8 – 9 December 2015, CSIR ICC, Pretoria, South Africa
SFSA 2015 was proudly hosted by the South African Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) from 8 to 9 December 2015, in Pretoria, South Africa.
Programme overview
The opening plenary featured an address by Minister Naledi Pandor, with remarks from the African Union, European Commission, and International Council for Science, as well as a keynote by Mr Koji Omi, founder of Japan’s Science and Technology in Society Forum. Prof. Salim Abdool Karim delivered the inaugural SFSA lecture, reflecting on science’s role in addressing societal challenges. A plenary debate focused on science, technology, and innovation responses to climate change, introduced by Prof. Bob Scholes and chaired by Prof. Cheryl de la Rey, with contributions from global experts. Another plenary explored how best to harness STI for South Africa’s National Development Plan, with insights from Dr Ben Ngubane, Prof. Tebello Nyokong, and Prof. Anil Gupta. The closing session saw the presentation of the SFSA Science Diplomacy Awards and a Forum highlights report, before concluding with remarks from Minister Pandor and Prof. Romain Murenzi.
Theme
The theme for the Forum was Igniting Conversations About Science.
Sub-themes
The sub-themes in the conference programme included:
- Responding to Societal Challenges
- Skills for the Knowledge Economy
- Showcasing South African Science
- African Eyes on the Sky
- Science Agenda for Africa
- Science and Society Conversation