ss women in science special edition 2015

Special Edition | October/November 2015

WOMEN TRANSFORMING

SCIENCE

SCIENCESTARS

2 Science Stars Magazine Women In Science Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

3Science Stars Magazine Women In Science Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

CO

NT

EN

Ts

FEATURES

8 history of women in science

22 wANGARI MAATHAI greenbelt

movement

24 how to beat stress with science

28 LIPSTICK WITH A TWIST

REGULARS

6 editor's note

29 careers

30 INSTITUTIONS

33 QUIZ

34 PUZZLE

35 ANSWERS

36 SCIENCE NEWS

CONTENTSCONTENTS

theFOREWORD

Oyama Matomela who is a young female from the Eastern Cape

who went through South African Express Cadet Programme hav-

ing acquired STEM subjects.

Furthermore, State Owned Companies within the portfolio of the

Department of Public Enterprises have invested over two thou-

sand million rands on STEM promotion in the education stream

through their Corporate Social investment (CSI) initiatives. In

addition, through the Department CSI Forum, a Flagship proj-

ect to promote technology based learning using satellite with

Stellenbosch University; the Telematics System has been initi-

ated. The Telematics System has to date; been installed in eight

schools based in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Kwa-Zulu Natal

and North West. The installation of the Telematics System also

benefits learners from neighbouring schools as they participate

in revision classes held on Saturdays. While it is true that the

country still has a lot of work to do in promoting youth; particu-

larly young women participation in STEM fields together with

State Own Companies as a driving force. The government contin-

ues to emphasise the need for young women to perform well in

Maths and Science subjects and to partake in programmes that

can develop a strong pool of leaders who are capable of leading

the country in the future.

State Owned Companies within the portfolio of the Department

of Public Enterprises have placed a strong emphasis on the role

of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This

is evident in the vast number of initiatives undertaken under the

ambit of Corporate Social Investment. Initiatives aimed at promot-

ing STEM subjects in schools include Maths and Science Outreach

Projects, educator development programmes, Maths and Science

expos and career expos to name a few. The key need in promoting

STEM subjects is to garner a pool of maths and science matricu-

lants who qualify to enter into the pool of critical and scarce

skills in the country.

Thus learners need motivation, resources and mentorship in order

to excel in these fields. The initiatives carried out by the State

Owned Companies with regards to Maths and Science have been

carried out on a national platform, with a majority of these initia-

tives undertaken in provinces such as Limpopo, Northern Cape

and Mpumalanga to benefit rural schools and those previously

disadvantaged. In light of the above, initiatives aimed at promot-

ing STEM are strongly encouraged for girl learners who have been

disadvantaged given the perception that careers in Science and

Technology are reserved for the boy child.

South African Express sponsors the South African Women in

Aviation annual girls’ camp and the Taungana STEM career fair as

flagship programmes that focus on development of young women

in STEM. Both programmes aim to expose girl children to the

endless possibilities of Aviation and Engineering. Numerous testi-

monials of great stories of bright young women excelling within

respective SOCs have emerged. One such case is the story of Ms Lynne Brown Minister of Public Enterprises

The role of STEM in SA

FOREWORD


Women in South Africa make up half of the national workforce, earn more college and graduate degrees than men and represent a strong economic force in the world. However the gender divide in science still grows by the day. According to some estimates Science is one area where women have a very low representation. The issues that prevent more women from being involved in Science related fields are several. Among these are cultural aspects, young girls being pushed towards other professions from an early age, gender bias and the uneven allocation of resources in house-holds.

Africa, has a critical shortage of trained technological people. In 1980 North America had 2679 scientists and engineers involved in research and development per million population; Latin America had 251; Africa had only 49. In 1993, the USA had 7600 people per million involved in R & D, Japan had 7300., no figures are available for Africa.It is important to increase the number of women in the Science related fields. The new catchphrase has been, ‘educate a woman and you edu-cate a generation’. This is because women have a very essential and great influence, they set the standards for the future generation and easily impart their wisdom to them. As we present our Women in Science issue we hope you will enjoy it and be inspired to take up STEM subjects so our country can have a stronger future. Always remember that women are the greatest resource any country and society can have. Encourage each other, take up STEM subjects, work hard and the rest will follow. Enjoy this edition of Science Stars Magazine. Impossible is nothing!

Women in control

Evans Nyasha Manyonga

Managing Editor • Evans [email protected]

Graphic Designer • Cinzia-Joey Swartz Project Manager • Renata Williams

Contributing writers • Oswald Kucherera • Derek Fish • Antoinette Oostuizen

Chairman • Madambi Rambuda

Public Relations • Sihle Qekeleshe • Bongeka Mnotoza

Ambassador • Prof. Azwindinni Muronga

Subscriptions • [email protected]

Copyright 2015 Roswika Media. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any means, electronically or mechanically, without prior permission.

Science Stars is published by Roswika Media

10th Floor, The Pinnacle2 Burg StreetCape Town, 8000

021 839 [email protected]

LetteR FROMTHE EDITOR

teamScience Stars

Managing Editor

ED’S NOTE


From building schools to supporting black entrepreneurs, from making university study possible for disadvantaged students to providing work experience for young work seekers, Shanduka Foundation strives to develop South Africa’s human potential. Over the last decade, Shanduka Foundation has created opportunities for educational development, career growth and entrepreneurial advancement.

• Adopt-a-School Foundation mobilises companies and individuals to adopt disadvantaged schools with the aim of improving the academic, infrastructural, social and security environment in schools.

• Shanduka Black Umbrellas nurtures qualifying 100% black-owned businesses by providing meaningful access to markets, networks and finance through its small enterprise incubators and online enterprise and supplier development portal.

• The Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust provides bursaries to disadvantaged students and organises vacation work in companies in the Shanduka Group.

• The Shanduka internship programme provides experiential training for selected learners and job seekers within Shanduka Group and across its partner network.

Thanks to the ongoing support of many partners in business, government and civil society, Shanduka Foundation is making a significant impact in the lives of young South Africans.

To find out more about the work of the foundation and its programmes, visit

www.shanduka.co.za/shanduka-foundation

FROM CLASSROOM TO BOARDROOM

A DECADE OF EMPOWERMENT

How it all began

COVER STORY

HISTORY OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE

Women have made significant impact when it comes to science. Marie

Curie usually dominates when we look at women in science, well maybe it’s

because she discovered two elements. Marie Curie was not the first female

scientist; many other wonderful and dedicated women have pursued science

over the years. Below is their history in chronological order.

Hildegard of Bingen: the first woman scien-tist whose writings still exist

Hildegard grew up in a wealthy German family and

she received an education in a convent. These were

some of the only places women could receive formal

education during the Dark Ages. She studied Latin,

Religion, and Music. Hildegard also wrote natural

history books as well as medical books, and was the

first woman to write about the need to boil drinking

water to sanitis e it. She is the first woman whose

scientific writings still exist today.

