South Africa Pupils Amazes At International Science Fair
The majority of South African matric pupils are only concerned about passing their final exams and finding Jobs in Cape Town, but then there are other pupils who are engaged in science projects that would leave any seasoned scientist green with envy.
Cape Town boasts with Danielle Jacobson from Camps Bay High School, Ben Langer from Herzlia High School, and Philippe Lothaller from Rondebosch Boys High School. Danielle Mallabone from St Teresaa High School will be the only contestant from Johannesburg. And finally, Retselisitsoe Monyake from Harmony High School in Welkom, who all turned heads recently with their inventions at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair, in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Lothaller and Jacobson not only won bursaries to study at top universities in the USA, but also walked away with substantial cash prizes.
Danielle Jacobson, who is only 16 years old, won a $50,000 scholarship at West Virginia University for her work and study of how to employ bacteria and nano-electrodes to increase the electrical output of microbial fuel cells.
Danielles explanation of her research sounds like something from a doctoral thesis, which makes it even more impressive. Microbial fuel cells are devices that convert chemical energy into electrical energy by the catalytic reaction of specialised microbes.
Danielle discovered a method to make the electrodes 2,600 times more efficient, but unfortunately her process was too pricey to be viable for now.
Ben Langer discovered that by adding certain accelerants to rocket fuel, it was possible to increase the power to weight ratio of the rocket-engine. This won him the New American University Provost Scholarship, which allows him to study at Arizona State University. He also won a cash prize of $2,500 to do further research at the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development.
Philippe Lothaller, who has always been spellbound by aircraft design, discovered a way to reduce wear on the aircraft tyres by attaching scoops to the wheels of the aircraft, which reduces friction-induced wear on the tyres. For his discovery, Philippe won a $7,500 cash prize from the United Airlines Foundation.
The abovementioned pupils were selected after performing well in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair, which took place in 2012.
South Africas researchers and scientists are ageing and we are trying to encourage young students in these fields to become the next generation of scientists to solve the issues of energy and the environment we are facing, said Eskom Expo director, Priscilla Moodley.