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UFS helps Tritech National Science and Technology Fair to reach new heights

18 November 2024 | Story Nicolle Loader and Rudi Swart | Photo Supplied

The Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry (CMBG) at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) support and partnership of the Tritech National Science and Technology Fair reached new heights this year with the event set to be featured in a new television series.

CMBG has been a proud sponsor and partner of the Tritech National Science and Technology Fair for the past four years. Established in 2008, Tritech is a renowned competition that allows Grade 7 to Grade 12 learners from across South Africa to showcase their research abilities. The Tritech National Science Competition serves as a beacon of opportunity for young minds, fostering their passion for scientific exploration and igniting their curiosity. It is designed to enhance scientific literacy, encourage innovation, and nurture the next generation of scientists and inventors.

“The CMBG has consistently demonstrated its commitment to promoting education and empowering young individuals. As a result, we have partnered with Tritech since 2021, and I believe that this partnership has opened new doors and possibilities for our young scientists. We are incredibly honoured to be part of such a dynamic and inspiring environment,” said Dr Mariana Erasmus, Vice Director: CMBG and Tritech EXCO member.

Power of science and technology

According to Dr Erasmus, at the CMBG, they believe in the power of science and technology to transform our world. Their involvement in this event aligns perfectly with the centre’s commitment to fostering innovation, encouraging critical thinking, and nurturing the next generation of scientists and innovators.

“We are excited about the opportunities Tritech presents to the university to engage with cutting-edge projects, to exchange ideas, and build lasting collaborations. The spirit of curiosity and exploration that Tritech embodies is exactly what drives our institution’s mission forward.”

In addition to assisting with the judging of projects during the National Science Competition at the Merensky Agricultural Academy in Tzaneen, the CMBG presents a fun but intellectually stimulating activity, showcasing various STEM-related disciplines that UFS offers to inspire students from across South Africa to celebrate scientific discovery. Each year, the CMBG collaborates with a different department for these activities, and this year, in October 2024, the collaboration was with the UFS Department of Chemistry.

‘Science Olympics’

The theme for Tritech 2024 was “Science Olympics”, and after the formalities of the project presentations were completed, the fair kicked off with a grand procession led by bearers of flaming torches and flags reminiscent of Olympic ceremonies. “Learners marched proudly, symbolising their commitment to science, with representatives from UFS and Tritech EXCO leading the way, an unforgettable visual display honoured the learners’ passion for exploration,” said Dr Erasmus.

The event transitioned into a video presentation explaining the misuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, followed by interactive activities focused on analysing possible doping agents. Thereafter, the UFS team guided learners through hands-on experiments, demonstrating the science behind identifying performance-enhancing drugs. Through engaging, real-world applications, learners were not only able to detect these substances but quantify their findings, making the learning experience both fun and educational.

As the night closed, the Chemistry team mesmerised the audience with a ‘magic show’. Explosions of colour, booming sounds, and flashes of light filled the sky, leaving everyone in awe. The show combined entertainment and chemistry, showcasing the wonders of science through spectacular reactions.

On TV

The fair concluded the next day with activities like kart building and livestock showcases, ending with a prize-giving ceremony to reward the learners for their hard work throughout the year. Adding to the excitement, the event is set to be featured in a new television series, with the pilot episode filmed during the weekend of Tritech Nationals 2024.

“The series promises to bring the Tritech experience to life for a wider audience, aiming to capture the incredible spirit, creativity, and innovation that defines Tritech. It will be an incredible opportunity to gain recognition, inspire others, and highlight the importance of science and technology in solving real-world challenges,” Dr Erasmus concluded.

This year’s fair was a celebration of knowledge, creativity, and the endless possibilities of science, leaving a lasting impact on all who attended.

News Archive

Service learning teaching strategy essential for the infusion of graduate attributes

2017-01-02

Dr Pulane Pitso, Director: Institutional Performance
Monitoring within Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
Branch in the Department of the Premier, Free State
Provincial Government (FSPG).
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

“Public service delivery is not only about ‘government’s sector end products’, but is also fundamentally related to the ways in which the citizens can be best served at the point of client interface, as the primary beneficiaries.”

It is against this backdrop that Dr Pulane Pitso’s study explored the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in infusing the curriculum with graduate attributes for improved service delivery. The study is entitled: Community service learning as a transformative tool for infusing the university curriculum with graduate attributes for improved service delivery.

Citizens the central focus in public-service delivery
Although with the advent of democracy, the South African public service introduced the Batho Pele “people first” initiative which is one of the key transformation-oriented initiatives to ensure that citizens are the central focus in public service delivery. An extant literature indicates that more work by the government still needs to be done in terms of the institutionalisation and implementation thereof.

Notwithstanding that public service is primarily responsible for addressing challenges related to poor service delivery, Dr Pitso moved from a premise that a multifaceted and collaborative approach, underpinned by a concerted effort by all relevant sectors, is more likely to contribute significantly towards improving service delivery. Specific focus was given to sectors primarily mandated to lay foundations through training and development such as HEIs, since the nature and quality of public service largely depends on the nature, quality and relevance of the system of education.

CSL a transformative teaching strategy
The basis for her thesis, emanated from the contention that public service delivery is a dynamic process which cultivates into a citizen-government relationship.

“It is this relationship that makes the implementation of the Batho Pele initiative crucial in ensuring that the social fabric and moral character of government is not compromised, thus the sustainability and facilitation of the emerged relationship,” Dr Pitso says.

The study focuses on the notion of community service learning (CSL) as an increasingly recognised transformative teaching strategy. It transcends lecture halls and utilises communities as educational spaces to provide practical exposure to real-life experiences to students on both learning and serving the communities.

Instilling graduate attributes in students
Dr Pitso’s thesis, which was predominately qualitative in nature, comprised two main stages. The first stage of the study focused on determining the current state of the public service in terms of the implementation of the Batho Pele principles. Whereas with the second stage, the focus was on determining the extent to which the graduate attributes are instilled in students by means of an exit-level CSL module at the UFS.

Dr Pitso’s thesis, which was awarded to her on 30 June 2016, is the product of five years of hard work, commitment and perseverance. She said it would not have been realised if it had not been for the leadership and mentorship of her promoter, Prof Mabel Erasmus, and co-promoter, Prof Victor Teise.

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