1098-1179

370-415 1647-1717

1818-1889

Hypatia the Mathematician, AstronomerHypatia was a Roman woman who, unlike most women that

lived in her time, received a good education. Hypatia stud-

ied Mathematics, Astronomy and Natural Science. She was

appointed as the head of the University of Alexandria. She taught

Mathematics and philosophy. Hypatia wrote many books about

Mathematics, and even invented several scientific instruments.

Maria Sibylla Merian: an entomologist, scientific illustrator

Maria grew up in Germany with an interest in painting and

insects. She was taught by her stepfather how to paint. Maria

painted pictures of birds and insects, and later wrote books

about insects. Her illustrations were so realistic and accurate,

many scientists used her paintings. When she was 52 years old,

she came to South Africa with her daughter to study insects and

plants and drew them as they developed. Maria’s drawings were

then made into a popular book. Some of the plants and insects

she saw and painted in Africa have never been seen before in

Europe so they were named after her.

Maria Mitchell: Astronomer, discovered comet in 1847

Maria grew up in the United States. She lived in a time when

there were few universities that allowed women to pursue

their studies. Her family was too poor to take her to one of

these universities. Maria taught herself a lot because she

worked as a librarian and read a lot of books. She became so

talented in Mathematics that she helped her father, who was

an astronomer; measure the locations of stars. On 1 October,

1847, she noticed a strange white spot when looking through

a telescope and that is how she discovered a comet no one

else had seen before. She became famous, and travelled,

meeting other scientists. Maria was the first person who pho-

tographed the sun’s surface, and encouraged other women to

pursue higher education.


COVER STORY

1878-19681918-1999

20141902-1992

Lise Meitner: Research Scientist, Physics and Nuclear Science

Lise grew up in Austria, and always dreamed of being a sci-

entist. During her time, a few women were allowed to go to

university. Even though this was difficult; she became the first

woman to graduate with a doctoral degree in Physics from the

University of Vienna. She then relocated to Berlin, Germany so

that she could be near more scientists, and studied atoms with

Dr Otto Hahn. They studied together for 30 years, and they

discovered a new element; protactinium. Dr Lise Meitner told

other scientists about her discovery of “nuclear fusion”. This

discovery was used in weapons, but also for more useful pur-

poses, such as power and medicine.

Barbara McClintock: Research Scientist, GeneticsBarbara was devoted to Science her whole life. She went

to college and became a research scientist that studied

genetics. She researched on different forms and colours

of plants, and discovered that in different colours of corn,

genes “jumped” places. Barbara made an effort to explain

her findings to other scientists, but since her ideas were

so different, many people did not believe her. When better

microscopes were developed, thirty years later, other sci-

entists finally saw what she had been trying to explain. In

1983, when Dr McClintock was in her 80s, she was finally

recognised for her research and received the Nobel Prize.

Gertrude Belle Elion: Research Scientist in Chemistry

Gertrude was inspired to study Chemistry after her grandfa-

ther died of cancer. She wanted to help do research about

the disease. She loved research work and her job so much

that she did not want to give it up. She wrote more than

280 papers on her discoveries about drugs, and discov-

ered or developed drugs that help fight Leukemia, Herpes,

Malaria, AIDS, and aid organ transplants. There are more

than 45 patents for drugs that Gertrude developed.

Joanne Manaster: Science teacherAs a full-time educator, Joanne shares her passion for

Science through teaching, and encourages young men

and women to not be discouraged in pursuing science

because of stereotypes. Fun fact: Before her successful

career as a scientist, Joanne was an international model.

Science and Technology are often considered to be the

specialty for men. However, the contribution of women

to the progress of these areas should not be overlooked.

These women deserve all the recognition the world has

to give them.


DPE

On 29 June, the Minster of Public

Enterprises, Lynne Brown visited

Mbekweni, a township in Paarl. The

minister engaged with the youth and also

had an exhibition.

At the exhibition, the youth were exposed

to various ways they can use to shape their

careers. The Minister encouraged the unem-

ployed youth and students to keep working,

pursuing their careers and dreams, Minister

Brown also promised the youth that they

would get assistance from State-Owned

Enterprises as well as the Department of

Public Enterprises.

The event was a success and people were

happy that this kind of opportunity was

bought to them. There were career devel-

opment experts at the event who helped

the youth with choosing the right career

paths. There were also supplier forums

where Transnet and ESKOM’s supplier

development units also shared information

on how they intend on helping the youth

even further.

The career development experts shared a

lot of important information when it came

to career choices and made it clear that

choosing a career may not be easy, without

enough research, and if motivated by the

wrong reasons. They advised that students

should do something they love and are

passionate about and the money will be

a reward for their work. Students and the

general public were left feeling motivated

and well informed, they knew where to go

to get jobs and how to apply for them.

Minister Lynne Brown visits the youth

ENGAGING THE YOUTH

FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

Written by : Sihle Qekeleshe


30981 CSIR SP Gugu HR ol.indd 1 2014/10/20 1:24 PM

The Women in Science Awards (WISA)

was founded in 2003 as a way to

ensure women in science feel recog-

nised and are rewarded for their outstand-

ing work. In this field there is still an on-

going gender imbalance that needs to be

addressed. The Women in Science Awards is

a special event that celebrates the achieve-

ments of all women in science.

The event is a huge contributor in the

field, because it motivates young women

to pursue careers in Science. The awards

change between Life Sciences in one year

and Physical and Engineering Sciences in

the next year. This year’s awards were in

the Life Sciences. The Social Sciences and

Humanities awards are presented each year.

The event rewarded twenty four of South

Africa’s best women scientists with awards

and other prizes at a gala dinner hosted by

the Department of Science and Technology.

Professors Lindiwe Zungu and Maureen

Coetzee were awarded with the high-

est honour of the evening after receiv-

ing the Distinguished Women Scientists

– Humanities and Social Sciences and

Distinguished Women Scientists – Life

Sciences; awards in that order.

This year’s theme was “Science for a sus-

tainable future”. The theme touched base

at the contribution that has been made by

women researchers towards the achieve-

ment of some of the UN’s Millennium

Development Goals. The finalists ranged

from students up to established professors

Women reaping fruits of their labour

THE WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS

DST

First lady Madam Bongi Ngema-Zuma, Prof Lindiwe Zungu (Department of Health Studies: College of Human Sciences, Unisa), and Naledi Pandor (Minister: Department of Science and Technology)

Minister Naledi Pandor and Dr. Roseanne Diab alongside award winners, Dr. Gina Ziervogel, Prof. Maureen Coetzee and Dr. NicDlene Barkhuizen


DST

who had been nominated in these four

categories: Distinguished Women Scientists,

Distinguished Young Women Scientists,

Fellowships; for doctoral and masters

students and the TATA Africa Scholarships

for Women in Science, Engineering and

Technology; Doctoral and Masters.

