Four innovative science pupils will represent South Africa at this year’s Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition (BYSCC) in China.
The budding scientists will compete with their cutting-edge research projects at the three day science competition, from March 28 to April 1 under the theme, “Discovery, Innovation and Responsibility”.
Eskom Expo provincial co-ordinator for Limpopo, Dr Sure Mupezeni, will accompany the young scientists selected by a panel of academics at last year’s Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF).
The acting CEO of Eskom Development Foundation, Mologadi Motshele, acknowledged the value of participation in international science conventions.
“When our budding scientists engage in international competitions like the BYSCC, they gain exposure to distinctive learning environments that can greatly benefit our nation. The transformative experiences awaiting these four learners will contribute to a cycle of knowledge-sharing, fostering more opportunities for aspiring young scientists to compete on a global scale and cultivating a pipeline for potential future scientists and engineers for our country,” said Mupezeni.
One of the young scientists, Nyakallo Nonjabulo Mbongo, a Grade 11 learner from Welkom-Gimnasium will exhibit her research project, “Soil restoration, Inoculated biochar?”.
Mbongo was concerned by how soil degradation threatens crop productivity and food security globally; she performed several experiments, and concluded that small-scale farmers and gardeners can improve the quality of their crop yield by using a cost-effective, simple, and readily available inoculated biochar. Mbongo won the Eskom Expo ISF gold medal last year.
Grade 12 learners, Steffan Thielen and Rohan van Loggerenburg from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape, will showcase their research project, “Optimisation of Artificial Neural Network training”.
The learners focussed on the question, “How can the architecture of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) can be optimised through the use of a dynamic network architecture?” They demonstrated an in-depth understanding of ANN and artificial intelligence in general- they were able to articulate how current findings in these fields related to their research. Thielen and his partner also received the ISF gold medal last year.
Another Grade 12 learner, Kiyara Tami Swartbooi from Port Rex Technical High School in East London, the Eastern Cape, will showcase her project, “Thermal Faucet. A smart Water Management System”.
Swaartboi’s project addressed water and energy conservation, considered as globally critical issues. The innovation is described as “a significant advancement, where smart home technology embraces energy and water conservation to produce an intelligent, intuitive, efficient, and cost-effective solution.”
The youngsters mastery of technical terms and engineering processes made her stand out from her peers, thus, she received the ISF silver medal last year.
Parthy Chetty, the executive director of Eskom Expo, noted that the scholars will promote and be informed about the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation (STEMI) industry.
“Eskom Expo is grateful for the bilateral agreement with the Beijing Association for Science and Technology for hosting the South African team each year,” he added.
“The opportunities presented to these four young scientists will open up their minds to new scientific experiences and create life-long friends along the way, transcending borders across continents. These ambassadors will return to South Africa more enlightened and will be in a better position to promote STEMI- and Expo activities back in their schools, districts and regions,” said Chetty.
The Star