Document Actions
The Boyden Science Centre
| Contents | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 7. The Boyden Science Centre By Dr Matie Hoffman |
 
The need for a fully-fledged science centre in the Free State Province
was identified some time ago. This vision is now becoming reality,
through the Boyden Observatory, a unique facility of the University of
the Free State (UFS). Over the last two years, it has been revitalised
as a combined research, educational and public facility.The sod-turning for the first phase of the Boyden Science Centre took place on 27 August 2003 and in February 2004, the construction of the new Boyden Auditorium and reception area were completed. The new facilities at Boyden were part-sponsored by Africa’s first astronaut, Mark Shuttleworth, through the Shuttleworth Foundation. The UFS-Boyden 1.5m telescope was also recently refurbished and is already used for research as well as scienceawareness activities. The need for a fully-fledged science centre in the Free State Province was identified some time ago. This vision is now becoming reality, through the Boyden Observatory, a unique facility of the University of the Free State (UFS). Over the last two years, it has been revitalised as a combined research, educational and public facility. The new public and educational facilities will be officially introduced to the educational community during a Boyden Celebration on 5 October 2004, as part of the UFS centennial year. The Boyden celebration will also make a contribution to South Africa’s participation in International Space Week. The need for a fully-fledged science centre in the Free State Province was identified some time ago. This vision is now becoming reality, through the Boyden Observatory, a unique facility of the University of the Free State (UFS). Over the last two years, it has been revitalised as a combined research, educational and public facility. This year, 2004, is the 100th year since the original 1.5m telescope was purchased by Harvard University and the 70th year of operation of the telescope at its present site at Boyden near Bloemfontein. The UFS is still one of only a handful of universities worldwide that possess a large telescope of the 1.5m class. A small, though sophisticated robotic telescope controlled over the Internet from Ireland, will also be established at Boyden during October. Being close to Bloemfontein and Botshabelo, the Boyden site is excellently situated as an educational facility while still being in a rural setting, therefore sensitising the community to the need for environmental conservation. Other populated centres, such as the Free State Gold Fields, Kroonstad and Kimberley, are within a two-hour drive. The new centre has been designed as a powerful outdoor and celestial learning environment that should have a significant impact on the quality of science education in the region. It is particularly suited to augmenting general and physical science teaching at secondary level.  - The Boyden Auditorium.Exciting activities for science learners will be used to increase enthusiasm for science, while workshops for general science and physical science teachers should have a significant impact on the quality of science education. The project will take advantage of the experience from the informal Boyden education programme which has taken place over the last few years. A typical educational visit to the Boyden Science Centre would be a late afternoon visit, running into the early evening. A short multi-media presentation in the space theatre introduces the programme. Learners are subsequently taken around the first phase of the Education Walk, to receive themed information and take part in activities. More activities underneath the night-sky, related to the constellations and satellite viewing form part of an early evening schedule which is the most memorable learning experience of the programme. The challenge of improving the quality of science education amongst thousands of science learners in the Free State requires a broad strategy. With this in mind, the Boyden project has been structured in phases. The facilities will also be improved to take better advantage of Boyden’s tourist potential. Such improvements would include integrating awareness of the natural fauna and flora along the Charl van der Merwe Education Walk with the other educational activities, as well as the addition of interactive exhibits. There are also plans to make the facilities more accessible to wheelchair users. Revenue generated through tourist and general public programmes will be important for the long-term sustainability of the Science Centre. Boyden Observatory has a long history of astronomical and astrophysical research, so it is entirely appropriate that astronomy forms the basis of the theme for the Science Centre. In addition, the modern astrophysical research projects with international co-operation, create the ideal backdrop against which young people can be exposed to the practice of high-standard science. For more details on the tours at Boyden Science Centre, contact: Dr MJH Hoffman, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Tel: (051) 401 2924, Fax: (051) 401 3507. Email: hoffmamj.sci@mail.uovs.ac.za |
| Back to top |
| Contents | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
Nominations of potential candidates for the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) Board of Directors
