#05 2025
By Makgethwa Masemola, Social Ecological Technician and Thapelo Kgomo, Biodiversity Technician, EFTEON
The annual Eskom Expo for Young Scientists seeks to ignite a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in learners by developing their scientific abilities and motivating them to seek jobs in STEM. Through regional and global science fairs, the Expo presents learners with a platform to showcase their creative concepts, projects and problem-solving skills.
In August, learners from Grades 6 to 11 across 14 schools in the Eden Karoo region, presented their science projects at the George Civic Centre in the Western Cape with great enthusiasm and excitement. Staff members from the Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON) attended this regional science competition and exhibition to ensure that learners were exposed to environmental research tools and instrumentation, and to highlight career opportunities and prepare them for higher education and careers.
EFTEON’s Makgethwa Masemola demonstrating to an educator how the sensors work.
Thapelo Kgomo giving an insightful talk on biodiversity to Grade 11 learners.
The EFTEON team, which included Makgethwa Masemola and Thapelo Kgomo, set out to showcase the kind of data products available to assist learners in improving their research projects in line with one of the aims of the Expo – to assist learners from schools with limited resources to improve the quality of their projects.
The project categories relevant to EFTEON data products at the exhibition varied from agricultural science, plant science, environmental studies, energy, earth sciences, chemistry and biochemistry, animal sciences and social sciences, among others. Learners excitedly presented their projects focusing on climate change (global warming, greenhouse gases and greenhouses), pollution, water quality and quantity, and several novel concepts for using wind to power cars.
Learners showcasing their projects: (left) building a greenhouse; (centre) air pollution; and (right) global warming.
It was an eye-opener for the learners whose projects required EFTEON’s research infrastructure data when the team demonstrated how the data could be applied in their projects, as they had initially thought there would be no connection to their projects. During a brief discussion at EFTEON’s science-themed display booth, the learners were shown a variety of sensors, the environmental factors they observe, and how they capture data.
A gap was identified in that learners from schools with limited resources only had literature reviews pertaining to their climate change and environmental projects as opposed to any sort of data analysis. This ultimately contributed to the team’s subsequent talk on the significance of data analysis for the learners’ projects for their next entries into the fair. They were also informed that, among other variables, air temperature was important in monitoring research on global warming, something they had previously been unaware of. This was done through a demonstration of an air temperature sensor that they were encouraged to experiment with.
The significance of long-term environmental data monitoring was explained in terms of how it benefits society. Before the exhibition, most of the learners believed that the information shared was of little relevance to them until the team listed examples of daily data use that were narrowed down to disaster risk management (floods), water resources management and agricultural planning (drought). Furthermore, the talk sparked potential cooperative initiatives with the Department of Water and Sanitation, a few educators and other relevant stakeholders who expressed interest in future collaborations with EFTEON.
In keeping with the participatory nature of the event, the EFTEON team were offered an opportunity to pose questions to learners following their talk. Learners that participated were treated with prizes sponsored by the Eskom Expo.
Future data provision via the EFTEON infrastructure will acknowledge educational initiatives such as the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists.
Learners listening attentively to a talk and demonstration of sensors by Makgethwa.
Learners had the opportunity to ask questions after the presentation and demonstrations.
