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Unisa takes engaged scholarship to high school learners

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After an absence of almost three years due to the COVID-19 epidemic, 16 September 2023 saw Unisa’s Learners’ Research Summit, presented by the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET). make a comeback, this time bigger and with a shift in focus regarding research projects.

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Aligned to the ten catalytic research niche areas identified as critical by Professor Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa’s Vice-Chancellor,  and in celebration of the university’s 150th anniversary , this year’s research summit was hosted under the theme “Unisa@150: Towards Unisa Catalytic Niche Areas Research Projects”.

The summit forms part of CSET’s engaged scholarship activities, and provided the learners with an opportunity to present and showcase their innovative research projects. Through the learner research summit, high school learners were trained to become future researchers in the specialised and scarce-skilled fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and innovation (STEAMI).

The programme included presentations by high school learners from Gauteng Province in grades 8, 9 and 10, on topics that are aligned with the recently introduced catalytic niche areas at Unisa. About 300 learners from 12 different schools were in attendance.

LRS_231017_body2.pngLearners delivering their presentations on Unisa’s catalytic niche areas

Presentations made by learners were based on the topics rating to Space Studies and the Square Kilometre Array, Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Innovation (Health Studies), Marine Studies, studies at the Centre for Materials Science, Environmental Biotechnology, Smart Cities and Aerotropolis, Aviation and Aeronautical Studies, 4IR and Artificial Intelligence, and energy research. These are research projects hosted at CSET. Since the beginning of the year, learners  from various schools were partnered with mentors who are lecturers at CSET. The role of the mentors was to educate and train the learners on the topics mentioned above in preparation for the learner research summit.

On the day of the summit, leaners were divided into three groups, and each school within a group had to present in detail their findings on the catalytic niche area research topic selected in the breakaway sessions. Constructive discussions and engagements with adjudicators, teachers and fellow learners took place after each presentation.

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Professor Sarah Jane Johnston, Head of Research and Graduate Studies at CSET, addressing learners at the conclusion of the summit

In closing off a successful day of informative research project presentations, all learners and teachers were awarded a certificate of participation for their active involvement in and dedication to the programme.

#Unisa150

 

* By Lesego Maloka, Administrative Assistant, Unisa College of Science, Engineering and Technology

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Publish date: 2023/10/18

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