SAIP Newsletter - May 2008 Editor: J. Padayachee A. Note from Stand-In Editor I've used all contributions that I could access to compile this newsletter. If you sent in any items directly to Judith and these have not been included, please send them to me and I will issue an addendum. Jaynie Padayachee secretary@saip.org.za B. Editorial from SAIP President South Africa is fortunate to have a separate Department of Science and Technology. There are some countries that combine Education with Research, and not so long ago South Africa had combined Arts and Culture with Science and Technology into a single government department. There would be some advantages to these expanded portfolios, but there is no doubt that a focused - and in our case, very progressive - DST is strengthening Science as an instrument for development, and in here Physics is playing a vital role. It is no co-incidence that the vast majority of our National Facilities are Physics-based. The tacit argument is that out of this milieu of fundamental understanding of the Physics - and in here I include the instrumentation - there emerges a transfer of knowledge and experience to other cognate disciplines. One can only marvel at the fantastic opportunities that dot our physics landscape in South Africa today. Looking into the near future, however, it is not too difficult to figure out where our key bottle necks are to driving our science system to realize its complete potential: Our failing High School education system and poor training in mathematics and science is nothing short of catastrophic, and this is having a detrimental effect on everything that we can be. It is precisely in the realm of Education that I feel that there needs to be greater cooperation between the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Education. The new FET curriculum has thrown up some enormous challenges. The Research community is very much aware of the difficulties. There are many initiatives that are underway nationally, and the SAIP is continually trying to find opportunities to make a meaningful impact. However, we can at best only 'scratch at the surface' of the underlying problems. A higher level inter-ministerial committee with adequate stakeholder representation - and here the SAIP is willing to play its part - will assist us greatly in getting to the root of the problems. Also, it is obvious that we will not be able to accomplish the planned five-fold increase in the PhD production of the country - which is a key strategy of DST-NRF - without the fullest cooperation and involvement of the Higher Education sector. It is not possible to achieve such a massive change in these numbers by some adiabatic process - there is a need for a radical re-think of how we approach graduate student production. The idea of the DST overseeing graduate student development, perhaps within a system of graduate schools, was mooted by NRF Vice President Dr Albert van Jarsveld at a recent address at the centennial celebrations of the Royal Society of South Africa. This seems like a distinctly exciting idea. Nithaya Chetty President SAIP C. SAIP Office C.1. The Role of SAIP Secretariat SAIP secretariat was established in January this year with Mr Brian Masara as the Executive Officer. His contact details are as follows: Mr Brian Masara Executive Officer South African Institute of Physics Department of Science and Technology Building CSIR Campus Meiring Naude Road Pretoria Email: brian.masara@saip.org.za Tel: +27 12 843 6561 Fax: +27 86 648 8474 Cell:+27 73 737 2562 The establishment of the secretariat was based on recommendation 4.14 of the International Panel Report on Shaping the Future of Physics in South Africa. It is important at this time to communicate the benefits and convenience that members of SAIP, specialist groups, working groups and the physics community may derive from services provided through the secretariat. Full details of the role of the SAIP may be downloaded from: http://www.saip.org.za/documents/RoleSAIPSecretariat.pdf D. SAIP Council (J. Padayachee, secretary@saip.org.za) D.1. New SAIP Postal Address Please note that the SAIP's new postal address is: Postnet Suite 165 Private Bag X025 LYNNWOOD RIDGE 0040 South Africa D.2. Membership Matters D.2.1 New Members since Last Newsletter Ms. M.M. Biggs (S) Mr. C.J. Jafta (S) Mr. B. Masara (O) Mr. O.O. Nubi (O) Mr. N.T. Botha (O) Mr. V. Musara (S) Mr. F.C. De Beer (O) Mr. A.N. Moloi (O) Miss. P.S. Mbule (S) Prof. D.M. Mafokwane (O) Dr. S.R. Katashaya (O) D.2.2 Memberships Upgraded Dr. SP Ntoahae (O) Dr. DM Moeketsi (O) D.2.3 Bilingual Certificates Bilingual certificates for those members that have requested them are in the process of being printed and will be posted shortly. D.3. Notice of Change to the Constitution 1.1. Notice of Change of Constitution As required by the current Constitution, you are hereby given notice of the addition of the following clause to the Constitution of the SAIP: "In 2009 (or soon thereafter), the membership will adopt a new constitution with a 2/3 majority after a fully consultative process." D.4. Elections for Specialist Groups (N. Chetty chettyn@ukzn.ac.za ) A new round of elections for all Specialist Groups will be held in July 2008. Specialist Group Chairs are kindly requested to facilitate open and transparent election processes for all office positions. E. Vacancies E.1. SAIP Outreach and Marketing Co-ordinator (brian.masara@saip.org.za) The SAIP is seeking to appoint an Outreach and Marketing Co-ordinator, focusing on the development of exhibit and promotional material and facilitate outreach activities amongst the physics research community. A vacancy exists for a responsible person to initiate and drive the community awareness programme of the SAIP and the CSIR National Laser Centre (NLC). The position is a renewable 1-year contract position. E-mail address: brian.masara@saip.org.za Closing date: 6 June 2008 More information may be obtained from: http://www.saip.org.za/careers/vacancies/SAIPMarketing.pdf E.2. Junior Lectureships at UNISA (bothaae.unisa.ac.za) There are two vacancies in the Department of Physics at UNISA. More information may be obtained from: http://www2.unisa.ac.za/vacancies/html/1367.htm F. Request for Information F.1. Centre for High Performance Computing, a national laboratory for computational science! The newly established Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) of the CSIR Meraka Institute, is a national centre initiated by the Department of Science and Technology. CHPC provides a platform for High Performance Computing (HPC) to accelerate the computational