My contribution to science and its impact on society
From 2009 I have been volunteering as part of the team(all scientists) that visits various schools around Gauteng (e.g. Alexandra, Brixton, Boksburg, Roodepoort and Vereeniging) to help high school teachers with physical science and chemistry as it has always been my desire to amalgamate some basic fundamentals with relevant applications. This work involves the use of portable laboratory tool kits assembled to duplicate experiments performed in Grade 8 and 9 with applications in industry (e.g. energy, mining, pharmaceuticals and sustainable technologies).I have also been actively involved in HIV research for the past 12 years. The SouthAfrican government has, for example,identified the HIV/AIDS as one of the threats for an effective, cohesive and sustainable economy as well a constant feature of “systems failure” at various levels and as such, my work aims to make a tangible contribution in addressing this disease burden whilst promoting the notion of “science in and for society” and a pursuit for a prosperous and sustainable future.In particular, HIV-1 integrase research in South Africa is still underrepresented and for SouthAfrican researchers to compete internationally in this niche area, it is our responsibility to take an initiative to steer its development.With South Africa having a shortage of well-trained researchers in the field of hard-core and sophisticated protein research in the areas of molecular medicine and pharmaceuticals, I believe that the supervision and training I offer to junior staff members as well intern and postgraduate students is in a small way contributing to the advancement of science in our society.This also talks to the South African government’s strategic goal to garner and support cohorts of well-educated, well-trained and innovative young researchers as we move into the global and competitive science systems. As highlighted above, this research strives to promote knowledge-based economy and research-driven solutions especially in the area of HIV/AIDS by providing critical skills-set in the area of therapeutics, as a means to address the gross lack of capacity and skills