creating value and making a difference’. All Shanduka employees get involved and mobilise support for the work of the foun-dation wherever they go.

Every employee contributes financially to the Adopt-a-School programme and spends time mentoring students and enterpreneurs.For a company such as ours that is just 10 years old, we believe we have made inroads in achieving positive developmen-tal impact and making a difference for all our stakeholders –that includes our share-holders, employees, communitiesin which we operate and learners across the country – with500 000 learners having benefitted from the Adopt-a-SchoolFoundation.

STRAP SHANDUKA

25 YEARS OF THE EXTRAORDINARY

TCTA is a state-owned liability management entity responsible for bulk raw water infrastructure development

The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) is proud to contribute towards a system which aims to deliver a sustainable water supply across Southern Africa.

Our specialist skills, from sourcing project finance to planning, design and construction, place TCTA in the ideal position to facilitate development of bulk raw water infrastructure.

From an initial single project, TCTA now manages a portfolio of nine. These are the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 1; the Berg Water Project (Western Cape); the Vaal River Eastern Subsystem Augmentation Project (Mpumalanga); the Mooi-Mgeni Transfer Scheme Phase 2 (KZN Midlands); the Olifants River Water Resource Development Project Phase 2 (Limpopo); the Mokolo-Crocodile (West) Water Augmentation Project (Limpopo); the Komati Water Scheme Augmentation Project (Mpumalanga) and, more recently, the Acid Mine Drainage Project (Gauteng) and the Metsi Bophelo Borehole Project (across six provinces).

TCTA is also expected to play a key role in the funding of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2, the implementation of which was announced in a joint statement issued in August 2011 by the Governments of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa.

I

TCTA Career Opportunities“TCTA launched Project Naledi in 2005 with the expressed aim of recruiting, funding and employing youths from previously disadvantaged areas, with particular focus on rural areas.”

This was contrived as a contribution to the government’s transformation agenda of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA), the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) and the National Human Resource Strategy. The JIPSA framework broadly identified developing scarce skills in the following high priority areas:

• Engineering and planning skills for jobs in transport, communications and energy;

• Engineering projects for cities and towns, to meet the needs of municipalities;

• Management and planning skills in education, health and municipalities.

The project intends to:

• Identify deserving and capable students from disadvantaged communities;

• Recruit candidates into engineering, project management, finance and accounting disciplines;

• Support the candidates throughout their studies by providing academic tutoring and mentoring;

• Provide specific and on-going support to the students that enter into accounting and engineering fields through regular follow-up sessions; and

• Develop a model for increasing participation of youth into the scarce skills category

All the above services are in support of government’s developmental agenda to make a better life for all. TCTA is committed to assisting government to achieve its socio-economic objectives.

For more information on TCTA visit: www.tcta.co.za or call +2712 6831200


SCIENCE STARS AT SCIFEST AFRICA 2013

Science Stars Magazine

attended the Science

Festival in Graham-

stown. Here are some

exclusive pictures from

the exciting event.

SCIFEST


SCIFEST


ational Science Week, an initiative of the

Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a

countrywide celebration of science involving vari-

ous stakeholders and/or role players conducting

science-based activities during the week. National Science

Week is run in all nine provinces simultaneously at multiple

sites per province.

SAASTA has been appointed by the DST as the implementing

agency and has the role of national project manager for the

National Science Week.

Each year a different theme and sub-theme is chosen and

activities are offered to the target audiences around these

themes.

This project is viewed as a public awareness project and there

are four objectives:

•to popularise science to the broader South African society,

•to serve as a vehicle for showcasing local innovations in sci-

ence and technology, and the leadership role of the DST and

other government departments in enabling research, develop-

ment and innovation,

•to make science, engineering, mathematics and innovation

appealing to learners, such that they would consider SET as

preferable career options, and

•to familiarise targeted participants with the science linked to

areas in which South Africa has knowledge and/or geographic

advantage so as to contribute in making them informed and

critically engaged citizens.

Theme for 2013

Theme – “Celebrating scientific areas in which South Africa has

a competitive edge”

Sub-theme - “International year of water cooperation”. The

objective of the year is to raise awareness of both the poten-

tial for increased cooperation and the challenges facing water

management in the context of greater demand for water

access, allocation, and services.

