A Somerset West learner is among a group of six outstanding young scientists from South Africa who will travel to Dallas, Texas in the USA where they will showcase their scientific brilliance on the global stage at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
These exceptional individuals won the opportunity to represent the country following their successful entries in the Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF) held in December last year.
This year’s Regeneron ISEF will be a fully in-person event where 1 700 learners from around the world will be competing for more than R165 million in prizes, including bursaries and various gadgets.
Among South African learners who will compete is Tyla Shepstone, a Grade 10 learner at Somerset College. The bright spark’s research project, “Smart system for hazardous gas and heat detection and an alert system for households”, provides a cost-effective and reliable solution for early detection of fires and gas. Her scalable fire and gas alarm system can detect heat and gas early and send out alerts. With the potential to save lives, Tyla’s innovative device is accessible to everyone due to its affordability and reliability. It represents a significant contribution to home safety and has the potential to become a widely adopted solution for fire and gas detection.
Other competitors are Brandon de Greef, Grade 12 at Crawford International Ruimsig in Johannesburg, Keitumetse Sebatlelo in Grade 11 at Carleton Jones High School in Merafong, Gauteng South, Enzo Blignaut in Grade 10 at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, Matthew Witbooy in Grade 12 at Curro Durbanville, and Yu Tang (Milo) Shan in Grade 12 at St John’s College in Johannesburg.
Eskom Development Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Sumaya Nassiep, expressed her congratulations to the young scientists who are heading to compete at the Regeneron ISEF, saying: “The hard work, dedication and innovation that has led to this remarkable achievement among our local learners, giving rise to this unique opportunity to showcase their skills and talent on the international stage, is commendable. Other aspiring scientists are encouraged to take inspiration from these bright minds and develop an interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation (STEMI). These fields play a crucial role in driving innovation, creating jobs, and boosting the economy. Eskom believes investing in education and the youth is vital to unlocking South Africa’s full potential.”
Regeneron ISEF 2023, the world’s largest pre-college Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition, will take place from Sunday 14 to Friday 19 May at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas in the USA. All the ceremonies and major panels will be live-streamed via the Science for Society at www.societyforscience.org/isef.
Registration to take part in the Eskom Expo is open. Learners from Grade 4 to 12, along with learners from TVET colleges in NC2 to NC4 courses, can register their projects by clicking following the link: http://bit.ly/3dVnTGH.