According to Minister Naledi Pandor the

award winners will be invited to participate

in science awareness campaigns that are

led by the department. Their participation

in these awareness campaigns will serve

as a way of being role models for other

women, in particular, young girls.

President Jacob Zuma congratulated the

winners and noted that the nation is very

excited that women in science are perform-

ing so well and are being recognised for

the work.

Amongst the twenty four women that were honoured at the event are:Professor Maureen Coetzee – She was

awarded the Distinguished Woman Scientist

(Life Sciences) award. Prof. Coetzee was

recognised for her outstanding work in the

field of medical entomology. Her research

includes insecticide resistance in the major

African malaria vector mosquitoes among

other things.

Professor Marla Trindade – Received the

Distinguished Woman Scientist (Life

Sciences) award. Prof. Trindade is currently

the Director of the Institute for Microbial

Biotechnology and Metagenomics she is

also an internationally recognised research-

er in the Department of Biotechnology at

the University of Western Cape (UWC). She

is in a research department that is leading

the country in the area of mining microbial

genomes for novel biotechnologically rel-

evant enzymes and products.

Professor Lindiwe Zungu – Received

the Distinguished Woman Researcher

(Humanities and Sciences) award Prof.

Zungu is a full Professor of Health Studies

at the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Prof. Zungu’s research has contributed to

workers’ health and safety for the redesign

of safety clothing for women in mining.

The national standard for the mining sector

accepted her guidelines and uses them.

Dr Gina Ziervogel - Received the

Distinguished Woman Researcher

(Humanities and Sciences award) Dr

Ziervogel’s work has contributed to

Millennium Development Goals. She has

found environmental concerns within the

broader development pattern. Her research

work has focused on adaptation to the

impacts of climate change. Dr Ziervogel

is a senior lecturer in the Department of

Environmental and Geographical Science

and a research fellow in the African

Climate and Development Initiative at the

University of Cape Town (UCT).

The women that received the awards

on that prestigious night received those

awards because of their remarkable contri-

bution towards the science and technology

field.

Prof. Maria Trindade and Minister Naledi Pandor


Empowering women for roads.

SANRAL is committed to creating a path of growth and development for women in engineering and in business to ensure long-term sustainability of critical skills in our economy and our country. We salute all those female trailblazers and achievers who dared to join us on the road less travelled.

3581

/E

3581E Working women Ad_275x215.indd 1 2014/09/02 12:24 PM

CSIR

The best career moves often require a

brave jump into the unknown, tack-

ling completely new subject matter

despite your fears and the scepticism of

those around you.

Young CSIR molecular biologist Thuli

Khanyile thrives on exactly this. Thuli, who

joined the CSIR in 2011 as an in-service

trainee in a Bio-science laboratory admits

that she knew little of advanced laser tech-

nology when she decided to move to the

CSIR’s laser laboratories a year-and-a-half

later in an effort to further her skills in

HIV research. Her long hours of hard work

and perseverance paid off when she gradu-

ated with an MSc in medicine from the

University of the Witwatersrand in June this

year, focusing on new research using laser

technology for the targeted delivery of anti-

retroviral drugs.

“I always wanted to become a medical

doctor and felt devastated when I was not

admitted to a medical school. Later, when

shadowing our local general practitioner

in Durban, I learned that there is a host of

people behind the scenes that determine

how medicine is practiced. The doctor told

me that medical practitioners rely heavily

on researchers that study the behaviour of

disease-causing organisms, what causes

symptoms and what may stop them. I found

this a lot more interesting and specifically

wanted to work in a research environment

one day.”

Thuli completed a National Diploma in

Biotechnology at the Tshwane University

of Technology and started an in-service

training job at the CSIR’s Aptamer labora-

tory in 2011. Aptamers are artificial nucleic

acid molecules that have antibody-like

properties and CSIR scientists use them to

test ways to block HIV infection, to diag-

nose tuberculosis and to research targeted

delivery of drugs to specific cells. Thuli was

given an internship seven months later

and she then completed her Bachelor of

Technology degree in biotechnology, based

on her CSIR research project, with distinc-

tion.

“After the internship year I wanted to do

something different and switched to the

field of biophotonics, an emerging area of

scientific research that uses light and other

A young HIV researcher

BRAVE VENTURE INTO NEW SCIENTIFIC FIELD


forms of radiant energy to understand the

inner workings of cells and tissues in living

organisms. Because of the CSIR’s multidis-

ciplinarity, I was able to do that within the

same organisation,” she says.

“The move was daunting as I had no phys-

ics background, but the fact that I had so

much to learn – and even the fact that that

there were those who doubted whether I’d

cope in that environment – actually moti-

vated me.”

Thuli enrolled for her MSc, specialising in molecular medicine and haematology.

“When one takes antiretroviral drugs, your

viral load may drop to undetectable levels,

but the HIV still hides in the body’s reser-

voir sites where the drugs can’t reach, such

as the macrophages, central nervous sys-

tem, the lymph nodes and the lungs. When

you stop treatment, the viral load normally

spikes again,” she explains.

“We are trying to develop ways to target

reservoir sites where the virus hides in its

latent state using laser technology as a

drug delivery tool. The idea is to deliver the

drug in therapeutic doses to the reservoir

sites without exposing cells that don’t need

treatment to the drugs.”

“At this stage the tests are done in vitro and

the work entails making a hole in the outer

membrane of a cell which is immersed in

media that contains the drugs. The drugs

can enter the cell through diffusion and

the pore then closes through a self-healing

process. This work could pave the way for

future endoscopic procedures to target HIV

reservoir sites,” she argues.

Thuli has now enrolled for a PhD in HIV vaccine development.

“I think my upbringing played a major role

in my decision to push forward in my career.

I come from a household where academic

pursuits are supported and we were taught

to overcome our fears. My mother, a teacher,

has a Master’s degree in social justice in

education, which she worked on when I was

in high school and she has also decided

to enrol for a PhD in the coming year, so I

am facing some healthy competition,” Thuli

laughs.

“My father is a pillar in the community

where he serves as a police officer. He

always says: ‘Go get it. If you fail, try some-

thing else and if it still does not work out,

you know you tried your best, but don’t

rob yourself of an experience due to fear.’

Having a role-model who is so supportive

of the women in his life meant that I had

no reason to hesitate venturing into a still

rather male-dominated field of laser tech-

nology,” she explains.

“Apart from supporting my academic

career, my parents also taught me about

the importance of Ubuntu. I am passionate

about the concept and the role it plays in

our everyday lives. For this reason I give

public lectures about Ubuntu in my free

time as an ambassador for the iARi non-

profit organisation. It is a very philosophi-

cal topic as opposed to the science I work

with. I mean, you can’t do an experiment

and determine the percentage of Ubuntu a

person displays. It is about how you interact

with other people and understanding how

it impacts on others.”

