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Au revoir! This was the parting shout from 18 South African whizkids who headed off to France for the eighth International Science Expo last month
Bon voyage! Johanna Letwaba, Lee Coulter, Blessing Nene and Thoabi Mkhwanazi
The learners chosen to represent South Africa at the International Science Expo in France gathered in Sandton to show off their projects before leaving. As they briefly outlined details of the projects, it was obvious that the pupils were brimming with enthusiasm, and hopeful of scaling more than the dizzy heights of the Eiffel Tower.
The group headed for Paris before going to the university town of Grenoble for the ExpoScience Internationale, where young scientists from over 40 countries exhibited their works. Blessing Nene from Hammersdale, KwaZulu-Natal was chosen for his model electricity-powered, wire-mesh automatic chicken feeder. The gadget was made after Nene discovered that chickens in the area had died because they battled to find food during winter. ”I love the chickens,” he said.
Among the winning models on display was an innovative lift made by Musawenkosi Mkhize from Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, and a ”watering system” that enables plants to water themselves, designed by Nhlanhla Gcabashe, also from KwaZulu-Natal.
A broad range of scientific topics were covered by the 18 winners, including Sindiswa Nkabinde, Johanna Letwaba and John Chuchu from Gauteng, who studied the ”Eating Habits of African Teens and Adults”; Secunda’s Francois Pretorius’s project on ”Kruger Park Floods”; and Thohoyandou’s Randhir Gunpath, Ratshad Maphwanya and Jennifer Khorommbi’s study on ”Household Waste Management”.
Megan Torr from Ladybrand created an ”African Tour”; Cape Town’s Susan Watts, Lee and Emma Coulter studied ”Fynbos Rehabilitation After Fire”; Gauteng’s Meshack Mahlaba devised a steam engine; Matulwane Mmakola from Northern Province worked on a power supply while Stefan Stander from Secunda studied ”Pollution of Water Sources in the Highveld”.
The Expo judges chose the winners for Young Scientists, a Section 21 company that co-ordinates and arranges science fairs for school pupils throughout South Africa.
The winners are funded by the Telkom Foundation as part of its annual initiative to cultivate interest in science and assist in maintaining the country’s future technological fitness.
”The idea is to expose young South Africans to the international world of science and technology, towards our country’s own successful initiatives,” says Lulu Letlape, senior manager of the Telkom Foundation. ”Travelling to Europe is certainly also an incentive for great school science projects!”
Expo projects are entered across scientific disciplines – from chemistry to maths, ecology, engineering, health-recycled materials and plant and human sciences. ”All of the projects were chosen for both their imaginative uniqueness as well as for their applicability in our society,” adds Expo for Young Scientists director Brian Frankenstein.
Cyprian Dladla, who represented South Africa last year, spoke of the impact the visit had on him. ”It has changed my life completely and exposed me to a world I never knew about,” he said.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, August 2001.
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