News
The speed of technological innovation and the continual expansion of disciplinary knowledge leave little time in the curriculum of engineering students to formally study innovation. Speaking at the CSIR, recently, Prof Barry Shoop, President and CEO of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for 2016, highlighted this concern and the importance of formally studying innovation, particularly at undergraduate level.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) undertook research with support from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to define the "business as usual" of the future, whereby resilience is employed to ensure sustainability in the face of modern day global challenges facing businesses.
A transport infrastructure engineering expert at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was awarded the 2016 JD Roberts Award for his involvement in developing new, innovative solutions for bitumen specification and testing.
Georges Mturi, CSIR Senior Researcher and Manager of the bituminous binders' laboratory, has been selected as the recipient of the award, which is sponsored by Murray & Roberts and held in partnership with the CSIR.
A new Photonics Prototyping Facility (PPF) has been established to address the current lack of commercialised photonics products in South Africa by providing world-class facilities, technical support, equipment and scarce skills. Hosted at the CSIR, the facility has been established through support from the Department of Science and Technology for the industrialisation and commercialisation of photonics-based technologies.
The CSIR has commenced with the implementation of the Oceans and Coasts Information System (OCIMS). The system forms part of the Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA) Phakisa Oceans Economy Programme.
This programme falls under Initiative Six of Operation Phakisa, which aims to implement an overarching and integrated ocean governance framework for sustainable growth of the oceans economy, all while ensuring adequate protection of the ocean environment.
The CSIR Cmore team took second place at this year’s Rhino Conservation Awards in the Best Science Research and Technology category. The team was recognised for their outstanding work on the development of Cmore – a platform for shared awareness developed in partnership with Armscor.
A CSIR-developed dynamic spectrum management tool that makes it possible to efficiently allocate the amount of usable spectrum has received Ofcom certification. Ofcom is the independent communications regulator and competition authority for UK communications industries.
The first ever United Nations (UN) Procurement Summit was held in South Africa and hosted more than 500 attendees and 23 exhibitors at the CSIR International Convention Centre on 13 and 14 June 2016.
The aim of the summit was to give the South African defence industry an opportunity to showcase its capabilities to assist the UN in its peacekeeping missions. The CSIR; Denel; Armscor; Aerospace; Maritime and Defence Industries Association of South Africa; as well as the National Defence Industry Council all contributed to making the event possible.
“The CSIR is positioning itself to serve the nation today and in the future.” This view was expressed by Dr Rachel Chikwamba, CSIR Group Executive, at the seventh Military Information and Communications Symposium of South Africa (MICSSA), held in Pretoria, in May 2016.