By Antoinette Oosthuizen

CSIR


NSW

National Science Week is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). This event is a nationwide celebration of Science connecting various stakehold-ers and role players who conduct science-based activities during the week. National Science Week runs in all nine provinces of South Africa. Every year a different theme is adopted and utilised. There are also different activities offered in line with the theme to the target audiences. The theme of this year’s National Science Week was “The inter-national year of light and light based technologies”.

National Science week

A WORLD OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


NSW

University of Fort Hare (FOSST – DC Institutes, Departments and, Centre’s of excellence) – Eastern CapeThe university had a site visitation: These visitations were meant to

enhance learners’ and teachers’ understanding for concepts such as

optics, light, energy and photosynthesis.

The National Science week took place in a number of places around South Africa. Here are some of the places that hosted the event.

Hermanus Astronomy Centre – Western CapeOn 4 August, 2015 the centre had two activities namely, educating

learners on how solar panels work and their vital role in keeping the

International Space Station functioning well. There was also a spellbind-

ing DVD by astronaut Sunita Williams, showing the interesting and chal-

lenging life on the ISS.

National Museum, Bloemfontein – Free StateAugust 5, 2015 had these exciting activities amongst other activi-

ties: Mobile Museum – where a customised vehicle loaded with

materials that represent various research departments in the

Museum, presentations and exhibitions focus on various careers

that are available at the National Museum.

Maths Science and Leadership Academy (Kimberly) – Northern Cape

On 3 August, 2015 MSLA had a workshop with Grade 6 learners and

teachers.


NSW

Worldwise Media – North WestThe centre had a Sink, splash and swim quiz on Maths and

Science for the public at the Mooirivier Mall (Potchefstroom) on

August 3-7, 2015.

Giyani Science Centre – Limpopo On 6 August, 2015 there was an activity on Role Modelling using profes-

sionals from SETI fields and Science experiments to excite and encourage

learners about science.

Ditsong National Museum – Gauteng:On 6 August, 2015 the Ditsong National Museum of History had

a ‘Make your own fossil’ activity where learners learned how to

make museum quality fossil casts which can be used for educa-

tion and for research.

University of Kwa Zulu-Natal, Westville – Kwa Zulu-Natal

August 3, 2015 the University had planned a

Learner programme with two scientific talks

and either a visit to the lab or hands on activity,

career talk and a Science Quiz.

Kwandebele Science Combined School, Siyabuswa – Mpumalanga

Had experiments, demonstrations, quiz competitions and prize

giving on 5 August, 2015.


Beyond Mount Kenya

THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT

St Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas

and graduated with a Bachelor of Science

degree in 1964. She continued with her

Masters degree majoring in biology at the

University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.

While at Pittsburgh she did a six months

course in leadership, focusing on helping

women in rural areas facing the problems

of poverty and unemployment. This was

to become her brainchild, The Green Belt

Movement, a decade later.

When Wangari returned to the newly

independent Kenya, she struggled to find

herself a job. Those sitting in positions of

power played the ethnicity card, and this,

together with her gender, was a barrier

that had to be overcome. Many jobs were

unavailable because she was a woman.

Written by Oswald Kucherera

Can our destiny be determined by

the unfortunate circumstances

of our beginnings? Definitely the

answer to this question is a resounding NO.

This has been proven in many instances

and the story of Wangari Maathai is just

but one of such stories. It is the story

of the first African woman and the first

Environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace

Prize in 2004.

Maathai planted more than forty million

trees with the Green Belt Movement, the

organisation she founded. She served in

government as an assistant minister for the

environment. In 1971 she completed her

PhD on the development and understand-

ing of female and male sexual organs at

the University College of Nairobi (University

of Nairobi), becoming the first woman in

East and Central Africa to receive the doc-

toral degree. She authored four books, The

Green Belt Movement, Unbowed; a memoir,

The Challenge for Africa and Replenishing

the Earth.

Wangari Maathai was born in 1940 in Nyeri

village, nestled in the central highlands of

Kenya. She was the first daughter but the

third in a family of six children. Both her

parents were subsistence farmers, growing

crops to feed their family. But this was the

epoch of the arrival of the white settlers

and their father was forced to join many

a man who moved to work on the newly

established white commercial farms.

During this time, boys were being given

the priority to receive an education and

Wangari was not to escape this. She

attended the school only later when her

concerned brother, Nderitu intervened and

questioned why Wangari was not receiving

an education like the other children. Her

mother consulted their uncle who respond-

ed positively by giving the green light for

Wangari to join her peers to receive an edu-

cation, the key for the door to success.

Wangari started her schooling at Ihithe

Primary School and moved to St. Cecilia’s

Intermediate Primary School when she

was in standard four. She had only a few

belongings with her, which included only

two dresses, of which one was made from

the material left over from the trousers

made for her elder brother, Nderitu. She

was without shoes and only got to taste the

comfort of shoes four years later when the

local shoemaker was assigned by her par-

ents to make a pair for her.

An industrious Wangari passed her final

examinations with excellent marks, com-

ing first in her class. She joined the Loreto

Girls’ High School, the only Catholic High

School for African girls at that time. It was

while she was here when she was men-

tored by one of her nuns’ teacher, Mother

Teresia who cultivated in her an interest in

Sciences, always inviting her during break

times to clean petri dishes and test tubes.

At Loreto she worked very hard and won

herself the African Scholarship to study in

the United States. She got a spot at Mount

The Green Belt Movement trained rural women to plant trees and educated them about the impor-tance of conserving forests

WANGARI MATHAAI


She only succeeded in landing herself a

job at the University of Nairobi through the

assistance of Professor Reinhold Hofmann.

She became his assistant to help in micro-

anatomy or histology in the Department of

Veterinary Anatomy. She suffered gender

discrimination at the University of Nairobi

receiving less salary and denied benefits

male colleagues of equal standing were

reaping. Together with her friend and only

female colleague, Vertistine Mbaya, she

launched the campaign to fight for their

rights in which they came up victorious.

While serving on the board of the National

Council of Women of Kenya (NCWK) she

came face to face with the challenges faced

by the rural women in Kenya, the environ-

mental degradation of Kenya, East Africa

and Africa at large. The challenges women

faced consisted of shortage of enough

nutritious food, firewood and clean water

to cook or drink. The shortage of clean

water was caused by rampant soil erosion

and siltation of rivers. And the shift from

growing food crops to cash crops nega-

tively influenced a balanced diet and in this

case the most affected were women and

children. The only sound solution Wangari

Maathai thought of to solve all these prob-

lems was to grow trees. Trees protect the

soil from the rain and wind, the causes of

soil erosion and decomposing tree leaves

and branches help to improve the fertility

of the soil. Trees also help with the rehabil-

itation and restoration of catchment areas.

