Pre-events
I. Cityzens Run for Clean Air
Notification: The maximum capacity for this event has been reached.
Date & time of the event: 3 Dec 2022 07:00–09:00
II. Science Excursions
You can register to the Science Excursions here.
II.1. African Institute of Mathematical Science (AIMS) South Africa
Notification: The maximum capacity for this event has been reached.
Address: 6 Melrose Road, Muizenberg, Cape Town, Western Cape
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 28.3 km
Date & time of visits: 2 Dec 2022 10:30–13:00
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 30
The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), now its 20th year of operation, is Africa’s first network of centres of excellence in mathematical sciences. We enable the continent’s youth to shape the continent’s future through Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education- training Africa’s next generation of leaders.
AIMS South Africa is one of the centres of excellence for training, research and public engagement in Cape Town, South Africa. It was established in 2003 as a partnership project of the following 6 universities: Cambridge, Cape Town, Oxford, Paris Sud XI, Stellenbosch, and Western Cape.
“We believe that the next Einstein will be African and that he or she will develop solutions that cross borders and change lives.”
AIMS South Africa is committed to increasing the pipeline of students progressing into secondary and tertiary mathematics education, and to decreasing the failure or drop-out rate of mathematics students at all levels. Through new approaches, the use of technology and updated curricula, AIMS South Africa is focusing on strengthening teacher capacity and reaching as many students as possible through the
AIMS Schools Enrichment Programme (AIMSSEC). The AIMS House of Science is the coordination hub of AIMS South Africa’s public engagement with mathematical sciences activities.
AIMS South Africa is ideally situated within 100 metres of the sea in Muizenberg a beautiful seaside resort and surfers paradise.
II.2. International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Cape Town Component
Address: Rm S2.19, Wernher and Beit Building (South), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925 Cape Town
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 6,9 km
Date & time of visits: 3 Dec 2022 10:30–11:30, 12:30–13:30, 14:30–15:30
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 20
Established in September 2007 with the aim to specifically strengthen the ICGEB activities on the African Continent, the focus of the research undertaken at the Cape Town Component is geared to address key needs of the African population. Each activity contains a major training component aimed at tackling some of the key issues identified through the Gates Foundation Millennium Development Goals. Currently, the premises of the ICGEB Cape Town Component cover around 1,200 square metres of the University of Cape Town, Health Science Faculty Campus, and host the activity of six Research Groups.
II.3. Aquaculture facility in Stellenbosch University
Notification: The maximum capacity for this event has been reached.
Address: Mike de Vries Building, Merriman Avenue, Stellenbosch University Main Campus
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 5.4 km
Date & time of visits: 3 Dec 2022 14:30–15:30
Duration of the visit: 45 minutes
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 25
Aquaculture research focuses primarily on water ecology management of integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems to ensure the sustainable and viability of such systems. Other research projects focus on the nutrition and physiological management of several species to optimize the production of freshwater and marine aquaculture species under commercial as well as small-scale or rural farming conditions.
II.4. The mRNA Hub
Address: Unit 5 Kestrel Park Longclaw Drive Montague Gardens Cape Town
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 12.2 km
Date & time of visits: 3 Dec 10:30–11:30, 12:30–13:30
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 10
Concretely, the Hub at Afrigen will share technology and technical know-how with local producers. WHO and partners will bring training and financial support to build the necessary human capital for production know-how, quality control and product regulation, and will assist where needed with the necessary licenses.
The Hub and partners create a global common good for the benefit of all by providing a range of services along the entire vaccine value chain. Recipients will be able to contribute to the global effort to increase local vaccine production capacity, and may sign agreements with producers or develop vaccines locally.
II.5. Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC)
Address: CSIR Campus, 15 Lower Hope Street, Rosebank, Cape Town
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC):
Date & time of visits: 3 Dec 10:30–11:30, 12:30–13:30, 4 Dec 10:30–11:30, 12:30–13:30, 5 Dec 10:30–11:30, 12:30–13:30
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 20
The National Integrated Cyber-Infrastructure System (NICIS) promotes scientific and industrial development through the provision of high-performance computing capability, high-speed network capacity and a national research data infrastructure. The three are integrated hierarchically into globally connected systems and into local system systems, providing seamless access for the research and education communities of South Africa. NICIS is a national initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation and implemented by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
The Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) is one of the three pillars of the NICIS. It provides massive parallel processing capabilities and services to researchers in industry and academia. The other main pillars are the South African National Research Network (SANReN), which provides high-speed connectivity and advanced networking services, as well as the Data Intensive Research Initiative of South Africa (DIRISA), which implements services that enable sound data management practices and support efficient data-driven scientific and engineering discoveries.
