News
The CSIR hosted the 31st Working Group on Numerical Experimentation (WGNE) of the World Climate Research Programme on 26 – 29 April 2016 in Pretoria. The annual meeting was not only a first for the CSIR, but was also a first for Africa.
Thirty of the world’s leading atmospheric modelling experts, from 15 of the largest climate modelling institutions globally, met at the CSIR to discuss new developments and improvements in the area of atmospheric modelling in the past year. The experts also provided evidence on the rigorous testing their models have undergone.
South Africa's top young scientists will rub shoulders with the world's best minds, including over 30 Nobel Laureates, when they attend the 66th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in June.
The eight young scientists will travel to Germany after emerging tops in a tough international selection process to participate in the meeting. The successful participants are outstanding undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral students under the age of 35 years in the field of physics, which is the focus of this year's 66th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.
The CSIR Knowledge Commons (KC) was abuzz with excitement as event organisers and researchers put the final touches to their exhibitions and presentations in anticipation of Premier David Makhura’s arrival on Friday, 6 May 2016. The Premier was accompanied by the MEC for Finance, Barbara Creecy, Gauteng province Director-General, Ms Phindile Baleni and the MEC for Health, Qedani Mahlangu. Mclean Sibanda, the CEO of the Innovation Hub and the Department of Science and Technology Director-General, Dr Phil Mjwara, were also in attendance.
South Africa’s best-quality coal, located in the central Highveld basin, is depleting and alternative sources of coal need to be developed to supply the country with coal in the future. The quality of coal mined in the central basin is also gradually becoming poorer while the coal market is increasingly demanding a higher quality product.
Go green and plant a few trees this Earth Day. Your kids and their kids will thank you.
Studies have shown that schools with tree coverage have a low prevalence of asthma and lung diseases amongst their learners. In addition to this, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder are able to concentrate for longer periods.
This year’s Earth Day theme is ‘Trees on Earth’ and it will be celebrated on 22 April 2016. The Earth Day Network (EDN) aims to plant 7.8 billion trees by 2020 to honour its 50th anniversary. This can be translated to a tree for every person on.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, will brief the media in Parliament on Tuesday 19 April at 10am, on the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) priorities for this financial year.
Under the theme,“Innovation for sustainable local government and youth development”, Minister Pandor, will outline how the DST plans to spend its allocation of R7.4 billion allocation for the 2016/17 financial year, to ensure that the country reaches its target of gross expenditure on research and development equal to 1,5% of GDP by 2019.
For the last decade the CSIR has been building a behavioural sciences capability geared to assist military and defence related clients in soldier selection and support programmes. The 2014 Defence Review described the African peace climate as ‘persistently troubled’, making the continent an ideal candidate for behavioural sciences research.
On 22 March 2016, the global community celebrated World Water Day (WWD). In South Africa, WWD coincides with the National Water Week, which serves as a powerful campaign mechanism re-iterating the value of water, the need for the sustainable management of this scarce resource and the role water plays in eradicating poverty and under-development.
CSIR waste experts are investigating ways in which informal waste pickers – individuals picking through bin bags at kerbside, recovering valuable recyclables – can be integrated into the South African waste and recycling economy, particularly when a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is implemented for certain waste streams.