Stellies researchers’ stories told in new children’s book
“I’d say the books are for 9 to 99-year-old. Although I wrote them with children in mind, I know from the response I have had so far that the books already have a loyal adult fan base too,” says science writer Engela Duvenage, author of “Inventors, Bright Minds and other Science Heroes of South Africa”.
Numerous Stellenbosch University researchers count among the more than 100 South Africans whose stories of ingenuity, brainpower and curiosity are told in the book, which was published recently by Penguin.
The 365-page book is the translated and updated version of “Uitvinders, Planmakers en ander Slimkoppe van Suid-Afrika”, which was published by Lapa last year.
“Each of the 102 stories tells about some kind of first in the fields of science, healthcare, geology, space science, botany and zoology, palaeontology, engineering, aviation, climatology and astronomy, and all have links to South Africa,” says Duvenage, an alumnus of Stellenbosch University who obtained an MPhil in Journalism (specializing in science journalism) in 2001.
“The books celebrate our science heroes, and those who, often behind the scenes, try to make the world a better, more interesting place through their ingenuity and tenacity.”
It includes a section on five Nobel Prize winners in the sciences who all grew up and studied in South Africa.
“Each story is written in a narrative style with additional info boxes provided, so it makes for an easy read,” explains Duvenage.
“I’ve had many messages from people saying how much they’ve liked discovering more about our well-known science stars, such as heart transplant pioneer Prof Christiaan Barnard or the inventors of the Kreepy Krawly and dolosse, but especially about more recent pioneers, such as Prof John Burland who helped to save the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Prof Michael Thackeray who is involved in rechargeable battery inventions, palaeontologist Prof Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan and Prof Mashudu Tshifularo, who performed the first 3D-printed middle ear implant.”
She says the book is already being widely used by teachers to teach their learners about local science heroes and about scientific concepts. Language teachers use the texts as comprehension tests, reading assignments or as the basis for creative writing tasks.
“A drama teacher from Wellington, where I live, is even using it as the basis for the personal sketches that her pupils have to narrate during their drama exams.”
Among the Stellenbosch University researchers whose stories are included are dragonfly expert Prof Michael Samways, microbiologist Prof Leon Dicks (whose research led to the probiotic entiro), engineers Prof Thinus Booysen (who developed the Geasy cellphone-based water and electricity meter, and has helped many schools save extensively on their municipal bills) and Prof Herman Steyn (whose handiwork was part of a spacecraft that landed on a comet in 2014), penis transplant pioneer and urologist Prof Andre van der Merwe, and Prof Savel Daniels (who has discovered numerous species of velvet worms and crabs). The story is also told how it came about that a rare Cape water beetle was named after Prof James Pryke of the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.
Several SU alumni, including engineer Henri Johnson (designer of the Speedgun used to measure the speed of a cricket ball) and Boeing pilot Fatima Jakoet (who started the Sakhikamvu Foundation to teach children about the scientific principles behind aviation) are also included. The section on plant experts features the story of how Phyllis Burger of the Agricultural Research Council led the development of a new table grape cultivar called ‘Joybells’.
In the section on innovators the story is told of how five engineering graduates from SU, brothers Dewald and Schalk Nolte, Niel Müller, Altus van Tonder and Christiaan Brand started the internet banking security company Entersekt, which is based in Technopark. Young readers can also read how SU alumnus Dr Chris Leatt developed the Leatt neck brace to protect motorcyclists.
Also included are stories from South Africa’s scientific past, such as the discovery of the coelacanth, and establishment of the SKA Radio Astronomy Project and the SALT telescope in Sutherland. It for instance tells the story of Dr Hendrik van der Bijl, who studied at Victoria College and helped to establish Eskom and ISCOR in the 1920s and 1930s. Vanderbijlpark was named after him. Also included is the tale of how Prof Abraham Perold, first professor of viticulture and oenology at SU and the father of Pinotage wine, brought Barlinka table grapes to South Africa.
“Inventors, Bright Minds and other Science Heroes of South Africa” and “Uitvinders, Planmakers en ander Slimkoppe van Suid-Afrika” are available in the children’s section of most bookshops, or can be ordered online.
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Engineers Prof Thinus Booysen,who developed the Geasy cellphone-based water and electricity meter and has helped many schools save on their municipal bills, with the new book. Stellenbosch science writer Engela Duvenage, author of “Inventors, Bright Minds and other Science Heroes of South Africa”. The cover of the book, available in Afrikaans and English. The book is already being widely used by teachers to teach their learners about local science heroes and about scientific concepts.