The Green Belt Movement trained rural

women to plant trees and educated them

about the importance of conserving forests.

It encouraged women to grow indigenous

tree seedlings and offered them incentives

to ensure that they nurtured the trees they

planted. A slogan ‘One person, one tree’

was coined to encourage tree planting. The

Green Belt Movement protected the parks

and forests such as the cases of the Karura

Forest and Uhuru Park, when the govern-

ment tried to build multi-storey buildings

on these public spaces. Wangari Maathai

mobilised the masses to march against the

construction of these buildings and put the

construction to a halt in both cases.

With the financial support from various

funders, the Green Belt Movement was able

to start many nurseries across the country

employing a lot of women and men who

worked as nursery attendants. It spread to

other countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania,

Uganda, Rwanda and Mozambique. This led

to the formation of the Pan-African Green

Belt Network.

Environment being one of the Sustainable

Development Goals, as identified by the

youth on the list of the global goals

adopted at the event staged this September

in New York, global leaders across the

world coming together to address these

critical issues including climate change,

today’s youth need to step up, embark on

an aggressive project of planting trees

and save the environment. This will help

other countries to avoid the cases such as

that of the Lake Chad, Aral Sea and Iran’s

Great Salt Lake, Lake Urmia that is drying

up as reported in the story covered by the

journalist, Richard Stone. Wangari Maathai

challenged us, the youth of today, when she

said anybody can dig a hole, put a tree in

it, water it and nurture it. There you have

it, go out there and plant a tree or trees,

inspire your peers and contribute to this

great cause Wangari Maathai and the Green

Belt Movement paved way for us all to fol-

low.

At Loreto she worked very hard and won the African Scholarship to study in the United States

WANGARI MATHAAI


SCIENCE IN ACTION

Be stress-free

BEAT STRESS WITH SCIENCE

Do you ever feel like you could just unwind after a demand-

ing week but find it difficult to do so? Well it is all because

stress triggers your body’s fight or flight mode, your adrena-

line starts pumping, your heart beats faster, and your blood pres-

sure rises. Check out these different ways to de-stress.

Yoga and tai chi Yoga and tai chi focuses on posture, posi-

tive thoughts and breathing. It leads to

reduction in everyday stress levels, anxiety

and muscle tension as well as an improve-

ment in mood and energy.

Magnetic therapyIdeally magnectic therapy is suited for the

treatment of many physical conditions and

health maintenance. This modality is of

great value because the person may con-

tinue treatment on her/his own over a long

period of time if necessary.

Listen to musicMusic is soul for heart as it can calm you

down and put you in a better frame of

mind. When feeling stressed, play calming

music while you work, it will help reduce

your stress.

Meditate 10 min/ 15 min breathing meditation can

help you overcome stress and help find

inner peace and balance. Meditation helps

us understand our minds as we learn to

transform our minds from negative to posi-

tive, from unhappy to happy.

Sleep well Getting a good night’s sleep can

help you fight stress the next day.

Sleep for at least 7 hours.

Deep Breaths Deep breathing counters the effects of

stress by slowing the heart rate and lower-

ing blood pressure. Take a 5-minute break

and focus on your breathing.

Be GratefulKeep a gratitude journal or several (one

by your bed, one in your purse, and one at

work) to help you remember all the things

that are good in your life; ‘being grateful

for your blessings cancels out negative

thoughts and worries’.

These will help keep everything balanced

and keep you stress free.

DecompressPlace a warm heat wrap around your neck

and shoulders for 10 minutes. Close your

eyes and relax your face, neck, upper chest,

and back muscles. Remove the wrap, and

use a tennis ball or foam roller to massage

away tension.

Chew gumStudies suggest the act of chewing gum

can reduce cortisol levels, helping to alle-

viate stress, chewing gum also increases

bllod flow and alertness.


We all dream of a better future. For ourselves, our families and our country. SANRAL, as part of the National Development Plan, is improving and expanding vital road infrastructure. In the process we are creating jobs, transferring skills and developing opportunities for all South Africans. We are proud to be a part of the National Development Plan, because we know that roads are more than just roads, they pave the way to a better future.

It’s what we build

More than just roads

3112

Future Concept Ad 275X210.indd 1 2014/02/05 9:49 AM

DST

Three-day conference

FULL INCLUSION OF BLACK WOMEN IN STEM

Dr Beverley Damonse acting CEO of

the National Research Foundation

(NRF), attended a conference aimed

at full inclusion of black women in science

and technology. The three-day conference

was held in Johannesburg on 27 October,

2015.

According to Dr Beverley Damonse there

are a lot of black women that are being

excluded in the STEM fields in South

Africa and the United States of America.

This exclusion impedes development and

innovation in the field. STEM is providing

solutions and ways to improve efficien-

cies to avoid exclusion of black women;

the solutions are provided in emerging

and developing economies and in this plan,

women play a significant role towards this

initiative.

Half of South Africa’s population consists

of women, and these women are talented;

using them in the STEM field would be of

great advantage. Dr Damonse also found

that less women are involved in leader-

ship roles in STEM, which means gender

inequality is a daunting issue that the NRF

is working on.

Dr Phethiwe Matutu, Chief Director of

Human Development at the Department of

Science and Technology (DST) said that the

conference would aid people with under-

standing of the challenges that are faced

by black women in STEM fields. The need

to increase the participation of women

in Africa and America was reiterated by

Dr Sonya Smith, principal investigator for

Howard University ADVANCE-IT transforma-

tion project and a Professor of Mechanical

Engineering at the university. Dr Smith also

spoke about systemic issue that needed

to be undertaken in order to increase the

employment, retention and promotion of

women academics in STEM.

The conference was a partnership between

the DST in South Africa and Howard

University in the United States of America,

issues of diversity and gender equity in

STEM were discussed. Dr Beverley Damonse


BEAUTY IN SCIENCE

Red lipstick includes insects and most long-lasting types of red lipstick have a chemical compound called eosin,

the compound slightly changes colour when it is applied to the lips

65% Castor Oil – Waxes and oils give the lipstick structure

15% Beeswax, 10% Other waxes

5% Dyes, pigments and perfumes – Pigments and dyes provide colour

5% Lanolin, 10% Other waxes

R20 340is average amount

woman that spends on lipstick in her life-

time, in South Africa

Lipstick is allegedly the most shoplifted item

$

The world’s most expensive lip-

stick is Guerlain’s KissKiss Gold and Diamonds Lipstick

LIP STICK with a twist

Lipstick sales usually increase during recessions, because women use lip-stick to boost their self-

esteem by buying makeup products


FEATURECAREERS

A lifetime journey

FASCINATING CAREERS IN STEM

job security and money, as well as having a

wide variety of options in the field.

