SAYAS Young Leaders at STS Forum, Japan
International Relations and Cooperation (IRC) of the NRF, in collaboration with the SA Embassy in Japan, facilitated and supported the participation of three young scientists in the 2015 STS forum, held during 5-7 October in Kyoto, Japan. The STS forum, founded in 2004, is an annual global meeting of more than 1 000 world leaders from different fields on global issues surrounding science and technology and is the largest science and technology conference in the world.
Three members from the SA Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) were competitively selected to participate in the“Future Leaders’ Programme”, held during the annual meeting of the STS forum. The programme invites 100 young, promising leaders to participate in the forum, providing an invaluable opportunity for interactive dialogues and networking with world leaders, scientists (incl. Nobel laureates), academics, policy makers, business leaders, journalists as well as with their peers.
The young scientists also participated in a dedicated lunch meeting with HE Minister Naledi Pandor of DST, and the Ambassador of SA to Japan, Ambassador Mohau Pheko.
South Africa through the DST will host its first Science Forum during 8-9 December 2015 in Pretoria (www.sfsa.co.za).
Ms Eudy Mabuza (SA Minister Councillor for S&T, SA Embassy to Japan); Dr Aliza le Roux, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus); Ambassador Pheko; Minister Pandor; Prof Avinash Govindjee, Department of Public Law, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University; Dr Tolu Oni, Division of Public Health Medicine, University of Cape Town; Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, CEO of the CSIR, Mr Lunga Ngqengelele, DST