The Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings has selected and announced 9 young scientists from South Africa to participate at the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting dedicated to Physiology/Medicine from 25 to 30 June 2023 in Lindau, Germany. The nominating partner, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) hosted a pre-travel meeting and science communication training on 15-16 May 2023 for the selected young scientists to prepare them of what to expert in the Lindau meeting in Germany.
In Lindau’s quest to continuously strive to increase the quality and internationality of the candidates, their scientific review panel has selected 635 of the most qualified young scientists from more than 90 nationalities to participate in this year’s Lindau Meeting. The selected young scientists will experience and contribute to the unique atmosphere of the Lindau Meetings. About 40 Nobel Laureates are planning to attend the meeting and welcome the outstanding qualifications and the great diversity of nationalities of the applicants.
ASSAf, as the official partner of the Lindau Foundation and with funding from the DSI, annually nominates young scientists to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings which are designed as a forum for young scientists from all over the world to have an in-depth exchange with Nobel Laureates.
The academy and the DSI would like to congratulate the below listed 9 South African young scientists who have been selected to participate at the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting:
– Dr Martin Justin Page, Stellenbosch University
– Dr Velaphi Clement Thipe, University of Missouri-Columbia
– Dr Nabila Ismail, Stellenbosch University
– Dr Kamini Govender, University of KwaZulu-Natal
– Ms Claudia Christowitz, Stellenbosch University
– Dr Cosnet Lerato Rametse, University of Cape Town
– Dr Sunaina Indermun, South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)
– Ms Ramakgahlela Betty Sebati, University of Johannesburg
– Dr Gina Leisching, Trinity College Dublin
During the pre-travel meeting, the 9 young scientists interacted with the alumni of the Lindau Laureate meetings who shared their experiences and the opportunities post participating at this prestigious life changing meetings. The meeting featured high-level speakers from the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and from partner organisations and entities i.e Mr Daan du Toit (Deputy Director-General from DSI), Mr Imraan Patel (Deputy Director-General from DSI), Dr Aldo Stroebel (keynote speaker from the National Research Foundation), Prof Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya (ASSAf Council Member and Director at South African Medical Research Council – University of Johannesburg Pan African Centre for Epidemics Research), Dr Amitava Bandopadhyay (Director-General of the Non-Aligned Movement’s Centre for Science and Technology), and Mr Bheki Hadebe (Director for High-End Skills, DSI). All the aforementioned speakers alluded to the importance of this international collaborative opportunity for South Africa on its quest to advance sciences for all. Moreover, half of day 2 of the pre-travel meeting was reserved for science engagement between the 9 young scientists, alumni and 60 learners from Naledi High School, Jabulani Technical and Tswasongu Secondary School. The penultimate half of day 2 was reserved for science communication training for by Mr Michael Ellis from the South African Agency For Science And Technology Advancement). These engagements were led and overseen by the ASSAf Acting Executive Officer and also Director of Scholarly Publishing, Mrs Susan Veldsman.
In Lindau, the young scientists will experience a six-day programme with numerous lectures and panel discussions. They will also have the opportunity to meet the biggest science names in physics when they are introduced to the Lindau Nobel Laureates. The young scientists are set to travel from 23 June 2023 to the Lindau Laureate Meeting in Germany and they will be accompanied by the Executive Officer at the ASSAf, Prof Himla Soodyall.