How do I get there you may ask, we have that covered. To pave your way into the

career path you have always wanted you need to do the following things;

• Do some research on institutions and

internship programmes

• Job shadowing

• Find a passion for engineering using

other resources besides your textbook

• You need to have chosen the Mathematics

and Physical Science stream in high school

• Also visit science centres around your

area.

Look at our institutions page to get infor-

mation on which universities one can con-

tact to get career counselling and informa-

tion about courses you may want to study.

You have reached a point in your life

where you have to choose a career

for yourself, one that may stick with

you for the rest of your life, provided you

do not confuse a career with a job.

A career is a lifetime journey of build-

ing and using your skills and knowledge,

explore new experiences and integrating

other aspects of your life into your work.

Here are the most commonly chosen STEM

careers.

1Chemical Engineering; Chemical engineering is applied

Chemistry. It is the branch of Engineering

concerned with the design, construction,

and operation of machines and plants that

perform chemical reactions to solve practi-

cal problems or make useful products. The

fun part about being a Chemical Engineer

is that they create, explore, innovate and

create products that we use in our daily

lives. A Chemical Engineer’s get paid an

average of R272, 704 per year.

2Environmental Science;Is a branch of biology that examines

the effect of human beings on the environ-

ment, as well as the relationships between

the environment and the organisms living

within it. As an Environmental Scientist one

can work for huge companies like ESKOM.

Environmental Scientists get paid an aver-

age of R212, 008 per year.

3Pharmaceutical Scientist;Develop new drugs, they spend most of

their time doing research in a laboratory.

Pharmaceutical Scientists discover, develop,

test, and manufacture new medication.

They investigate how these compounds

interact with the human body to ultimately

determine if they can become new drugs.

Pharmaceutical Scientists get paid an aver-

age of R353, 970 per year.

Working with science and technology will

open a lot of doors for you; you will have

the power to make a difference in the

world, working with talented people, have

Written by : Sihle Qekeleshe


INSTITUTIONS

Making the right choices

EXPLORE WITH THE BEST INSTITUTIONS

cation on Science, Technology and Maths,

introduces the career choices in this area,

parties, workshops, teambuilding events and

much more.

Contact: 041 585 8884 or

email: [email protected]

Sci-Bono The Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, is one of

Southern Africa’s largest science centre, it

is affiliated to the Gauteng Department of

Education to support Maths, Science and

Technology education and to help build

South Africa’s STEM capacity.

Contact: 011 639 8400 or

email [email protected]

Find these places interesting? Contact them here:

University of Cape Town Career counselling:

Tel: 021 650 6646 email: lisa.little@uct.

ac.za

University of Witwatersrand Career counsel-

ling:

Tel: 011 717 9140/ 32

Email: [email protected]

Stellenbosch University:

Tel: 021 808 4704/ 4709

Email: [email protected]

Choosing a career can be very hard

and confusing, especially when you

do not have the right resources to

help with deciding on one career that you

will love forever. We have three of the best

universities and centres that one can con-

tact or visit to get the necessary informa-

tion.

University of Cape Town UCT has an exciting and diverse community.

It has a culture where each person is able

to contribute their unique blend of knowl-

edge and way of thinking. UCT staff and

students come from different parts of the

world. The university has also built rela-

tionships with leading African and interna-

tional institutions that further develop the

academic, social and cultural diversity of

their campus.

University of Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand,

Johannesburg South Africa, often dubbed as

Wits University. Wits is also known for its

work in deep level mining, science, health

sciences, accountancy, law, governance,

and the humanities, amongst others. It has

five faculties and about half of all enrol-

ments are in the Science, Engineering and

Technology fields.

StellenboschStellenbosch University is the third uni-

versity; it is one of 23 tertiary institu-

tions in South Africa and is located in the

heart of the Cape Winelands. The town of

Stellenbosch is 50 km from Cape Town.

Stellenbosch University is a multi-disciplin-

ary institution with a wine land backdrop

specialises in the study of AgriScience.

There are also centres one can visit to

broaden their knowledge on the career they

may want to choose;

The Cape Town Science CentreThe Cape Town Science Centre has approxi-

mately 250 interactive exhibits and mind-

boggling puzzles, the Centre is a world of

discovery under one roof. The CTSC offers

science shows, curriculum-based workshops,

holiday programmes, science camps and

experiential driven programmes.

Contact: 021 300 3200 or

email: [email protected]

The Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology CentreThe Nelson Mandela Bay Science &

Technology Centre gives students an oppor-

tunity to experience the art of science and

technology. The Centre offers informal edu-

30 Science Stars Magazine Nanotechnology Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za

NSFAS is a registered credit provider in terms ofthe National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCRCP 2655)

visit the financial aid office on campus,contact NSFAS on 021 763 3232

Standard SMS rates apply.Email [email protected] or visitwww.nsfas.org.za

FOR MORE INFORMATION

TO STUDYMONEY

SCHOOL?

DO YOU NEED

AFTER

Let us help you make your career dreams a reality...

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides loans and bursaries to eligible students for studies at public universities and Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges in South Africa.

NSFAS OFFERS BURSARIES:

Bursaries are offered to eligible students in need who are studying in various scarce skills areas such as teaching and social work. Eligible students are those whose academic results enable them to enter university. As of 2011, the South African government has also increased bursary funds to help students enrolled in certain NATED programmes (N1-N6 in engineering and N4-N6 in all other fields) as well as the National Certificate (Vocational) at public FET Colleges. If you qualify for funding according to a financial means test, this bursary could cover the costs of your tuition, food and accommodation.

STUDENT LOANS GIVE HOPE:

NSFAS loans are also available for qualifying university students for their first undergraduate degree or diploma. If you do well academically,a portion of the loan may also be converted intoa bursary. Funding is limited and not all students who apply will receive an award.

or SMS your question to 32261

The brains behind it all

INVENTIONS BY FEMALES

Here are the top inventions by female

scientists, get to know the women who

invented them.

Circular Saw by Tabitha Babbitt in 1810Tabitha Babbitt lived in a Shaker community in

Massachusetts and worked as a weaver, but in 1810, she

then came up with a way to lighten the load of her col-

leagues. She observed men while cutting wood with a pit

saw, which is a two-handled saw that required two men to

pull it back and forth. To her, that was a waste of energy,

she attached a circular blade to her spinning wheel so

that every movement of the saw produced results.

Chocolate Chip cookies by Ruth Wakefield in 1930Ruth Wakefield bought an old toll house outside of Boston

with her husband and converted the toll house into an inn

with a restaurant. One day in 1930, Ruth was baking a batch

of Butter Drop Do cookies for her guests. The recipe required

melted chocolate, but she had run out of baker’s chocolate.

