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91% of readers strongly agree that social media platforms could play a key role in attracting younger generations of South Africans to SET fields of study. |
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3% say they are not sure (too many learners still don’t have internet access). |
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6% disagree (the time and money could be better spent on outreach projects). |
It’s like a real-life movie ... Scientists plan to smash a spacecraft into an asteroid - so they are prepared for the possibility they will have to stop one hurtling towards Earth. The news came as Nasa moved to calm fears that a comet is on a collision course with our planet. Read more
OUT AND ABOUT
Unlocking nanotechnology's potential
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The DST/NRF/SAASTA/NPEP stand at Lab Africa 2011 hosted a number of special lectures targeted at the industry, academics and the general public. |
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Professor Jan Neethling of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) addresses postgraduate students, scientists and industry partners at the stand. He explained how industry could benefit from the High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) at the NMMU. |
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The Nanotechnology Public Engagement Programme (NPEP) took centre stage at Lab Africa 2011, where more than 80 exhibitors gathered, including significant international representation by companies from Germany, India, United Kingdom and Australia.
Lab Africa is the largest laboratory technology show on the African continent, featuring literally thousands of products and services.
This year, the DST/NRF/SAASTA/NPEP stand hosted a conference on nanotechnology, which included a number of special lectures. The conference created awareness about developments in nanotechnology and served as platform to get local industry involved in this cutting-edge field of science.
Special guests included:
Dr Hulda Swai, CSIR: Dr Swai established the Tuberculosis (TB) Nanodrug Delivery Project as a concept idea, of which she is the principle investigator. Through nanomedicine she aims to develop a nanodrug delivery system that will improve the current inadequate therapeutic management of TB.
Dr Robert Tshikhudo, Mintek: Millions of people die and many are at risk of being infected by various communicable and non-communicable diseases. In developing countries this situation is exacerbated by the lack of advanced diagnostic tools that can easily and accurately diagnose a person’s health status in the early stages of infection. Dr Tshikhudo believes that nanotechnology has become an effective tool in providing solutions to these challenges.
You can find Dr Swai and Dr Tshikhudo’s presentations on the SAASTA website at this link.