3 the state of science in south africa
P H Y S I C S A N D A S T R O N O M Y
l Women in Physics in South Africa (WiPi- l Physics Comment, an electronic maga-
SA) initiative, started in 2005, which has zine to communicate with the physics
made such an impact that it submitted community and the relevant stakehold-
a successful bid to host the 4th IUPAP ers and decision-makers.
International Conference on Women in
l The establishment of the OR Tambo
Physics in Stellenbosch in April 2011.
Memorial Awards and Lecture Series to
l BSc curriculum initiative which inves- commemorate and honour OR Tambo’s
tigates what physics should be taught contributions as a physics teacher in
(and how) at this crucial phase. This is South Africa and, while in exile, also in
in response to the DST/NRF drive to in- the United Kingdom (UK).
crease the number of high-quality PhDs,
l A project called Physics 500 to promote
and in view of the reality that second-
physics in industry by publishing the
ary education in the physical sciences
careers of up to 500 industrial physicists
and mathematics is not demonstrably
as role models.
improving.
l A Further Education and Training (FET)
2
l A South African physics graduate data- education project to expose university
base which aims to develop a physics lecturers to the outcomes-based FET
graduate support system, given the very curriculum so that they can effectively
small pool of students that meet the incorporate this into their teacher-train-
entrance requirements in the physical/ ing courses.
mathematical sciences.
l A revision of the 55-year old SAIP con-
l A Biophysics Initiative to build and stitution, completed in 2009, to comply
strengthen this new interdisciplinary with modern practices.
research field as a cornerstone for 21
st
l A History of Physics in South Africa, to be
century physics in South Africa.
published in 2010, which will concen-
l Physics for Development, which strives trate on the most recent 50 years, over
to implement the recommendations of the lifespan of the SAIP.
the 2005 World Conference on Phys-
ics for Development. For example, a
The immediate success of the office is due
workshop on entrepreneurship for
to the fact that it implements DST strategies
scientists and engineers from develop-
and NRF programmes at the ground level.
ing countries in Africa is being hosted in
It works directly in, and with, the physics
November 2009.
community, which the policy-making and
l A Pan-African Physics Forum to strength- funding agencies cannot do as easily.
en African networks; a meeting for
heads of physical societies is planned for The remainder of this chapter will discuss
November 2009. how these new opportunities for physics in
2
Formal education in South Africa is categorised according to three levels – General Education and Training (GET) comprising grades
1 to 9, Further Education and Training (FET) comprising grades 10 to 12 and Higher Education (HE).
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