She took a Nestle chocolate bar, crumbled it into pieces and

threw it into her batter, the chocolate pieces didn’t melt during

baking and that is how the chocolate chip cookie was born.Liquid paper by Bette Nesmith Graham in the 1950s

Bette Nesmith Graham was not a very good typist. Secretaries

often found themselves retyping entire pages because of one

tiny mistake they had made. She watched workers painting a

holiday display on a bank window. She noticed how the paint-

ers simply added another layer of paint to cover the mistakes

and she thought she could apply that idea to her owner typing

errors. Using her blender, she mixed up water-based tempera

paint with dye that matched her company’s stationary.

Coloured Flare System by Martha Coston in 1857Martha Coston found her late husband’s plans for a flare

system that ships could use as way to communicate at night.

She tested it, but it failed. She spent the next 10 years trying

to perfect the design. She took her children to see a fireworks

display and that is when she got the idea of applying some

pyrotechnic technology to her flare system. The flare system

finally worked, and the U.S. Navy bought the rights.

Dishwasher by Josephine Cochrane in 1886Josephine Cochrane was frustrated over her servants

breaking her heirloom china after fancy dinners. She

focused and built a machine that would wash it properly.

The machine relied on using strong water pressure, which

was aimed at a wire rack of dishes, and she received a

patent for the device in 1886.

Windshield wiper by Mary Anderson in the 20th century Mary Anderson visited New York City for the first time and during her

trip, she took a tram through the city. She saw that after a few minutes

the driver had to stop the tram to wipe the snow off the front win-

dow. She developed a squeegee on a spindle that was attached to a

handle on the inside of the vehicle. When the driver needed to clean

the front glass, they would simply pull the handle and the squeegee

wiped the rain from the windshield.

INVENTIONS

TOP

1

2

4

3

56


QUIZ

1

7

89

3

4

5

6

QUIZWhat is the big craze about Women In science? Take our quiz and find out.

Which year was the Women in Science Awards founded?

A. 2010

B. 2000

C. 2003

D. 2005

What was the theme for the 2015 Women in Science

Awards?

A. Women in Excellence

B. Science for a sustainable future

C. Women for change

D. None of the above

In which of the following categories were the awards held?

A. Physical Science, Social Science, Life Science

B. Bio-Science, Social Science, Humanities

C. Medical Science, Physical Science, Life Science

D. Life Science, Humanities and Social Science

What does the acronym MDG stand for?

A. Medical Development Goals

B. Mission Driven Goals

C. Millennium Development Goals

D. Medium Development Goals

The objectives for the Women in Science Awards is to…

A. Celebrate Women’s Day

B. Network with prominent female scientist

C. Award international scientist for outstanding work

D. Recognise and award excellence by women scientists and

researchers

2

How many female scientist were nominated for the 2015

Women in Science Awards?

A. 10

B. 15

C. 24

D. 30

The Women in Science Awards were presented on which day?

A. 13 August 2015

B. 01 August 2015

C. 25 August 2015

D. 15 August 2015

You need to be a South African Citizen to enter the Women in

Science Awards? True/False

She is a full Professor of Health Studies at the University

of South Africa and earned the accolade of this year’s most

distinguished female researcher in the humanities and social

sciences…

A. Professor Maureen Coetzee

B. Professor Lebo Tshagela

C. Professor Lindiwe Zungu

D. None of the above


DOWNCROSSWORD PUZZLE

SUDOKU

1. What is the name for the biochemical process

that converts grape juice into wine or soy beans

into soy sauce?

2. What organelle functions to isolate a human

cells chromosomes from the cytoplams?

3. What terrestrial planet rotates in an opposite

direction to the planet earth?

4. What is the mathematical term for coplannar

lines that never intersect?

5. What is the primary oxygen carrying protein

found in red blood cells?

6. What is the general name for the rising and

falling of the sea levels in response to the force

exerted by the sun and mooon?

ACROSS

PUZZLE

1. In what organelle of a plant cell does photosynthesic occur?

2. From what biological polymer is paper primarily composed?

3. _________ is the SI base unit that uses the intensity of a light source?

4. What is the name of the rock that makes up most of the ocean floor and

volcanic islands?

5. How many canine teeth does a typical human adult have?

6. What is the environmental factor most directly involved in phototropism?

Sudoku Puzzle

Women in Science Issue

3 1 4 6 6 8 9 2 4 2 8 6 1 3 4 7 6 7 5 7 1

1

2

1

3

6

6

4

4

2

5

5

3


1

6

6

4

1 2

3

4

32 5

5

WORD SEARCH

ANSWERS

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWERSNanotechnology Issue

Issue 10 | August/September 2015

THE EVOLUTION OFNANOTECHNOLOGY

SCIENCESTARS

1. SAASTA

2. 1985

3. All of the above

4. Use light to manipulate par-

ticles as small as a single atom

5. Mayonnaise

6. Do not exist

7. Jacket

8. All of the above

QUIZ

S L A I R E T A M Y A S

S L E U F O I B Z O C E

M B L Y C T A A S I A L

O O A A K O E Z T E F C

L L C S C M N O C N N I

E T S R A S B P U E A T

C S O Y E O L O D R N R

U M N L R T S A O E O A

L O A O P C M N R I T P

A T N Z Y E B M P I U A

R A L L A B Y K C U B M

N A N O M E T R E F E T

O

R

A

A

NA

H N

U

G

C H IR

AN

U

A

S

R

R

R

R

E

L

Y

E

B V

U

E

ER

I

N

E

F

M

I

G

A

T

E

N

D

L

O

O E

N O N

N

S

N

T

E

S

E

O

S

A

E

IT

P

P

K

GN

T

W


SCIENCE NEWS

SCIENCE NEWS

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Nkosazana Dlamani- Zuma empowered women in the World Forestry Congress (WFC), which took place in Durban‘s Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre. Nkosazana Zuma said women should be repre-sented in leading positions in the industry.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), in partnership with the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) are jointly persuading the goal of advancement of Science in developing countries through the establishment of the NRF-TWAS Postdoctoral Fellowship fund-ing instrument.

The Early and Mid-Career Researcher EMCR Forum is the national voice of Australia’s emerging scientists, these are representing researchers who are up to 15 years post-PhD, whom are irrespective of their profes-sional appointment. They are looking to recruit new members who can bring enthusiasm and new ideas to the executive.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, announced that government is investing in the modernisation of research and development infrastructure in the quest to develop new knowledge.

Students have reportedly developed a nail polish, “Undercover Colour,” that can detect the presence of drugs linked to date rape. This nail polish formula works to detect the presence of drugs commonly used to facilitate date rape.

Scientists have found that current school and university start times are damaging the learning and health of students. The latest sleep research conclude that students’ start times should be 8:30 or later at age 10; 10:00 or later at 16; and 11:00 or later at 18. Implementing these start times should improve their health and learning.

