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Osizweni NewsUS Science Graduate at Osizweni
Osizweni would like to welcome our new graduate volunteer; his name is Yavni Bar-Yam, a young Jewish American and graduate of the Columbia University in New York.
Yavni arrived in the country on the 16 June 2010 and will serve the Centre for a period of six months.
Yavni will join a group of six other science volunteers hosted by Osizweni through partnership with the National Department of Science & Technology.
Yavni has a Bachelors Degree in Science with a major in Physics. He has worked as a researcher in the field of Complex Systems in the New England Complex Systems Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. He brings with him experience of working as a tutor for undergraduate students. Whilst at Osizweni, his responsibilities will be to serve as a Physics mentor to our undergraduate students in the Student Fellowship Program, working alongside the other volunteers. His services will come as a great relief since our student fellows are in dire need of support in Physics. Volunteers with specialization in Physics are also hard to find.
So what brings Yavni to South Africa?
“After having the privilege of an excellent education, I wish to use what I have
learned to make a contribution and help others. At the same time, I want to continue to learn
more about the world, and to gain experience living abroad in a new country.
When I heard about the work being done at Osizweni, to bolster a society in transition,
by improving science education in a self-reinforcing way, it was natural for me to seek
out an opportunity to be involved here.”
Yavni’s take on it all…
“I have received a wonderfully warm welcome at Osizweni.
I am gradually picking up isiZulu, and little bits of Afrikaans and other languages,
as well as South African slang, from my coworkers and students.
I arrived in the middle of world cup mania, and enjoyed being swept up in the high
spirits of the country and all of her guests.
I even got to go support the U.S. in their 1-0 victory against Algeria, at Loftus stadium in Pretoria, thanks to Mr. Gumbi.
I look forward to experiencing the more normal life of South Africa, now that the soccer
excitement is settling down, and to exploring the many facets of South Africa's nature,
culture and history and the many perspectives on her identity.
I have had the opportunity to travel in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal,
and hope to make more time in my work schedule to travel within South Africa.”
Yavni in action at Osizweni…
“I am preparing an activity for the National Science Week in August and a new outdoor exhibit for the Osizweni Science Center. I have also worked in theater and visual arts, and I look forward to using those
skills as well to serve Osizweni.
The students from the Student Fellowship Program have returned this week and I have begun teaching a class of PHY106B, Thermodynamics and Electromagnetic theory, as well as working one-on-one with advanced students in Quantum Mechanics and Solid State Physics.”
In the short time that Yavni has been with Osizweni, we have experienced him as a warm and compassionate person with an infectious passion for education and human development.
In so saying it is clear that Yavni has come to the right place. Osizweni is all about Inspiring Tomorrow’s Scientists.
Yavni arrived in the country on the 16 June 2010 and will serve the Centre for a period of six months.
Yavni will join a group of six other science volunteers hosted by Osizweni through partnership with the National Department of Science & Technology.
Yavni has a Bachelors Degree in Science with a major in Physics. He has worked as a researcher in the field of Complex Systems in the New England Complex Systems Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. He brings with him experience of working as a tutor for undergraduate students. Whilst at Osizweni, his responsibilities will be to serve as a Physics mentor to our undergraduate students in the Student Fellowship Program, working alongside the other volunteers. His services will come as a great relief since our student fellows are in dire need of support in Physics. Volunteers with specialization in Physics are also hard to find.
So what brings Yavni to South Africa?
“After having the privilege of an excellent education, I wish to use what I have
learned to make a contribution and help others. At the same time, I want to continue to learn
more about the world, and to gain experience living abroad in a new country.
When I heard about the work being done at Osizweni, to bolster a society in transition,
by improving science education in a self-reinforcing way, it was natural for me to seek
out an opportunity to be involved here.”
Yavni’s take on it all…
“I have received a wonderfully warm welcome at Osizweni.
I am gradually picking up isiZulu, and little bits of Afrikaans and other languages,
as well as South African slang, from my coworkers and students.
I arrived in the middle of world cup mania, and enjoyed being swept up in the high
spirits of the country and all of her guests.
I even got to go support the U.S. in their 1-0 victory against Algeria, at Loftus stadium in Pretoria, thanks to Mr. Gumbi.
I look forward to experiencing the more normal life of South Africa, now that the soccer
excitement is settling down, and to exploring the many facets of South Africa's nature,
culture and history and the many perspectives on her identity.
I have had the opportunity to travel in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal,
and hope to make more time in my work schedule to travel within South Africa.”
Yavni in action at Osizweni…
“I am preparing an activity for the National Science Week in August and a new outdoor exhibit for the Osizweni Science Center. I have also worked in theater and visual arts, and I look forward to using those
skills as well to serve Osizweni.
The students from the Student Fellowship Program have returned this week and I have begun teaching a class of PHY106B, Thermodynamics and Electromagnetic theory, as well as working one-on-one with advanced students in Quantum Mechanics and Solid State Physics.”
In the short time that Yavni has been with Osizweni, we have experienced him as a warm and compassionate person with an infectious passion for education and human development.
In so saying it is clear that Yavni has come to the right place. Osizweni is all about Inspiring Tomorrow’s Scientists.
