16 May 2007 4 min

University of Pretoria hosts its first Science Cafe at UP

Written by: Wisani Nghalaluma Save to Instapaper
{pp}The University of Pretoria hosts its first Science Café at UP on Thursday 17 May 2007. The topic under discussion will be “The Science of Underwear” and the event is facilitated by Sci-enza, the university’s science centre as part of its National Science Week events. The science cafés are set to take place once a month at the university’s main campus.
The University of Pretoria hosts its first Science Café at UP on Thursday 17 May 2007.  The topic under discussion will be “The Science of Underwear” and the event is facilitated by Sci-enza, the university’s science centre as part of its National Science Week events.  The science cafés are set to take place once a month at the university’s main campus.The concept of science cafés, which is fairly new in South Africa picked up pace in the rest of the world in the 1990s.  “The idea behind science cafés is to bring ordinary people into dialogue with scientists about subjects they want to know about but don’t have access to platforms or experts with whom they can discuss or ask. People take for granted that there is science and technological innovation behind almost every aspect of their daily lives, from the cars they drive, the food they eat and the clothes and underwear they put on,” says Rudi Horak, head and curator of Sci-enza.Science cafés are essentially a concept where science meets life over a drink. They facilitate and stimulate conversation on science with the general public in an accessible, casual setting outside the academic sphere and engage people about the science around their daily lives. This science café session will bring the science behind the sass, satins, lace and cottons of boxers, bras and bikinis.  “The topic was chosen because it is fun, something everyone can relate to and to demonstrate how close to our skins we wear our science and technology,” elaborates Horak.The Science of Underwear café session will not only bring and engage science with the public, it will also look at the science from various angles by including an indigenous knowledge expert, Dr Ankh from the Department of Science and Technology on its panel. Professor Max Braun, a physicist, Dr Ettiene de Kok, an andrologist, Mariette Strydom, a Consumer Science clothing expert as well as a commercial sportswear representative from Nike will also form the panel of experts.Venue: University of Pretoria, Main Campus Student CentreDate: 17 May 2007Time: 18.00 for 18.30Entrance fee: FreeA cash bar will be availableContact Details:Wisani NghalalumaCommunications PractitionerUniversity of Pretoria, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural SciencesTel: (012) 420 5498Cell: 082 341 8449Email: wisani.nghalaluma@up.ac.za Contact Person:Rudi HorakSci-enza, University of PretoriaTelephone: 012 420 3767Email: sci-enza@up.ac.za
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Published in Science and Education