In March 2024, the Siyakhula Festival, commemorating the 20th anniversary of AIMS, brilliantly showcased a unique amalgamation of cultural heritage and cutting-edge science through its innovative workshops and collaborative efforts. The festival, aptly named “We are growing,” lived up to its moniker by fostering growth in knowledge and community engagement. A standout feature in the
Day three of the Siyakhula Festival was a landmark celebration for the Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (CoE-MaSS) as it commemorated its 10th anniversary. The day was packed with insightful sessions that not only reflected on CoE-MaSS’s decade-long journey but also looked forward to the future of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (MaSS)
On 19 March, the Siyakhula Festival dedicated a special evening to celebrating the achievements and potential of women in mathematics, marked by an engaging panel discussion and reception. The event commenced with a powerful welcoming speech by Angela Tabiri, renowned for her advocacy and support for women in the field across Africa. Recently nominated for
The second day of the Siyakhula Festival continued to weave a narrative of empowerment, innovation, and collaboration, emphasising AIMS’s vital role in shaping the future of mathematics and science in Africa. The proceedings began with the “AIMS Stakeholders Engagement: The Future of AIMS,” panel discussions, which spotlighted AIMS’s formidable achievements in graduating over 3,000 Master’s
The “Topology for Tomorrow” workshop, held from 18-19 March 2024, as part of the Siyakhula Festival, brought a forward-looking perspective to the fields of topology and its myriad applications. This two-day event provided a platform for both established and emerging topologists to explore the current global trends, methodologies, and the future direction of topology. Organised
The Siyakhula Festival was the setting for the third iteration of the “Functional Analysis and Operator Theory Workshop,” held from 17 to 19 2024. This session gathered South African functional analysts and international specialists to highlight the country’s research prowess in these critical mathematical domains. This particular workshop aimed to enhance the expertise of postgraduate
The festival opened on 18 March 2024 with an inspiring keynote from Prof. Neil Turok, entitled “AIMS: Two Decades Growing Science in Africa.” Prof. Turok engaged the audience with AIMS’s story, highlighting its Cape Town centre as a hub for Africa’s brightest talents. This centre has become renowned for its intensive learning environment, transforming students
The opening ceremony of the Siyakhula Festival, held at the scenic Kenilworth Racecourse on 17 March 2024, launched a week-long celebration commemorating the 20th anniversary of AIMS. This occasion not only underscored AIMS’s critical contribution to the advancement of mathematical sciences but also set the stage for a series of enriching discussions and workshops designed
On 17 March 2024, the Siyakhula Festival featured the “AI for Climate Research – a Call to Action!” workshop, an enlightening session that underscored the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) in combating climate change. This workshop focused on AI’s transformative potential in climate science, hydrology, biodiversity conservation, and marine sciences. The workshop was facilitated
The Machine Learning for Ecology Research group was involved in preparing and delivering a new course as part of the AI for Science AIMS South Africa’s Master’s degree. The course aimed at equipping the students with machine learning skills for bioacoustics, animal pose estimation, and bio-logging. Dr Dufourq covered machine learning for bioacoustics, which ranged
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