Two local young science stars are set to represent South Africa at the ExpoCiencias Nacional 2024 in the city of Villahermosa in Mexico next week.
Aman Pati, a Grade 11 learner at Kingfisher High School in Limpopo and Raees Khan, a Grade 11 learner at Vryburg High School in the North West earned their opportunities to showcase their research projects at the Mexican expo from 3 to 7 December 2024 following a nomination by a panel of academics and professionals at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF), which took place in September.
Pati, 17, will present a theoretical study of the ‘Revolutionizer’ mechanism, a low-cost, fuel-free, and environmentally sustainable alternative for rocket launches. Concerned about the exorbitant costs and harmful emissions during rocket launches, Pati aimed to find an alternative solution to rocket launches where the fuel-free rocket would reach Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with zero black carbon emissions. Pati, who was the Eskom Best Innovation award recipient and a Gold medal winner at the Eskom Expo ISF, demonstrated an in-depth understanding of physics laws and tested existing equations while proposing his own.
As a first aider, Raees Ahmed Khan noticed a significant lack of access to basic first aid knowledge during emergencies. With over three years of experience, Khan, 17, recognised a need in his community for a centralised platform to store medical histories and an automated healthcare device. Driven by determination, he began coding and developing a device to effectively serve his community’s needs, in the form of the Gold medal-winning project at the Eskom Expo ISF, ‘Portable Automated Healthcare Device (PAHD)’. The device has a blood oxygen monitor, a thermometer, and glucose monitoring capability. It has exhibited significant effectiveness and demonstrated promising results when utilised appropriately.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Eskom Development Foundation (Acting), Ms Mologadi Motshele, said: “We are thrilled that our young scientists have earned the prestigious honour of representing South Africa at the upcoming International Science Fair in Mexico. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education plays a crucial role in shaping our future leaders and problem-solvers. By supporting and celebrating their achievements, the Eskom Development Foundation is also highlighting the importance of investing in STEM education to prepare the next generation for an ever-evolving world.”
Eskom Expo Executive Director, Parthy Chetty, said: “We are honoured to have received an invitation from the Mexican National Science Fair to participate in this year’s ExpoCiencias Nacional, marking our return to a Mexico-hosted science fair since 2017. Building and sustaining relationships within the international science community is essential in providing our home-grown talent with opportunities to compete on a global stage. These events allow our learners to network and collaborate with like-minded peers, all skilled and passionate about engineering and innovation. We extend our best wishes to our science stars, Aman and Raees, as they embark on this exciting journey of discovery.”
About 500 Mexican projects and 12 international projects from Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa are expected to be presented at the upcoming event, which aims to celebrate science, technology, and culture.
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