The winners of the Intel-sponsored award for the 2003 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, held at the University of Pretoria in October last year, have left SA to compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Portland, Oregon in the US.
The winners, Waterkloof High School`s Peet van Wyk and Michel Mouton with their Multi-Pixelled Disk project, and Domino Servite`s Isak Du Preez with his Robosoccer robotic soccer player, will represent SA at the six-day event which attracts more than 1 200 like-minded young inventors from around the world who compete for scholarships worth more than US$3.5 million in 14 categories of science, ICT and engineering research.
Says Parthy Chetty, education manager at Intel South Africa: "In addition to the expo winners, for the first time since the Expo for Young Scientists was established in SA, Intel will sponsor three educators from various schools in SA who will attend the five-day Intel Educators` Academy which will run alongside the ISEF event."
The Intel Educators` Academy grew out of the need to take ISEF a step further than simply being a technology showcase. Its aim is to provide teachers with resources, tools, examples, and ideas that promote the inclusion of authentic research projects in mathematics and science curriculum and to enable them to inspire a keen interest from students in the various fields of science and technology. In addition, the three South African teachers attending the Intel Educators` Academy, Nelson Mphaga, mathematics and science teacher at Tshadama Secondary School in Venda, Limpopo; Marion Ruth van der Walt, biology and science teacher at Mondeor High School in Johannesburg and Christina Magdaline du Toit, biology and physiology teacher at Bethlehem Voortrekker High School in the Free State will be equipped to identify, develop and proliferate demonstrated methods for increasing the effectiveness of science fair competitions among the learners at their respective schools.
Says Chetty: "It is well known that SA is experiencing a shortage of educators skilled enough to evangelise the importance of science and engineering to our society. Our hope lies with educators who are capable of inspiring their learners at an early age, particularly those in less developed areas, to further their education in these critical fields."
Besides supporting the Eskom Expo For Young Scientists, Intel has been a major sponsor of a number of other educational initiatives in SA including the Intel Computer Clubhouses which provides disadvantaged communities with access to information and communications technology, and the Intel Teach To The Future campaign which provides training to educators to enable them to better integrate technology into the teaching environment.
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