As part of our public engagement efforts to increase the level of the public’s science and technology literacy and the pipeline of scientists in South Africa who will be our future leaders, AIMS South Africa participated in the launch of 2018 National Science Week (NSW) hosted by the University of Mpumalanga in Nelspruit on 28 July 2018.

NSW, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology is a countrywide celebration of science involving various stakeholders and/or role players conducting science-based activities during the week. NSW is run in all nine provinces simultaneously at multiple sites per province. The aim of NSW is to popularize science to the broader South African society and to make Science Technology Engineering Mathematics and Innovation (STEMI) appealing to learners, such that they consider STEMI as preferable career options. During the launch, the Honorable Minister of Science and Technology, Ms M Kubayi-Ngubane encouraged learners to use technology to inform their future. The focus week took place from 30 July to 4 August 2018.

Dr Yabebal Fantaye, ARETÉ Junior Research Chair in Applied Statistical Methods, Cosmology and Big Data and Mr Tumisang Irvin Tshikare, an AIMS Master’s student hosted a booth during the event and exposed learners and the general public to the wonders of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, electronics and the basic mathematics or logic behind them focusing on this year’s theme “Deepening our democracy through science and technology”.