Coming to all provinces

NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK 2013

SCIENCE WEEK

Science Stars Magazine Issue 2 | www.sciencestars.co.za42

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The main topics/messages to be conveyed are:

•Astronomy •Mathematics •Indigenous knowledge •Marine

Sciences •Palaeontology •South African inventions

Focus Week – 27 July – 3 August 2013

Launch – Saturday 27 July in Polokwane at the University of

Limpopo. Should you need more information on the launch,

please contact Ms Tebogo Gule at [email protected]

National Science Week promotes the greater awareness and

appreciation of the contribution that science and technology

makes to the nation.

The National Science Week will be hosted in all 9 provinces:

The National Science Week will be hosted in all 9 provinces namely:

NSW 2013 Northern Cape: 27 July to 3 August 2013

Celebrating scientific areas in which South Africa has a competitive edge:

Name of organisation Tell

MSLA Maths and Science Leadership Academy NPC Ms Anne Maclean 053-8325047 / 0836561587

NIHE Tony Mpisi 053-831 1016

HIP 2 B2 Mr Johannes Van Lill 021-9763366 / 0827843479

Mothibistad Mrs Chrisentia Moatshe 082 937 3826

NSW 2013 Western Cape: 27 July to 3 August 2013


Astro Tours Mrs Tilanie Daehne 044-8712009/ 0727322950

Foster Slotegraaf - Edward Foster Mr Edward Foster 021-9826496 / 0838870892

Hermanus Astronomy Club Ms Lynette Geldenhuys 028-316 2428 / 084 515 4644

SANSA - South African national Space Agency Mrs Elisa Fraser 028-3121196 / 0765249098

Uthando Lwakhe Org Miss Olivia Mukiibi

0761928298 / 0764382617 / 0761928298 / 0765682814

UWC - Science Learning Centre for Africa Dr Shaheed Hartley 021-959 2680 / 083 552 1507

West Coast Education Distric Mr Lyndon Manas

021-8601200 / 0833038404 / 021-8601573 / 0832463667


The National Science Week will be hosted in all 9 provinces namely:

NSW 2013 Northern Cape: 27 July to 3 August 2013

Celebrating scientific areas in which South Africa has a competitive edge:


MSLA Maths and Science Leadership Academy NPC Ms Anne Maclean 053-8325047 / 0836561587

NIHE Tony Mpisi 053-831 1016


Mothibistad Mrs Chrisentia Moatshe 082 937 3826

NSW 2013 Western Cape: 27 July to 3 August 2013


Astro Tours Mrs Tilanie Daehne 044-8712009/ 0727322950

Foster Slotegraaf - Edward Foster Mr Edward Foster 021-9826496 / 0838870892

Hermanus Astronomy Club Ms Lynette Geldenhuys 028-316 2428 / 084 515 4644

SANSA - South African national Space Agency Mrs Elisa Fraser 028-3121196 / 0765249098

Uthando Lwakhe Org Miss Olivia Mukiibi

0761928298 / 0764382617 / 0761928298 / 0765682814

UWC - Science Learning Centre for Africa Dr Shaheed Hartley 021-959 2680 / 083 552 1507

West Coast Education Distric Mr Lyndon Manas

021-8601200 / 0833038404 / 021-8601573 / 0832463667


SCIENCE WEEK


Truly one of the shining lights in Science and an outstanding Science Star!

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

r Banothile Makhubela (29) was part of a select

group of young scientists who congregated in

Lindau, Germany, for the 63rd Nobel Laureate

Meeting on Chemistry. This year, 35 Nobel

Laureates attended the meeting from 30 June to

5 July.

Makhubela has also been selected to participate later this year

in the 2013 SciFinder® Future Leaders in Chemistry programme,

which will give her insight into the inner workings of the larg-

est database of chemistry and related science information.

The main topics of the Nobel Laureate meeting, green chemis-

try and biochemical processes, are right up Makhubela’s street.

DHer area of interest is organometallic chemistry – a chemi-

cal science that lies at the interface of inorganic and organic

chemistry. This research field has applications in biomedicines,

catalysis and green chemistry.

Science Stars Magazine met up with Dr Makhubela and she told

us more about herself.

Why chemistry?When asked where her interest in chemistry comes from, she

answers that she found chemistry “more understandable” than

any of her other subjects at school.

PROFILE

From the rural areas to

representing UCT in Europe


Dr Banothile Makhubela

“This later on developed into an inter-

est in inorganic chemistry, specifically

reactions involving transition metals in

organic species,” she adds.