research output of the South African scientific computing community. High profile projects in material science, space physics and astrophysics, oceanography, climatology, bioinformatics, fluid dynamics, finite element modelling, astronomy and cosmology, high energy physics and quantum computing are currently utilising the CHPC computational infrastructure. For more information, visit http://www.chpc.ac.za. The CHPC research office is currently compiling a database of computational physics, space physics, astronomy and astrophysics research undertaken at the Universities, Government institutions and Industry. South African researchers are cordially invited to provide information about the nature of their computational physics research, software requirements, and how can CHPC provide support to enhance you current research efforts. All correspondences should be addressed to: Dr. D M Moeketsi (Research Scientist) Centre for High Performance Computing, CSIR Campus, Meraka Institute, Rosebank, Cape Town dmoeketsi@csir.co.za G. Conferences, Workshops, Schools G.1. 53rd Annual SAIP Conference, 7-11 July 2008, Polokwane Visit http://www.saip.org.za/conf2008/ for more details. G.2. Atomic Collisions in Solids (ICACS23), 16-23 August 2008 at the Hans Merensky Estate in Phalaborwa (Susan Loubser - susan@starsat.co.za) Please visit the conference website for further information (www.icacs23.com). G.3. NIASA Seminar, 2-6 June 2008, Pretoria, South Africa (www.niasa.co.za) Please find attached an invitation to an exciting and unique opportunity to obtain an overview of the key issues within the global nuclear industry, presented by a panel of 10 international experts brought to South Africa by the World Nuclear University of London. The seminar consists of an intensive series of lectures, workshops and interactive sessions to be held at the St. George Hotel outside Pretoria from 2- 6 June 2008. Programme, cost and registration details are included in the invitation below. We trust that you and your colleagues wil be able to take advantage of this opportunity. Please forward this information to other pesons that may be interested in this seminar. Please view the NIASA webpage www.niasa.co.za for CVs of the presenters and other information. Maps to the venue can be obtained from the hotel website http://www.stgeorgehotel.co.za/ Gert Claassen NIASA Secretariat Tel: +27 12 641 1071 Fax: +27 12 641 1802 Cell: +27 83 602 5254 www.niasa.co.za H. PHYSICS OUTREACH H.1. Physics Cartoons (Sharon Grussendorff grussendorff@sai.co.za) A group of individuals dedicated to creative science communication is developing cartoons - under the banner of Jive Media - to arouse public interest in science while maintaining high levels of scientific integrity. Rico Shacherle, who is a cartoonist and writer of "Madam and Eve" fame, has a passionate interest in science communication. Robert Inglis, who is a mechanical engineer, has managed the project. Sharon Grussendorff, a computational solid state physicist, has overseen the scientific conceptual development of the cartoon content. A project that they have worked on involved the Meerkat. The cartoon strip may be found at http://www.ska.ac.za/education/mkcartoon.shtml. Of interest was the need to debunk myths and misconceptions around radio astronomy, and to excite local residents about the exciting opportunities and possibilities that emerge from having this telescope in their region. The team has done a number of other cartoons and television animations, which may be found at www.jivemedia.co.za. Of particular interest to Physics are a series of 4 cartoon strips that were done on astronomy in South Africa. One of these may be seen at the SAASTA website: http://www.saasta.ac.za/astronomy/downloads.shtml I. Reports I.1. Physics History (P Runan De Kock, rdk@sun.ac.za) A recently released laboratory report (iTemba LABS Report: iTL-GEN-08-001, January 2008) Title: The History of Building, and Commissioning the Pretoria Cyclotron and Isotope Separator, Starting Cyclotron Isotope Production at the CSIR, and How these Programs Contributed to a Feasibility Study for a National Accelerator Facility for South Africa Author: Prof. WL (Willie) Rautenbach, Stellenbosch, January 2008 Abstract: This article covers the history, from 1947 to around 1972, of the building and commissioning of the Pretoria Cyclotron and the Isotope Separator of the CSIR; some of their uses; the start of radioisotope production with charged particle beams in South Africa; and how the combined program contributed to a Feasibility Study for a National Accelerator Facility for South Africa between 1973 and 1975. Present relevance : This detailed account of the developments of cyclotron developments at the CSIR will be interesting especially to persons associated to accelerator and nuclear physics technology. It forms the basis of a more condensed version which will contribute to a SA Physics History, which is at present being compiled as an SAIP project. Available from : HEAD: Library and Information Services iThemba LABS P O Box 722 Somerset West, 7129 naomi@tlabs.ac.za Tel: +27 21 843 1000 Tel: +27 21 843 1259 (Direct) J. News Items J.1.1 Comment: South African National Space Agency Bill (B20-2008) The Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology invites stakeholders and interested parties to submit written submissions on the *South African National Space Agency Bill (B20-2008)* . The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the promotion of the use of space and co-operation in space-related activities, foster research in astronomy, advance scientific engineering through human capital, support the creation of an environment conducive to industrial development in space technologies within the framework of National Government policy and, for that purpose, to establish the South African National Space Agency; to provide for the objectives and functions of the South African National Space Agency and for the manner in which it must be managed and governed and provide for matters connected therewith. Public hearings will be conducted at Parliament on Tuesday, 3 June and Wednesday, 4 June 2008. Submissions can be emailed to Zelna Jansen, Committee Secretary, Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology at *zjansen@parliament.gov.za*by no later than 12:00 on Thursday, 29 May 2008. Please indicate your interest in making a verbal presentation. Enquiries: Zelna Jansen, tel. (021) 403-3669 J.2. Tripoli Statement Tripoli Statement on the Brain Drain and the African Diaspora as a Resource (http://www.saip.org.za/documents/AfricanBrainDrain.pdf)