Programme director; Dr Mjwara
CSIR Executives;
Members of the media;
Ladies and gentlemen
It’s truly an honour to be part of this celebration where South African scientists once again are making noteworthy contributions to the world. South Africa has enjoyed a number of ‘firsts’ over the last few decades. The world watched in awe in 1967 when Dr Chris Barnard's name was written in history as he performed the first ever heart transplant in Cape Town. Two years later, the South African invented Pratley’s Putty played a part in the 1969 moon landing – it was used to hold bits of the Apollo XI mission’s Eagle landing craft together.
In the 1970s, the Kreepy Krauly was invented in South Africa and during the same decade, a Cape Town physicist Allan Cormack and his associate Godfrey Hounsfield won a Nobel Prize for medicine, for pioneering the invention of the Computed Axial Tomography Scan or CAT scan. Today, CAT scans are widely used by hospitals around the world to analyse the internal structures of various parts of the body.
The list is endless, and I am confident that this type of announcement today isn’t the last - there are many more to come.
History of the laser
As early as 1900, physicists, including Albert Einstein, were studying the relationship between energy and the frequency of radiation; but it was only in 1960 that Laser technology was developed, while the acronym LASER was coined in 1967. It is therefore extraordinary that scientists from South Africa from today onwards will be mentioned alongside Albert Einstein as contributors in the history of the laser. Actually, they have taken this technology forward; hence we say this innovation is ground-breaking.
Applications and uses
Worldwide, lasers have become a multi-billion dollar industry and some of the other applications of laser include:-
- Medicine: Bloodless surgery, eye treatment, dentistry, etc.
- Industry: Cutting, welding, material heat treatment, marking parts.
- Product development: Laser printers, CDs, barcode scanners, thermometers, laser pointers.
- Laser skin procedures: such as acne treatment, cellulite reduction, and hair removal.
The development of the digital laser opens up a whole new world of opportunities. We haven’t really exhausted the list of its uses and applications. Of course, for us it is important that technological advancements have to improve the lives of our people, and help us address some of the many challenges we face as a country – this could be through skills development and ultimately job creation. I believe this is what this development stands to give to the nation, albeit at a small scale initially.
Asked to comment on the magnitude of this technology development, Dr Igle Gledhill, President of the South African Institute of Physics had this to say "This is what is often termed a breakthrough – and it is a real breakthrough. The digital laser opens up new visions of laser applications: and there are uses that we haven’t even thought of yet. In that way, it’s very much like just like the original invention of the laser over 50 years ago. Seeing world firsts come through from labs in South Africa is a joy shared across the scientific community, especially when young students are involved in this hands-on way".
So, to Prof Forbes, Sandile Ngcobo and the rest of the team, a very big congratulations! We are really proud of your achievements. With the 21st century being touted as the century of the photon, with the photonics revolution in which the laser is a key enabling technology, your work has secured a place for South Africa right at the forefront of developments in laser research.
In 2010, the DST launched the National Photonics Strategy, with the objective of positioning our country as a global competitor in photonics. Since then, the scientists involved in laser research have been doing excellent work including the development of the flame lens - a world first - which could be a game-changer in optics as the world knows it. The optic lens uses air to do the focusing and can handle virtually unlimited power. This also made it into in the prestigious journal, Nature Communications.
In March this year, Prof Forbes, became the first South African and third African to be inducted into the elite Fellowship Class of the Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers - since its inception in 1955, SPIE has only inducted over 1000 of its members to fellowship status, making this a truly exclusive club and a rare honour for South Africa and Africa.
Scientists the world over know how much of an achievement it is to have your research work acknowledged and featured in prestigious titles like the Nature Communication journal. We are truly honoured that the list of South African scientists counted amongst the best in the world continues to grow. I am confident that the future has many more ‘firsts’ in store for our country.
Thank you.
