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NEWS UPDATE: SAEON to host Cathedral peak high-altitude observation research symposium for 2015
Cathedral Peak high-altitude observation platform research symposium will be held this week (28-29 October 2015) at John Bews lecture hall, UKZN, Pietermaritzburg. SAEON and partners will report on progress and findings with respect to precipitation, storms, erosion, siltation, soil microbes, fire, eutrophication, grazing, dynamic vegetation modelling, climate and land-use change. A single meeting to take stock of current research and knowledge of the Drakensberg landscape and water production under climate change.
NEWS UPDATE: Phalaborwa Grade 11 students embark on a quest for knowledge
Phalaborwa Grade 11 students conducted mini research projects during the school holiday (5-9 October 2015) on topics such as how overgrazing causes loss of grass species and cover, and accelerates soil erosion. Guided by SAEON scientists, they went into the field and collected their own data and then analysed it by computer. They considered how farmers could manage their livestock and environment better and thus how we as humans can minimise our environmental impact and live sustainably. SAEON provides opportunities for hands-on science projects that create science awareness and promote careers in science.
NEWS UPDATE: Postdoctoral students bring science into the street
Postdoctoral students from SAEON and the University of Cape Town set up a street science stand at the Langa Open Streets Festival in Cape Town and invited passers-by to ask questions. Many of the people who stopped by the street science stand said it was really great to be able to chat with local scientists in an informal setting and to see that scientists don't all hang out in white coats all week.
Click here to read the full article featured on SAASTA's getSETgo e-newsletter for October 2015.
NEWS UPDATE: SAEON donates two weather stations to schools in Kimberley
SAEON Arid Lands Node recently donated two weather stations to schools in the Kimberley area. The launch event of the programme was hosted by Thabane High School situated in one of the biggest townships in Kimberley, Galeshewe. Weather stations were presented to the headmasters of the participating schools and they will soon be fully equipped to measure and record weather conditions minute by minute, including rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind direction. The programme offers learners an opportunity to do hands-on science.
Read more here.
NEWS UPDATE: South Africa organises first national GCOS science day
On Monday, 28 September, in Cape Town, participants from South Africa as well as around the world will gather for a GCOS science day to discuss long-term climate observations of essential climate variables relating to the atmosphere, terrestrial and marine systems, as well as their integration into comprehensive climate models. Click here to read more.
SAEON Nodes and staff are contributing to capacity development in science by providing research and education opportunities to universities. Per example, on 15th September SAEON Ndlovu Node rivers technician, Thabo Mohlala lectured 56 University of Limpopo 4th year BSc Agric students on monitoring the health of rivers. Students were given hands-on experience of electronarcosis in the fish ladder of the Engelhardt Dam in Kruger National Park.
NEWS UPDATE: SAEON staff visit Thabane High School in Kimberley
It's all systems go for the new weather station at Thabane public school in Kimberley. This is one of three weather stations at SAEON Arid Lands Node in Kimberley, to be used as part of science education outreach programme. On 3 September 2015, the Arid Lands Node hosted SAEON’s 11th network of education experts meeting. This provided a chance for staff to visit Thabane High School to meet three of the SAEON kids in the science education programme.
Photo: Masechaba Moopu (Learner: Thabane High), Tshililo Ramaswiela (SAEON), Vinolia Setlogelo (Educator: Thabane High), Mmathapelo Sithole (Learner: Thabane High), Vinolia Morwe (Learner: Thabane High), Sue Janse van Rensburg (SAEON), & Joe Sibiya (SAEON).
