NRF- SAASTA celebrates World Poetry Day publishing of a collection of poems by young scientists

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), in celebration of World Poetry Day and honouring South Africa’s Human Rights Day on 21 March 2021, has published a collection of poems written by young scientists from South African research institutions. The collection of poems highlights the value of poetry in connecting people and ideas, and, thereby, creating a way for people engage with science.

21 March 2021

SAASTA hosted a final webinar on understanding Indigenous Knowledge Systems

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement hosted the final of a series of three science webinars. This final webinar, titled: “COVID-19 Treatment: Understanding Indigenous Knowledge Systems”, will take place on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 from 17:00 – 18:30 on the virtual platform, Zoom.
“Indigenous Knowledge Systems are part of the hot topics that people have developed interest for during this COVID period with many remedies being investigated,” said Science Awareness Platforms Manager, Mr Shadrack Mkansi
 3 December 2020

NRF-SAASTA to host COVID-19 diagnostic research webinar
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement will host a second webinar today (25 November 2020), titled “Profiling COVID-19 Diagnostics Research”, from 17h00 to 18h30.
The aim of the webinars is to provide a platform for local researchers and industry stakeholders to showcase groundbreaking innovations and promote development. It seeks to share these scientific inventions with the public.
This webinar will focus on the work done by Dr Lusisizwe Kwezi, a senior researcher from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and Dr Daniel Ndima, founding CEO at CapeBio Technologies, on the development of application-ready reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) reagents for COVID-19.
25  November 2020
SAASTA to host a series of science webinars
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement will be hosting a series of science webinars, to profile the role that science is playing in the fight against COVID-19. SAASTA will be partnering with various science organisations for live discussions and Q&A that will be open to the public.
The first webinar, “Profiling the National Ventilator Project”, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 18 November 2020, from 16h30 to 18h30. The session will highlight and celebrate the work of the National Ventilation Project by one of the National Research Foundation’s Facilities, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), which has been leading South Africa’s efforts to create low cost ventilators in order to treat hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

