SAIP Newsletter - November 2005 (32) (A). De Beers Gold Medal 2006 Miss Jaynie Padayachee : SAIP Secretary - secretary@saip.org.za The closing date for nominations for the De Beers Gold Medal is Tuesday 28 February 2006. Please note that unsuccessful candidates from previous years are eligible to be re-nominated. Details of the application process may be obtained from the Secretary. (B). Job opportunities at University of KwaZulu-Natal Professor Jon P.S. Rash ( rash@ukzn.ac.za) The University of KwaZulu-Natal has several job opportunities in its Centre for Science Access. There are two posts of Senior Tutor or Tutor in Physics (2 year fixed term appointments) to teach in the Science Foundation Programme on the Westville Campus. There are another two positions of Senior Lecturer (Permanent) and Senior Tutor / Tutor (2 year fixed term appointment) on the Pietermaritzburg Campus; one of these two posts will be in Physics and the other in Biology, depending on the suitability of applicants. Details of the requirements for these posts and application procedures may be found at the following URL on the UKZN website: http://www.ukzn.ac.za/department/defaut.asp?dept=vacanciesund The deadline for applications is 14 November. (C). Science Outreach Programmes (i) Unizul Science Centre Derek Fish ( thefish@iafrica.com) now has its own website - see it at http://scictr.uzulu.ac.za. Find out more about Science Centre generally at www.saastec.co.za - especially the SAASTEC Conference from 16 - 18 November in Umhlanga. (ii) SAASTE Award Day for National Science and Physical Science Olympiads Dr. N . Govender ( Govendern37@ukzn.ac.za ) KZN Regional Minquiz held at Edgewood Campus, UKZN on 7 March 2006 at 12:00. Matric physical science students are encouraged to participate. SAASTE Award Day for National Science and Physical Science Olympiads (Grades 4-11) held at UKZN, Science Complex on 26 November 2005 at 10:30. Guest Speaker Prof AC Bawa (UKZN). (D). Space Physics Programme at University of North West (Potchefstroom Campus) Okkie de Jager FSKOCDJ@puknet.puk.ac.za The High Energy Stereoscopic System in Namibia, of which South Africa is a member, was nominated and short-listed for the Rene-Descartes Research Prize for all Science Disciplines. The HESS Collaboration consists of EU partners: Germany, France, UK, Ireland, Czech Republic, Armenia and the SADC partners: Namibia and South Africa. HESS has proven to be one of the best transnational research teams of all Science branches within the European Community. See the "Rapid Press Releases of Europa" http://europa.eu.int/rapid/showInformation.do?pageName=recentPressReleases &g uiLanguage=en HESS was the first to: (1) Spatially resolve an astrophysical object in gamma-rays (a supernova remnant) showing evidence Cosmic Rays production through the process of First Order Fermi Acceleration; (2) Spatially resolve a dynamo driven astrophysical jet in gamma-rays; (3) Prove that the Milky Way contains a population of very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray sources; (4) Discover the most distant Active Galactic Nucleus in VHE gamma-rays; (5) Discover VHE gamma-rays from a Micro Quasar; (6) Spatially resolve a Pulsar Wind Nebula (or `plerion') in VHE gamma-rays; (7) Discover gamma-ray emission (variable) from a binary radio pulsar. For the HESS Source of the Month, see http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/hfm/HESS/public/som/current.htm (E) Inter-Academy Council participation Prof. D. Knoesen : dknoesen@uwc.ac.za During the weekend preceding the World Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development (WCPSD), a high powered workshop was held in Durban, with invited expert participants from Africa and abroad, to gain a better understanding of the challenges and controversies of the application of renewable energies forms in general and particular in Africa. Amongst the 21 invited participants were two physicists and an engineer from South Africa, Prof Manfred Hellberg from UKZN, Prof Dirk Knoesen from UWC and Dr Douglas Banks from RAPS. The two days before the WCPSD were spent in discussions and brainstorming on issues relating to energy from biomass, solar energy (both thermal and photovoltaic), wind energy, the decentralization of energy supplies and leapfrogging issues. The workshop was organized by the Inter-Academic Council (IAC). The IAC was created by the Academies of the World to provide in-depth science-based consensus advice on major science and technology intensive issues. This is the third study of its kind undertaken by the IAC. This workshop was the first in a series, and will continue with 5 more to be held in China, Brazil, Japan, USA and France. Attendees to this workshop include UNESCO members, energy commissions and ministries from governments, international energy agencies, academic councils, and universities researchers in Africa. Prof José Goldemberg, the State Secretary for the Environment in Brazil chaired the workshop that was organized by Dr Jos van Renswoude from the IAC. The intense and open discussions looked at the energy sources available in Africa and their distribution, ways and means to reduce their environmental footprints and the use of sustainable renewable energy resources. Application of these sources in other parts of the world was presented and discussed, and investigated how it can be introduced in Africa. This includes issues such as converting biomass to biofuels as is done in Brazil, medium to large scale solar thermal electrical generation, solar water heaters, solar photovoltaic uses, wind energy and hydro power. The workshop also look at the distribution of renewable energy sources and uses, as well as the difficulties experienced in the past in the introduction and sustainability of these energy sources in Africa in particular. The concept of leapfrogging is of particular importance in developing countries such as in Africa, with the idea to turn directly to renewable energy sources instead of building up their economies on fossil fuels with its disastrous consequences on the environment. The workshop concluded with a set of proposals that will be taken forward to the upcoming workshops, and will eventually be presented to governments and the UN. _____________________