Three Pinelands High School students are heading to the International Science Fair in Johannesburg. This follows their winning gold medals at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists Cape Town Regional Science Fair.

The regional fair was held at the University of Cape Town (UCT) from 11 to 13 August. At the event 24 students from the school entered 15 projects. As a result, Pinelands High School earned four gold, four silver and five bronze medals. They also received two special awards.

Biodiversity breakthrough

Grade 9 student Alexandra de Roo won gold in the environmental studies category for her project, “Gardening for Biodiversity: Supporting Arthropod Diversity in Urban Areas”.

De Roo investigated whether increasing plant diversity in suburban gardens could help counter the global decline of arthropods. These are insects, spiders and other small creatures, which have dropped by about 40% over the past 25 to 35 years.

She compared arthropod diversity across four sites. These included Rondebosch Common, a roadside verge garden in East Way, the Pinelands High Biodiversity Garden and an open green space in Cone Way.

Her findings showed that planted gardens supported an average of 14.8 arthropod species, compared with just 6.6 in open green spaces. Notably, natural fynbos supported the highest diversity at 17.2 species.

De Roo also won Best in Category and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) Special Award. This award includes an invitation to an environmental studies workshop.

“I cannot wait to go to Johannesburg,” she said. “It has been my dream ever since I heard about it as a young girl. I always remember going to see the projects with my dad when I was younger.”

“I have a huge passion for the environment and I am really excited that I get to spread awareness about the decline of arthropods, which so many are not even aware of; hence, it has been named a silent mass extinction.” she said

Fuel from waste

Grade 11 students Uthmaan Razak and Huda Nacerodien won gold in the chemistry and biochemistry category for their joint project, “Making and Testing Fuels from Tyres to Reduce Pollution”.

The pair explored whether waste tyres could be converted into a usable alternative fuel through pyrolysis. This is a process that heats material without oxygen to break it down. Therefore, it can be used to reduce tyre waste and pollution in under-resourced communities.

They tested small-scale pyrolysis, assessed a three-stage gas-cleaning system and compared the resulting fuel with conventional fuels. Waste tyres were successfully converted into a combustible liquid fuel with properties comparable to conventional fuels.

“Taking part in the Eskom Expo has taught me so much,” said Nacerodien. “Turning waste tyres into fuel to reduce pollution has been challenging but so rewarding and I am so grateful for my partner and the opportunity to advance to the next round.”

Razak said he had not expected to advance. “This opportunity will be one of many steps forward for my career path. It has opened up a world full of innovation, creativity, trial and error and has emphasised that failure is the opportunity to learn.”

Teachers recognised

Science teachers Nicole Masureik and Norman Davies received long-service awards at the regional fair. Masureik was recognised for 16 years of service and Davies for 22 years.

Davies said the expo had given South African students the chance to test themselves as young scientists since 1980. “Projects this year continue to reflect the concerns that young people have for the environmental and socio-economic issues that plague our society,” he said.

“Biodiversity studies add to the knowledge base on climate change impacts and the low-cost reuse of old tyres to extract fuel reflect those concerns by students at Pinelands High.”

The International Science Fair takes place in Boksburg, Johannesburg, from 29 September to 4 October. For more than 20 years, the school’s internal Science and Innovation Fair has formed part of its academic extension programme. This event encourages independent research and scientific thinking.

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