II.6. South African National Space Agency (SANSA)
Address: Hospital Street, Hermanus
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 120 km
Date & time of visits: 4 Dec 10:30–12:30
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 30-35
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) came into being in December 2010, but South Africa’s involvement with space research and activities started many decades earlier with helping early international space efforts in the second half of the 20th century, and observing the Earth’s magnetic field at stations around Southern Africa. SANSA was created to promote the use of space and strengthen cooperation in space-related activities while fostering research in space science, advancing scientific engineering through developing human capital, and supporting industrial development in space technologies.
The research and work carried out at SANSA focuses on space science, engineering and technology that can promote development, build human capital and provide important national services. Much of this work involves monitoring the Earth and our surrounding environment, and using the collected data to ensure that navigation, communication technology and weather forecasting services function as intended.
The SANSA Hermanus Facility brings 80+ years of Geomagnetism to SANSA. The facility today incorporates the Space Science Programme within SANSA which leads multi-disciplinary space science research and applications. Key functions include fundamental and applied space science research, the support of space facilitated science through data acquisition, the coordination and administration of scientific data, and the provision of space weather and magnetic technology products and services on a commercial and private basis. Through the Space Science Programme, SANSA contributes to the worldwide network of magnetic observatories responsible for monitoring the Earth’s magnetic field and participates in global scientific projects. The magnetically clean environment of the Hermanus facility contributes significantly to space systems and applications development through, for example, space qualified magnetic sensors and space weather information. The programme also provides leadership in post-graduate student training as well as providing science advancement, public engagement, and learner and educator support with STEM subjects.
SANSA operates a Magnetically Clean Environment, and the only Operational Space Weather Centre in Africa.
II.7. Women in Science Film Festival
The registration has been REOPENED. You can register here.
Address: The Labia Theatre Cape Town
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 3km
Date & time of visits: 4 Dec 18:00–20:00, 9 Dec 18:00–20:00
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 50
We are very pleased to invite you to a Women in Science Film Festival organized by the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) in partnership with the International Science Council (ISC) which will take place live on Sunday 4th December at 18:00-20:00 and Friday 9th December 18:00-20:00, followed by discussions with the filmmakers and protagonists - and comments from the floor. The films will also be available for your viewing throughout the Forum, in the EXPO hall, where you will find beanbags, popcorn and headphones: we invite you to dip in and out at your leisure.
The festival features 10 new short films featuring the stories and contributions of women in science in Africa. But the films are not traditional biopics, they are the fruit of a special focus on how to construct compelling science narratives in film by handing over the power of storytelling to the story makers. The OWSD Visions series is the result of a training programme designed by OWSD film consultant Nicole Leghissa, to support amateur film makers based in developing countries with limited access to equipment and resources, to produce engaging quality films with local protagonists and in the process learn techniques for filming even with just a cell phone.
II.8. SciDev.net Networking Cocktail
Address: King’s Map Room, iziko Museum, Cape Town, Western Cape
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 2 km
Date & time of event: 4 Dec 2022 16:30–18:00
Maximum number of visitors: 100
Join SciDev.Net senior editors for networking refreshments in the iziko Museum’s King’s Map Room to discuss how science and policy can come together better in the aftermath of the pandemic. SciDev.Net is the world’s leading source of news about science for development, and publishes in English, French, Arabic and Spanish.
II.9. iThemba Labs, in Faure CT
Address: Old Faure Road, FAURE (Western Cape)
Distance from Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): 34.1 km
Date & time of visits: 5 Dec 10:00–13:00
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 60–80
At the tip of Africa, and about 40 km, from Cape Town lies iThemba LABS (Laboratories for Accelerator Based Sciences). It is the premier particle accelerator facility on the African continent, and the only facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The workhorse of iThemba LABS is the k=200 Separated Sector Cyclotron (SSC) to provide accelerated particle beams. The SSC is currently used for two types of activities, namely isotope production for nuclear medicine and basic and applied research, which includes radiation biology and neutron physics and metrology. As a national facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF), iThemba LABS brings together competence and skills within a multidisciplinary environment to contribute to advance knowledge and build human capacity.
III. Cape Town Tour for Early Career Researchers
Start and end point of the (bus) tour: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
Date & time of the event: 6 Dec 13:00–16:00
Maximum number of visitors per visit: 60
The Global Young Academy together with the InterAcademy Partnership, the Africa Science Leadership Programme and the South African Young Academy of Science invite Early Career Researchers attending the World Science Forum this year to join us for a tour of the city of Cape Town with a thematic focus on this year’s WSF topic “Science for Social Justice”. During the tour, participants will have the chance to meet with other early career researchers who are in town for the World Science Forum. The tour will not only provide a first orientation of the WSF but will also introduce you to the wonderful city of Cape Town with a special focus on “science for social justice”.
If you are interested in joining the Cape Town Tour for Early Career Researchers please fill in the following form: https://forms.office.com/r/wWzjLPeDaf
Spots are limited and will be given out on a first come first serve basis.