Makhubela hails from Mzinti, a town in

rural Mpumalanga. She completed her

undergraduate degree at the University

of Zululand and chose UCT for her post-

graduate studies.

She describes the moment she learnt

about her selection for the Lindau

meeting as “very exciting and a proud

moment”.

She looks forward most to interacting

with Robert Grubbs. Grubbs was one of

the 2005 chemistry prize winners, whose

area of research, like Makhubela’s, is bio-

inorganic chemistry. She hopes that the

mentorship resulting from the Lindau

meeting will inspire her and other

African participants “to develop scientific

tools to meet the developmental chal-

lenges” in Africa.

Exceptional studentDr Gregory Smith, under whose supervi-

sion Makhubela completed her doctorate,

describes her as “an excellent student”.

He adds that she is “certainly one of the

top research students in our department”.

Who is Dr Makhubela?I was born 3rd of five siblings in Mzinti

(a rural village in Mpumalanga Province).

My parents (Father- Businessman and

farmer; Mother-Housewife) did their

very best to ensure that my siblings and

I obtained a good education in order to

be able to seize life’s opportunities and

be the best that we can be. In fact, so

determined were they that just before

the dawn of democracy in South Africa

(in the early 90s when the group areas

act was still in play) they collaborated

with a kind lady by the name of Ms. Anne

Sanderson to enroll my older sister and

I “as her nieces” into an English medium

school in Nelsville outside of Nelspruit.

And so, I began my schooling in Nelsville

Primary School and completed matric in

2002 at Nelspruit Private College.

I obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc.)

degree in Chemistry and Mathematics

from the University of Zululand in 2005

as well as BSc. Honours and Master of

Science (MSc.) degrees in 2007 and 2009

from the University of Cape Town (UCT)

respectively. I am currently Postdoctoral

Research Fellow in the Department of

Chemistry at UCT having also obtained a

Ph.D in Chemistry at this institution.

Being the first person to ever graduate

with a PhD in Mzinti is an honour and

privilege and for this reason I have taken

to using my position and achievements

to inspire and mentor young people in

my community. Since 2011, I have been

working on a high school academic out-

reach programme that aims to work with

various stakeholders to: 1) Provide and

activating and nurturing environment

“Being the first person to ever graduate with a PhD in Mzinti is an honour and privilege”

PROFILE


IMAGES SUPPLIED BY UCT

for high school learners to raise their academic effort to the

level that excellence requires; 2) Provide academic/resource

support and mentoring to learners and 3) Promote access to

higher education and personal development opportunities.

Involvement in such a programme is my way of contributing

to ensuring that the next generations of scientists are avail-

able in the future. I also enjoy hiking, travelling and reading.

What inspired you to get into chemistry?

When I was in grade 5 (11 years), I was amazed at seeing an

insect that emitted light when flying. After asking my teacher

how the insect managed to do this, she (Mrs Peters) arranged

for me to join the grade 7 science projects that year where a

group of grade 7 learners and I researched and presented on

the topic of bioluminescence. During this time I learnt that

bioluminescence took place by a process involving chemicals,

enzymes (luciferin and luciferase respectively) in the insect

together with oxygen! This (coupled with the fact that I later

found chemistry “more understandable” than other subjects)

sparked my interest in chemistry and science in general.

Can you tell us more about your current research?

My research interests are in Organometallic Chemistry

and their applications in Catalysis, Green Chemistry and

Metallodrug Discovery.

Much of Africa is burdened by disease and this is stifling its

development. Together with Dr Gregory S. Smith (UCT),

we are working on transition metal-containing drugs as

potential anti-cancer agents. This project seeks to con-

tribute in overcoming the challenge of disease burden

and potentially improve the continent’s health and quality

of life.

What would you say to aspiring scientists looking into doing this type of research? As an encouragement to young people I would say to

look at the world and universe they live in and ask “if

this… than… type” questions:

Engage in scientific activities often such as observing and

following scientific phenomena or events (e.g following

progress on the square kilometer array (SKA) program or

space program launches and missions etc.) and sorting

and categorising and manipulating objects and materials.

These kinds of activities can invite scientific thinking,

investigation and allow for teaching and/or training in

the basic skills of scientific research.

Take science and mathematics at school not maths

numeracy and work hard with diligence and determina-

tion as you move boldly towards yours dreams.

She is truly one of the shining lights in Science and an outstanding Science Star!

PROFILE

Science Stars Magazine Issue 2 | www.sciencestars.co.za

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