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41% of getS.E.T.go! readers think that the most important benefit of hosting the Square Kilometre Array telescope, would be the boost it gives our international reputation as experts in this field. |
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37% opted for “attracting more young people into science and engineering”; and 22% for “foreign investment for local technology projects”. |
Scientists at Stellenbosch University have developed a high-tech "tea bag" filter that fits into the neck of a bottle and turns polluted water into clean water as you drink from it.
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Soon you will be able to view, experience and understand that which is too small to be seen by the naked eye – thanks to a unique information tour being developed for the public at the National Centre for Nanostructured Materials at the CSIR.
The tour is being created on behalf of SAASTA by Jive Media, Marketing and Communications, a company that specialises in science communication. It will enable members of the public to view special presentations, fact sheets and equipment that introduces them to nanoscience and nanotechnology and its potential application in our day-to-day lives.
The centre itself aims to discover and develop new materials and material properties at the nano scale. It intends to promote the understanding thereof and in turn open up opportunities for collaboration that are often stifled due to a lack of awareness and insight into the subject.
The tour is funded by the Department of Science and Technology’s Nanotechnology Public Engagement Programme, which is managed by SAASTA.
Robert Inglis of Jive Media explains that a tour with clear, concise messaging and plenty of opportunities to ask questions is an excellent strategy for explaining nanotechnology and fostering much-needed public-private partnerships in this field.
The tour will include information hand-outs, a 10-minute audio-visual presentation on nanoscience and nanotechnology, as well as access to nine stations where people can learn more about the various nanostructures created at the facility, and the devices that are used to look at them.
“Applications are key to growing an understanding of the importance and the impact of this technology,” says Inglis. “Being able to visualise the nanostructures will help visitors to grasp how the features of the nanostructures make them particularly well suited to their various roles.”
The first tour is expected to take place by March 2011. Make a note in your diary to book your ticket!