The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's (CSIR) Meraka Institute has received part of a $6 million grant from the HP Catalyst Initiative.
The initiative is a global social innovation programme designed to develop more effective approaches to science, technology, engineering and math (Stem) education worldwide.
According to the Meraka Institute, the main thrust of the global 'collaboratory' is to engage students in collaborative problem-solving and to incubate innovations in Stem education.
It says this will be done by using shared computing, data, knowledge and sensor resources, as well as human and institutional networks. These will be used alongside skills through technologies, enabling virtual collaboration, including cloud and grid computing.
The grant builds on the Obama administration's 'Educate to innovate' coalition designed to improve national outcomes in Stem subject matters, the institute says.
Breaking down the figures, Laurens Cloete, acting executive director at the CSIR Meraka Institute, says the institute received a total of $133 000 and $20 000 worth of equipment.
He explains that it would use $100 000 to lead the consortium while $33 000 will be set aside for funding consortium partners' travels.
Experts melting pot
“The catalyst programme actually comprises a collaboration of collaborations, each focusing on different issues which Stem faces. The goal is not ICT innovation in and of itself, but to stimulate a major improvement, hence the term 'catalyst', in the quality and scope of our Stem education,” says Cloete.
Bruce Becker, the coordinator of the South African National Grid at Meraka, says some other groups in Meraka have also successfully submitted proposals to other consortia as unfunded 'associate members'.
“There are five consortia with five members each and up to five associate members each. Each member of the consortia is awarded the same grant as the consortium leader,” Becker explains.
The associate members aren't funded because the HP budget is limited, and were invited to participate due to the fact that their proposals reflected a strong potential contribution to the consortia, he adds.
The Meraka Institute is responsible for the implementation of core components in the Department of Science and Technology-funded national cyber infrastructure programme, including the Centre for High Performance Computing and Sanren, he says.
Accelerating development
Becker says HP and several other actors including the European Commission and the Obama administration, have expressed that investment in research infrastructure needs to be reinforced with investment in Stem education so learners in high schools are properly exposed to the tools of tomorrow.
The grant will allow Meraka to accelerate its programmes in research and development for education and scientific research and maintain its collaborations and position in Africa, according to Becker.
He adds that the grant will be useful in the development of ICT skills by direct participation of high school students in collaborative scientific research, reinforced with a relevant and exciting curriculum and e-learning platform.
The institute's priority for the grant, Becker says, is to have high school students embrace a culture of scientific enquiry; become part of the global research culture; and be exposed to the excitement and fulfilment of science by being directly involved.
He also points out that the project will contribute towards the attainment of Meraka's goal of contributing towards the growth and development of a necessary new generation of cyber-savvy researchers.
“Without them, cyber infrastructure will not attain its potential,” says Becker.
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