University of Cape Town students attend The World Science Conference - Israel
The students joined over 70 other delegations from around the world where they met 15 Nobel Laureates. Here, one of them shares their experiences:
I was in a state of high excitement. I went around my department asking my fellow academics “Have you ever met a Nobel Laureate?” The answer was universally negative.
And that’s not surprising. These are rare and special people indeed. To date 835 individuals have been recognized in this way. This spans over a century of human endeavor in a multitude of diverse fields.
So why was I excited? I had just been chosen to go to the World Science Conference Israel (WSCI) 2015. The presenters at this event would include no fewer than 15 of these amazing people, representing a staggering concentration of mankind’s finest minds. I was to lead a delegation of students from the University of Cape Town, Africa’s foremost academic institution.
The four students were chosen from the faculties of Science and Engineering and Built Environment. Thalia Pillay, Rene Nsanzubuhoro, Johan Jansen van Vuuren and Tomas Bruce-Chwatt were selected to represent South Africa. Together the five South Africans formed one of the 71 delegations who attended the event.
The first full day of talks started with Ada Yonath, the Israeli crystallographer. Among her gems was a picture of a bent paperclip showing how structure determines function both in man-made devices as well as biological structures. She described her impoverished childhood and gave inspiration to those in the audience who might have felt that their lack of privilege could impede their scientific potential. This was rapidly followed by Prof Aumann, the mathematician-economist and Prof Ciechanover, the biologist. This was all before mid-morning on the first day! This mind-whirling swirl of speakers and topics was to continue for three solid days. This was the most mentally taxing and stimulating set of speakers and topics imaginable. The need to change topics, ways of thinking and subjects to keep up with the speakers was an expanding experience, stretching the mind constantly and forcing all normal patterns of mental activity out, to be replaced with new ideas at a frenetic pace.
The programme had other facets too. Science does not exist in a vacuum. It needs to be funded, exploited, protected and cherished. There were talks on all of these areas too. Yissum, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University, explained their highly successful techniques. Prof Hayden of Teva Pharmaceuticals discussed the industry and its future and needs, and Israeli entrepreneurs had a chance to showcase some of the countries most innovative new products.
And let’s not forget the tours and parties… One full day was dedicated to seeing Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A magnificent opening ceremony at the Mount Scopus Campus, a night-time show at the Tower of David Museum, a party of note in Tel Aviv…
But Oh! Those Laureates!