Students to meet laureates

TWENTY top young South African scientists have been nominated to attend the 69th annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting from June 30 to July5 in the German city of Lindau.

Nominated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (Assaf) to attend the physics-dedicated event, the 20 were selected after a multistage international selection process.

Ten are women and six among the 20 are from the Western Cape’s three universities. They include UCT’s Jake Gordin, Julia Healy, Itumeleng Monageng, Kimeel Sooknunan, SU’s Jan Louw and UWC’s Nicole Thomas.

The rest are from Rhodes University, Wits, UP, UFS, UKZN and Nelson Mandela University.

The 20 scientists will join 580 young scientists from 88 countries, with 42 Nobel laureates at the meeting held annually since 1951.

Their six-day programme will include many lectures and panel discussions, said Assaf communications manager Patricia Scholtz.

She said the young scientists were outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students and post-doctoral students younger than 35 studying in the field of physics.

The meeting’s key topics would include cosmology, laser physics and gravitational waves.

Scholtz said many of them saw the chance to present their research work at one of the masterclasses or at the poster session as a special opportunity.

Assaf executive officer Professor Himla Soodyall said: “These scholars will serve as ambassadors… of physics and at the International Day that South Africa is hosting.”

The Department of Science and Technology funds the students’ trip to the Lindau Nobel Laureate meetings, which are designed as a forum for young scientists globally to have an in-depth exchange with Nobel laureates, said Scholtz.