17  November 2020
COVID-19 Africa Rapid Grant Fund launched
 A COVID-19 Africa Rapid Fund Grant with an initial total funding of approximately USD4.75million, close to R90 million, has been launched to address research questions and implement science engagement activities associated with the pandemic.
The National Research Foundation (NRF) supported by South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom Research and Innovation  (UKRI) through the Newton Fund, and SGCI participating councils are collaborating in this initiative, which has been conceptualised under the auspices of the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI).
21 May 2020
The South African Science Lens®  Competition uses photography to bring together art and science
The South African Science Lens® competition celebrates the wonder of science through photography, and shows how science and art can be seamless allies in communicating about the world around us. The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), a business unit of the National Research Foundation, and its partner in the 11th round of the SA Science Lens® competition, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), are pleased to announce the winners of the latest round of the competition.
09 March 2020
SAASTA celebrates International Mother Language Day
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) is joining the world to celebrate International Mother Language Day on 21 February by profiling science in all nine official languages on various platforms, including social media.
The International Mother Language Day is a worldwide annual celebration intended to encourage nations to give importance to their mother language and cultural diversity, along with different dialects that preserve the diverse cultures found around the world.
20 February 2020
SAASTA hosts the first Nanotechnology Symposium on Health, Safety and Environment
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) and the Nanotechnology Public Engagement Programme (NPEP), in-collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), will be hosting the first Nanotechnology Symposium on Health, Safety and Environment on 10 February 2020 at the SAASTA Auditorium in Pretoria.
5 February 2020
Where to view the transit of Mercury on Monday?
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement is joining other organisations to enable South African citizens to witness the transit of Mercury on Monday, 11 November 2019 from 15:30 to 18:00 at the Johannesburg Observatory.On the afternoon of 11 November, the position of planet Mercury will be directly between the Sun and Earth. Observers all over Africa will be able to see a tiny black dot making its way across the solar disk. The last time Mercury transited the Sun was in May 2016 and it will not happen for another 13 years.
 9 November 2019
Seeing science through photography with the South African Science Lens® Competition 2019
The 11th round of the South African Science Lens® competition, a photographic competition celebrating the splendour and wonder of science, opens for entries today.This year, for the first time, the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF), and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) have teamed up to mount the photographic competition, celebrating all natural and social sciences in the 20-year anniversary of the NRF and the 50-year anniversary of the HSRC.
 16 October 2019
SAASTA to celebrate excellence in science
The 55th National Science Olympiad awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, 26 September 2019 at the CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria in Gauteng.
 23 September 2019
Young people breaking down barriers between science and society
Encouraging young scientists to share their work and engage with society is part of the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA)’s drive to connect science and society, to ultimately lead toward its vision of a critically engaged and scientifically literate society.
 28 February 2019
International hydrogen and fuel cells scientists to convene in South Africa
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement will be hosting the 30th edition of the International Partnerships of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) steering committee meeting and events tomorrow (4 December) until 7 December 2018 at the University of Pretoria and The Capital Menlyn Maine Hotel and Apartments in Pretoria.
 03 December 2018
South African and SADAC youth to celebrate youth month in style  
South African youth are commemorating and celebrating the youth’s of 1976 selfless sacrifice. In June 1976, South African youth sacrificed their lives to liberate people from oppression. This year’s Youth Month theme is “Live the Legacy: Towards a Socio-Economically Empowered Youth”.
 25 June 2018
SA-SWISS Nanomedicine (TB & HIV/AIDS)
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) in-collaboration with Switzerland Embassy and Nabio Consulting would like to invite the media to the HIV/AIDS and TB symposium on Tuesday and Wednesday (5 and 6 December 2017).
14 December 2017
SA’s ‘Pop Idols of Science’ on stage at Science Forum South Africa
Young voices in South African science will be sharing their fascinating and inspiring research at the FameLab® heat at Science Forum South Africa on 7 December 2017 at the CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria.
14 December 2017
Nanotechnology and Energy Symposium
The Nanotechnology Public Engagement Programme (NPEP) and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, in-collaboration with NABIO Consulting (Pty) Ltd, invites the media to the 1st Nanotechnology and Energy Symposium in South Africa on 26 October 2017.
23 October 2017
SJ Van Der Merwe Technical High School crowned National Schools Debates champions
SJ Van Der Merwe Technical High School from Limpopo Province beat eight schools to be awarded the title of the 2017 South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement National Schools Debates champions on Friday evening at a glittering award function, at the Southern Sun Hotel in Pretoria.
09 October 2017
National Schools Debates and AstroQuiz finals: 5 and 6 October 2017
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) would like to invite the media to the AstroQuizTM finals today at the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria and the SAASTA Schools Debates national finals tomorrow (6 October 2017) at the National Research Foundation Auditorium in Pretoria.
05 October 2017
Nanotechnology Facility Tour: 29 September 2017
Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) in-collaboration with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) would like to invite the media to the Nanotechnology Facility Tour at Mintek, Randburg on 29 September 2017.
26 September 2017
Nanotechnology Facility Tour: 20 September 2017
The University of the Free State (UFS) in-collaboration with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) would like to invite the media to the Nanotechnology Facility Tour at the University of the Free State (Bloemfontein) on 20 September 2017.
18 September 2017
National Schools Debates 2017 provincial competitions to focus on Square Kilometer Array Telescope
Ten schools in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Western Cape will pick up their proverbial telescopes and focus in on the Square Kilometer Array Telescope, a massive global science project, during the National Schools Debates provincial competitions on Saturday, 26 August 2017.
25 August 2017
Seeing science through photography
The South Africa Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) has launched the 2017 SA Science Lens photography competition and there are great prizes up for grabs. The competition is open for anyone with an enthusiasm for science, professional and amateur photographers, professional and amateur scientists, and science communicators to participate.
Click here to view SA Science Lens postcards.
21 August 2017
Top grade 12 science learners to jet off to London
The top National Science Olympiad performers in grade 12 will be jetting off to the United Kingdom on Tuesday 25 July to attend the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF).
24 July 2017
Top Science learners honoured at the National Science Olympiad awards
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) announced the top learners of the 53rd National Science Olympiad last week on Thursday (6 July 2017) at the glittering awards ceremony held at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, in Gauteng.
7 July 2017
Minister Pandor to deliver keynote address at the National Science Olympiad awards
The Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor, will deliver the keynote address at the 53rd National Science Olympiad awards evening taking place on 6 July 2017 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand in Gauteng.
30 June 2017
Opening 27 May 2017 – The Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome
Experience a New Dimension and the Dawn of a Digital Era 
The long awaited launch of the revamped Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome is imminent and Iziko will finally open the doors of this unique new facility to the public on 27 May 2017.The new Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome will offer perspective-3D edu-tainment and a unique experience unlike anything local audiences have ever encountered before.
26 May 2017
She’s no ordinary Gold Digger!
Geologist, Tshiamo Legoale Wins the FameLab South Africa competition: Taking African Science to the World.
Tshiamo Legoale from Mintek earned her spot as the national winner of the FameLab South Africa competition, as she captivated the audience yesterday (19 April 2017) at Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, with her riveting 3 minutes talk on phytomining, or in simpler terms, how we can harvest gold from wheat crops grown on mine dumps.
20 April 2017

