 |
Regional and National Science Fairs
Science fairs have grown in popularity over the last four years through the efforts of the Expo for Young Scientists and support from Intel. The Expo for Young Scientists is a coordinating body set up by the government with a mandate to promote science and technology among school children. Most Expo competitors attend Model C schools, which have science labs, equipment, and dedicated science teachers. Winners of the Expo represent South Africa at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the United States. This year, New Intelligent Refrigeration Technology: Research, Design and Testing by seventeen-year-old Bradley Warren Mathews of Northcliff High School, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa won a Bently Nevada award. Past winners at Intel ISEF include Jandri Barnard for a project entitled, Making Paper from Alien Weed, Jacqueline du Toit for Rainbows Helping the World: Solving Tough Theoretical Mathematical Problems, and Simon Bray for his project, Intelligent Aerofoil.
Higher Education
 Intel supports the University of Pretoria with financial grants that have been used to set up state-of-the-art computer labs. The first grant purchased 49 PCs and created a computer lab designed to be open every day of the year. The lab is used extensively by computer science students and by electrical, electronic, and computer engineering faculty. Students use the lab to conduct research on advanced computer networks, pattern recognition, rapid prototyping, digital signal processing, e-business, network security, and more. A second grant to the university established a collaborative supercomputing environment. In this lab, a group of stand-alone PCs is connected through a high-speed WAN to operate as a single computer. The combined processing power and speed allows students and faculty to pursue advanced research in many fields such as optical networking, parallel genetic algorithms, wireless LAN, gaming algorithms, pattern recognition, real-time image processing and compression, and simulations for circuit design and semiconductor modeling.
- The Ministry of Education launched a 10-year information, communication, and technology (ICT) strategy for all schools.
- Eleven official languages are taught in South African schools.
- Approximately 21 percent of schools do not have access to purified running water or electricity, a significant improvement from the estimated 40 percent that lacked these basics in 1994.
|
|
 Page 16 of 19 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Access to the Internet, computer based projects, e-mail, artwork, and collaboration are just a few of the activities South African children will enjoy at Intel Computer Clubhouses. The first three clubhouses on the continent are scheduled to open in 2002 in Johannesburg, Soweto, and Etwatwa townships. The Johannesburg clubhouse is located in Newtown, a central area currently in the midst of major rejuvenation and revitalization and the future home to South Africa's Science and Technology Centre. Clubhouse mentors from Intel and other local businesses have embraced the nation's mission to bring 21st-century technology to the children and classrooms in South Africa.
| |
|
|
|
|
