How South Africa’s scientists are solving the world’s toughest problems

When the question of innovation within the science and technology fraternity arises, South Africa is right up there among other nations that have made significant contributions to the fraternity. With a number of innovators and inventors that keep pushing the envelope, it seems our national flag may not be coming down from the helm anytime soon. Science and technology in their nature, are not static and require a sense of constant evolution from scholars, professionals, and research-intensive institutions. We believe that it is due to this fact, that our country keeps producing groundbreaking solutions and inventions, that make us an active participant, not only in the Global South but the world over.

Another factor that makes South Africa a positive contributor to the global science and technology fraternity, is the willingness to adopt innovative measures from other parts of the world. A good example of this would be the CoalCO2-X project which was successfully demonstrated at a cement plant in the Limpopo province in January of 2023. The project supports a carbon capture and utilisation technology, which captures carbon dioxide from flue gas and then converts it into a fertiliser salt using ammonia. The government through its Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), has invested about R50 million in the project, which has subsequently made provision for local small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs), to put in place partnerships to demonstrate the potential of flue gas conversion technology at the plant. This is a milestone towards energy security and the government’s commitment to transition from a carbon-intensive to a carbon-neutral economy.

Quite recently, we have seen a string of notable events that validate the need for academic leadership and investment in research-intensive institutions for science and technology. Well-published and often cited research physicist, Dr. James Keaveney, was awarded with the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust’s inaugural New Frontiers Research Award which is aimed at supporting South Africa’s reputation for research excellence. Dr. Keaveney will receive R1,5 million in research funding annually for the next five years on condition that he remains based at a South African university. With this funding, he will dedicate his time to enhancing Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning in a manner that is more effective and affordable. PET scanning is often used in the diagnosis and treatment of Tuberculosis (TB), which is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa. A breakthrough in this regard will address the lack of access to PET scanning in middle- and low-income countries such as South Africa. According to Dr. Keaveney, global interdisciplinary collaboration is key to expanding the horizons of particle physics and he’ll use his award to promote and develop, up and coming scientists in his field of expertise.