South African biotechnology perceptions survey shows improved awareness

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor, will launch the results of the Public Perceptions of Biotechnology survey in South Africa tomorrow (1st of November 2016) at the Government Communication and Information Systems, Press Room Tshedimosetso in Pretoria..

31 October 2016
Randfontein High School to take a bite of the Big Apple

Randfontein High School from Gauteng scooped the 2016 South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) National Schools Debates Competition coveted top prize last night (06 October 2016).

7 October 2016
SAASTA to honour top science learners

The 52nd National Science Olympiad awards ceremony will take place on 30 June 2016 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, in Gauteng. The awards ceremony will honour South Africa’s top young science learners in 2016 in various categories.

28 June 2016
SAASTA caught up with Nozipho for a Q&A just before the semis

A 26-year-old Nozipho Gumbi sat with SAASTA’s Zama Matiwana this week just before the semis, and she spoke about her feelings, expectations and preparations as the Fame Lab International semi-finals draws closer and closer.

7 June 2016
Nozipho ready to dazzle the world

A 26-year-old Nozipho Gumbi from Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is ready to dazzle the audience and the judges with her engaging talk on water filtration using carbon nanotubes. She will be competing against her peers from 27 countries on a world stage at The Times Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2016.

6 June 2016
Gumbi wins FameLab South Africa 2016 award

Nozipho Gumbi from Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) scooped the International FameLab South Africa award at the recent finals in front of a capacity audience at the glittering Cape Town International Convention Centre, at the Going Global conference on Wednesday night (4 May 2016).

12 May 2016
Who is going to be the next South African ‘Pop Idol of Science’?

On 4 May 2016, at the Going Global Conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the heat will be on, when the 10 finalists compete for the coveted title, ‘South Africa’s Pop Idol of Science’.

3 May 2016
Top ten FameLab SA finalists to compete for the chance to share their research on an international stage

Ten finalists will compete at the national finals for the coveted title, ‘South Africa’s Pop Idol of Science’, at the Going Global Conference in Cape Town on 4 May 2016.

16 March 2016
Top South African Young Science Communicators to Compete in the FameLab SA Semi-Finals

Nineteen top young science communicators in South Africa in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics will compete in the FameLab SA semi-finals at Sci-Bono Discovery Centre on Saturday, 12 March 2016.

8 March 2016
Science Communication Training Programme for Female Scientists and Researchers

Science Communication Training Programme for Female Scientists and Researchers.

Workshop Date: 16th- 18th of March 2016

Venue: The Capital Empire, Sandton, Johannesburg

25 February 2016
SAASTA and MDDA join forces to promote science

The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) this week signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) through which they will promote science journalism.

19 February 2016
Communication is Key for Responsible Research and Innovation

Major Horizon 2020 project “NUCLEUS” investigates governance and cultures in scientific institutions to foster the science-society dialogue / 24 project partners from Europe, Asia and Africa.

19 February 2016
FameLab: Auditioning for the next ‘Pop Idols of Science’

The British Council, in partnership with Jive Media Africa and the South Africa Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), invite young professionals and enthusiastic researchers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to sign up for FameLab 2016.

26 January 2016
DAAD/SAASTA symposium to inspire the next generation of science communicators

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), in collaboration with the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) (or German Academic Exchange Service), will host the first DAAD/SAASTA Science Communication Symposium tomorrow and Saturday, 2-3 October 2015.

1 October 2015
Top learners to attend London International Youth Science Forum

The top four National Science Olympiad performers in grade 12 will be jetting off to the United Kingdom to attend the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) from the 22nd of July to 5th of August 2015.

16 July 2015
National Science Olympiad honours Hamandishe Mathivha

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement announced the top learners of the 51st National Science Olympiad at the glittering awards ceremony at Emperors Palace on 02 July 2015. Outstanding winners were recognised from a range of categories such as Physical Science and Life Science.

6 July 2015