IV. Inaugural Science Diplomacy for Economic Development Through Hydrogen Roundtable Workshop
You can register to the Workshop here.
As part of a national drive to create a clean, affordable and sustainable energy future for South Africa, the South African government through the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), developed the Hydrogen Society Roadmap (HSRM) in 2021. The Science Diplomacy for Economic Development through Hydrogen (SDEDH) project is an initiative of DSI’s International Office in partnership with Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy (CRSES), Impact Hydrogen and Durban University of Technology (DUT). The SDEDH project seeks to directly support the HSRM through a series of local and international roundtable workshops and follow up engagements. The inaugural roundtable workshop with the theme “Creating hydrogen valleys for South Africa” will unpack the progress that South Africa has made so far in terms of setting up its first Hydrogen Valley as per the recommendations in the HSRM. In addition, through showcasing of Hydrogen Valleys from around the world and obtaining expert opinions, views and experiences from local as well as international subject matter experts, policy makers, industry role players, financiers and civil society, this workshop aims at establishing how hydrogen can be utilized as lever for social justice in the context of South Africa’s transition to cleaner energy sources. Since this inaugural SDEDH workshop is addressing issues around hydrogen as a lever for social, it is has been declared an official side event of the World Science Forum, whose theme is “Science for social justice”.
V. The AAS Connecting Minds Africa Meeting
Address: CTICC, RM 1.63
Date & Time: 4-6 Dec 2022, 9:00-18:00
Maximum number of visitors: 100
The African Academy of Sciences (the AAS) invites you to attend its scientific conference hosted as a pre-event to the World Science Forum from 4-6 December 2022 at CTICC, RM 1.63.
The Connecting Minds Africa Conference (CoMA) is a scientific meeting for early-to-mid-career researchers funded through the AAS to share their experience and network. CoMA is about changing the voice and the dialogue on Africa’s development from challenges to opportunities and to a truly African voice. It is about science leading Africa’s leapfrog agenda whilst conscious of the unique cultural and social dynamics of our people, our places, and our institutions. We are defining connecting as “joining or linking together to provide access and enable honest and authentic communication,” with the continent’s best minds in science.
A series of scientific sessions shall be held between 4-6 Dec 2022 providing an opportunity to Fellows from ARISE[1], AESA-RISE[2], CR4D[3], and APTI[4] programmes to showcase and disseminate their research findings to a wide scientific community that includes Fellows of the AAS, researchers in other programmes, as well as the WSF conference participants. CoMA 2022 shall provide an opportunity for the young scholars to share their research as they connect, inspire, motivate, and build mutually supportive networks that will enable them to contribute to the development of science in response to Africa’s needs and priorities. At the end of the conference, we hope to have a vibrant community of young scholars committed to brokering connections that enhance their career progression, while also accelerating their contribution to Africa’s strategy for research and development.
[1] African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence
[2] Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa – Regional Initiative in Science and Education
[3] Climate Research for Development
[4] African Postdoctoral Training Initiative
VI. The 14th General Assembly of the African Academy of Sciences
Address: CTICC, RM 1.61
Date & Time: 4-6 Dec 2022, 9:00-18:00
Maximum number of visitors: 200
The African Academy of Sciences (the AAS) invites you to attend its scientific conference hosted as a pre-event to the World Science Forum from 4-6 December 2022 at CTICC, RM 1.61
The General Assembly (GA) is a gathering of AAS Fellows and Affiliates (both senior and early career scientists) from across the globe providing an opportunity: to network and showcase research through scientific presentations; to welcome and induct new Fellows and Affiliates; and to celebrate key scientific achievements such as the awarding of the prestigious AAS-Olusegun Obasanjo Prize on Science, Technology, Innovation and Discovery. We will have scientific presentations on the broader theme of science for Social Justice, namely:
· Role of the African Academy of Sciences in Transforming Lives through Science: Promoting the participation of Youth and Women in Development
· Science for social and economic development in Africa
· Role of higher education in sustainable development in Africa
· Research Infrastructure Development: The African Science Synchrotron Initiative
· The Green Transition: Africa’s contribution to global climate mitigation
· Digital Transformation: The role of digital transformation in enhancing social justice in Africa
VII. Science and disaster management for social justice
Address (hybrid event): You have the option to participate in-person at the venue in Cape Town
or online via the NSTF Zoom platform. Click here to register.
Date & time: 5–6 Dec 09:00–12:00
The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Discussion Forum on Science and disaster management for social justice is a hybrid side event at the World Science Forum (WSF) on 5-6 December 2022 in Cape Town. The WSF is proudly hosted by the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The main topic, subtopics and speakers were planned by the NSTF representatives of the Science Councils and Statutory Bodies sector.
Download Introduction, Programme, Day 1 Speakers’ Biographies, Day 2 Speakers’ Biographies