The Giyani career science centre

TAKING SCIENCE TO THE RURAL AREAS

On 26 September, 2015 the Minister

of Science and Technology, Naledi

Pandor, was speaking at a handover

of a career science centre in Giyani. The

handover was part of an imbizo organ-

ised by the Department of Science and

Technology, it was an initiative to raise

awareness of the role of science in our

daily lives.

The Minister said that young people in

rural areas need to be made aware of the

excitement, importance and the poten-

tial careers in science and also to urge

young people to pursue careers in Science,

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

She proceeded to say that the young

people in rural areas need to be nurtured

in order to feed the next generation of sci-

entists, researcher and engineers.

The Centre will be used as a source of

knowledge for young people who want to

study further. The Minister highlighted the

importance pf encouraging young people

being exposed to a wide variety of options

to choose from and that they are helped

to choose wisely so that they can choose a

career they can stay in.

Limpopo MEC for Education, Ishmael

Kgetjepe, said that South Africa is working

on becoming “one of the strongest science

research communities in the world, pioneer-

ing the latest technologies”.

While Minister Pandor was in Giyani, she

visited the Hi Hanyile Essential Oils project;

the project is a bioscience initiative that is

funded by the Department of Science and

Technology. In this project Scientists and

traditional healers have come together to

study the indigenous plants, leading to the

development of mosquito repellent candles

and more effective commercially similar

products.

The project is said to have shown how sci-

ence, technology and innovation can come

together and be used for economic growth

and development.

DST


MARIE CURIE

Marie Curie stands out as by far

the greatest woman scientist

of all time – and some may say

greater than all the men too – after all she

won TWO Nobel prizes – one for Physics

and one for Chemistry! Little Manya

Sklodowska was born in Poland in 1867:

she was always top of her class and won

the Science prize at school. Her father had

kept all his science equipment (after he

was fired as a teacher), and this fascinated

her and she played with it endlessly at

home.

Manya made an agreement with her sister

Bronisława, to assist each other with pay-

ing for their studies. So Bronya went to

Paris (as women could not study in Russian

controlled Poland) and Manya continued to

tutor to assist her. In October 1891, she set

off on a grueling three day train trip (it now

takes 16 hours to drive!), having to take her

own folding chair and food and water! In

Paris she enrolled at the Sorbonne – the

University of Paris.

In the same year Pierre Curie entered her

life. He was an instructor in Physics, and

they were soon married. Commenting on a

friend’s offer to give her a wedding dress,

Manya (now Marie Curie) famously said:

“I have no dress except the one I wear every

day. If you are going to be kind enough to

give me one, please let it be practical and

dark so that I can put it on afterwards to go

to the laboratory.”

In 1903, the Royal Swedish Academy of

Sciences awarded Pierre and Marie Curie,

and Henri Becquerel, the Nobel Prize in

Physics, for the discovery of radiation. On

receiving the Nobel Prize, Marie and Pierre

Curie suddenly became very famous. The

Sorbonne gave Pierre a professorship and

permitted him to establish his own labora-

tory, in which Marie became director of

research.

Tragically, on April 19, 1906, Pierre was

killed in a street accident:- struck by a

horse-drawn vehicle he fell under its

wheels, fracturing his skull. Marie’s famous

reply was: “Life is not easy for any of us. But

what of that? We must have perseverance and

above all confidence in ourselves. We must

believe that we are gifted for something and

that this thing must be attained.”

Marie refused to accept the pension offered

to her, and she became the first female

professor at the Sorbonne (and indeed

in the world!) Recognition for her work

grew to new heights, and in 1911 she was

awarded a second Nobel Prize:- this time

for Chemistry. No man has ever won two

Nobel prizes in the sciences! During World

War I, Marie pushed for the use of mobile

X-ray units, for the treatment of wounded

soldiers. These units were powered using

tubes of radium which she purified. Marie

drove and operated these mobile units her-

self, saving many soldier’s lives.

Marie visited Poland a last time in the

spring of 1934, famously saying: “One never

notices what has been done; one can only see

what remains to be done. “

Only a couple of months later, Marie died,

just a few months before her daughter,

Irene, also won the Nobel prize. The damag-

ing effects of ionizing radiation were then

not yet known, and much of her work had

been carried out in a shed without any

safety measures. Even her workbooks and

cookbooks are still inaccessible – kept in

lead-lined safes as they are still too radio-

active to touch.

On the periodic table of the elements, there are three elements named by or for her:• Polonium, her first discovery, named after

her native country Poland (not polony)

• Radium, which she separated from pitch-

blende

• Curium – named in 1944 in her honour

Marie Curie was recently voted the great-

est woman scientist of all time, winning

just over a quarter of the poll and almost

twice as much as her nearest rival Rosalind

Franklin (14.2 per cent), the English bio-

physicist who helped discover the structure

of DNA. Albert Einstein met with Marie

Curie on a few occasions, and had this to

say of her: “Marie Curie is, of all celebrated

beings, the only one whom fame has not cor-

rupted.”

It is easy to give in to fear in South Africa

today, but remember the words of Marie

Curie: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is

only to be understood. Now is the time to

understand more, so that we may fear less.“

Derek Fish

Director: Unizulu Science Centre

A woman in her element!

Marie Curie


Cu

t o

ut

and

pla

ce o

n y

ou

r w

all f

or

easy

ref

eren

ce

DRAFTFCB CAPE TOWN 10003863CT/E

Cu

t o

ut

and

pla

ce o

n y

ou

r w

all f

or

easy

ref

eren

ce

DRAFTFCB CAPE TOWN 10003863CT/E

At Engen, we want to give you some extra encouragement during your final exams because we understand that education is the first step to a brighter future. That’s one of the reasons why we invest in subjects that will be of long-term value to our business and South Africa. For nearly 3 decades, Engen Maths and Science Schools have provided extra tuition to learners in grades 10 to 12 across the country. Engen wishes you every success for your final matric exams.

Exercise and eat correctly to combat stress.

If the workload is too big, join a study group. But make sure you actually study.

Don’t postpone difficult topics

when studying - tackle the hard

bits first.

Don’t procrastinate!

Good luck!

Studytips

Draw up a study

timetable.

Create a study environment free from

clutter and distractions.

Get a decent night’s sleep. It helps with your concentration.Use tables,

flowcharts and figures - pictures can help you remember

facts.Go over as many past papers as you can.

Get up a little earlier on the morning of an exam - it will allow

you time to have a proper breakfast and you will feel calm when you

arrive at your exam venue.

Make flashcards, use acronyms, sing jingles - anything to help you remember.

www.engenoil.com/education

FCB

CAPE

TOW

N 10

0070

95CT

/E

10007095CT Engen_Study Tips Ad_215x275E.indd 1 2014/08/27 10:22 AM

ss women in science special edition 2015

Documents