St Dominics Newcastle learners shine at International Science Expo
02 April 2025St Dominics Newcastle learners, Hamzah Ismail and Vibhav Ramdas, continue to make waves in the global science community after being selected to represent South Africa at the prestigious International Science Expo in Tunisia. Their journey began with the Eskom Science Expo, where they impressed the judges with their innovative projects, earning the opportunity to showcase their research on an international stage.
From local expo to global stage
Hamzah and Vibhav's participation in the 2024 Eskom Science Expo set the foundation for their success. Their hard work paid off when they were chosen to represent South Africa at the International Festival of Engineering, Science, and Technology (I-FEST²) in Tunisia in March 2025. The festival brought together young scientists from around the world, and the competition was fierce.
Hamzah, who earned a Bronze medal at I-FEST², presented his research on ‘Developing eco-friendly, fire-retardant plastic bricks as an alternative in modern construction’ in the Environmental Science category. Reflecting on the experience, Hamzah said, ‘The competition was extremely tough, with brilliant young scientists from around the world, so achieving this is a tremendous honour. It’s a reminder that hard work and perseverance pay off, and it motivates me to keep pushing forward.’
Vibhav, whose project, ‘Using Object Detection to Improve Road Maintenance,’ earned him an Honourable Award in the Computer Science category, was equally thrilled with his success. He shared, ‘When I heard my project ID called out at the awards ceremony, I felt a sudden rush of excitement. In that moment, I felt like I had made my family and country proud. Hard work always pays off.’
A platform for innovation
The Eskom Science Expo is designed to push learners to think creatively and critically, encouraging them to explore scientific concepts beyond the classroom. St Dominics Newcastle has fully embraced this platform, providing learners with opportunities to present their ideas in front of experts and peers.
Lauriksha Dhewlall, a teacher at St Dominics, expressed her pride in Hamzah and Vibhav’s achievements, saying, ‘We are beyond proud of our budding, brilliant young scientists, and we wish them everything of the very best as they embark on this next leg in their scientific journeys.’
New horizons
The I-FEST², held in Mahdia, Tunisia, from 21 to 27 March 2025, is a unique opportunity for young scientists to showcase their work and interact with global experts and peers. For Hamzah and Vibhav, this experience has been a significant step in their scientific careers, providing them with a platform to further refine their ideas and engage in a meaningful exchange of knowledge.
Chief Executive Officer of the Eskom Development Foundation, Mologadi Motshele, congratulated the learners on their achievements when she said, ‘Their hard work, innovation, and dedication to their research is truly inspiring.’