Girl scientists from Breede Valley make an impact at the ESCOM Expo for Young Scientists in Stellenbosch.

Three young female scholar scientists from Robertson and Worcester made a big impression with their research projects at the most recent Escom Expo for Young Scientists held in Stellenbosch, winning two winning silver medals, and the third one receiving a special commendation for her research topic.

On picture from left to right: Paul Museke (Somerset High), Akanya Tyaliti (Somerset High), Ms Zizipho Mhlungulwana (Mathematics and Physics teacher, Somerset High), Grace Maunga (Zwelethemba High), Reananetse Mbizo (Masakheke High) and Tapfumaneyi Mpariwa(Somerset High), Kelvin Vollenhoven (SATVI).

Reananetse Mbizo, Masakhekhe High School, Robertson, Research Topic: Vertical transmission of HIV in pregnant mothers to their infants.

Akanya Tyaliti, Somerset High, Research Topic: Can humans distinguish between Artificially Intelligence (AI) generated text and human written text."

Grace Maunga, Zwelethemba High, Worcester. Research topic: Sleep patterns amongst adolescents.

 

Reananetse Mbizo, a grade 11 student at Masakheke High School in Robertson, and Akanya Tyaliti, a grade 11 student at Somerset High School in Worcester, two promising young female scientists took home silver medals for their studies on the "Vertical transmission of HIV in pregnant mothers to their infants" and "Can humans distinguish between Artificially Intelligence (AI) generated text and human written text." They were followed by Grace Maunga, a grade 10 learner from Zwelethemba High, who received a special commendation for a novel study of sleep patterns amongst adolescents.

The girls were followed by Paul Museke, a Grade 12 learner at Somerset High Schol, who won bronze for a study of the “Effects of air resistance on the acceleration of Maglev trains”, and Tapfumaneyi Mpariwa who also presented a research project on “creating electricity from magnets and static electricity”.

According to Kelvin Vollenhoven, Communications Manager at the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI), “SATVI, which is part of the University of Cape Town is proud to have supported these budding scientists and hopes to increase the interest in local school learners to develop their own science research projects which can be showcased at the Science Expo”.

“We need to grow the number of learners interested in science careers from our area” he said

 

SATVI students involved in judging science projects submitted by school learners.

SATVI has been involved with the Science Expo, with a number of SATVI postgraduate students serving as judges to the Science Expo.

From left to right: Tsholofelo Tshuma, Alisha Chetty, Lauen Cruywagen, Dominique Ariefdien and Gabriela Jackson.