Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Young scientist wins gold
KATHERINE Sedres’ passion for science saw her win a gold award in the biomedical and medical sciences category at the Eskom Expo International Science Fair virtual awards ceremony last week.
She did a research project which investigated the impact of a winter conditioning training programme on the overall strength and performance of adolescent athletes.
The Grade 11 pupil at Rhenish Girls’ High School was also recognised as a Scifest finalist.
Scifest Africa will select the three best communicator awards from the finalists after secondary online interviews.
The winners will be given the opportunity to present their projects to Minister of
Higher Education, Science and Technology Blade Nzimande and be part of the Scifest proceedings.
Katherine said: “The research project seemed daunting at first (but), as soon as I started to understand research principles and how to apply them, it was as if a whole other world of possibilities opened up. I am grateful for this opportunity and already have some ideas for future research projects.
“I would definitely encourage all science enthusiasts to consider submitting entries in the future. My advice would be to choose a topic and area of investigation that you are really passionate about and even consider ideas and topics that align with the career you would like to pursue. Ensure that you plan your project properly and, as far as possibe, stick to the time-lines you set for yourself. This will definitely help with juggling school and other extra-mural demands,” she said.
Her father, Roger, said: “We are incredibly proud of Katherine’s commitment to excellence, work ethic and perseverance.
“Katherine is a humble and hard-working young lady. She is kind and thoughtful and a real joy in our family. She is also very dedicated and resilient,” he added.