Speaker
Simon Connell
(President - South African Institute of Physics)
Description
This talk reviews the history of Physics in SA. Its a colonial history, but it is followed by a period of great hope and a trajectory of growth.
Our history exhibits the exclusion of the majority from full participation due to the apartheid policies practiced until 1994. With the advent of democracy, there followed a very successful process of transformation. This was not enough to ensure the success of the discipline. At the same time, there was a world-wide slump in attracting new young talent and funding into physics. More was necessary. Together with the government, the physicists themselves assessed their profession and developed recommendations, together with the help of international colleagues. These recommendations have been implemented. Physics in South Africa now experiences unprecedented growth and optimism for the future. South Africa would like to build its networks within Africa, to participate in the African scientific renaissance, and the full contribution to the global science collaborative effort. What may yet come out of Africa ?
