The competition is aimed at encouraging students to do their own research into various nuclear applications and the benefits they might have for Africa. The contest will run up until the 25th of August 2018, and young people between the ages of 18 to 30, alone or in a group of up to 3 fellows, are encouraged to film a 60- to 120-second video on their findings.
The top ten videos will be shortlisted and posted on the company’s Facebook page, the creators of the three videos with the most likes will win an all-expenses paid trip to Russia on 6 – 12th October, 2018. In addition to the cultural tours of Moscow, the agenda includes a visit to one of Russia’s Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) which is equipped with VVER nuclear reactor, as well as a journey to the first City of Science – Obninsk where many scientific and nuclear facilities are located. The winners will have a chance to meet African students who are currently studying nuclear physics at the world-famous MEPhI nuclear university.
To help applicants increase their chances of winning, Rosatom Central and Southern Africa, together with Wits University, will hold an online webinar “Atoms Empowering Africa” on the 21st of June 2018 at 11:00 SA time (9:00 am GMT), to introduce the potential of nuclear for Africa, showcase Rosatom’s latest activities on the continent and answer questions regarding the competition. Link to the webinar.
Other useful information can be found on the Rosatom Africa website, as well as in open sources, such as the recent research of the Center for Global Development “Atoms for Africa: Is There a Future for Civil Nuclear Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa”.
According to the International Energy Agency, 625 million people in Africa do not have access to electricity, while the average per capita residential electricity consumption is less than 350 kWh per year. In 2015, representatives from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia and Uganda began preliminary plans to set up the Enhancing Nuclear Power Programme Development, aimed at strengthening and building capacity across the African continent for the planning, development, and management of nuclear power infrastructure and programs.
Mr. Dmitry Shornikov, CEO of Rosatom Central and Southern Africa highlighted the company’s commitment to education, both in Africa and globally. “We at Rosatom view education and youth development as a priority. We at Rosatom see it as one of our key missions to assist the brightest young minds from across the globe to work together in solving global challenges that will shape the future of energy and the world as we know it”.
The company conducts educational projects in countries of its presence, and regularly brings together the most promising students and young professionals from around the globe for educational sessions, trainings and forums in Russia and abroad.
For young people wishing to get a head start on a promising career in the nuclear field, Rosatom regularly holds physics competition for high school pupils and students of technical universities, where the winners get a chance to complete their education in Russia and join the nuclear elite when they come back home. Today, over 50 students from sub-Saharan Africa, including from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Africa and Zambia, study in Russia.
T&Cs, link to the webinar and additional info on the competition are available at: https://www.facebook.com/rosatominafrica/. Entry form link.
Notes to the editor:
Rosatom Central and Southern Africa is a representative office of ROSATOM in the region. ROSATOM is the only company in the world to offer integrated clean energy solutions across the nuclear supply chain and beyond, including the design, build and operation of nuclear power stations, uranium mining, conversion and enrichment, the supply of nuclear fuel, decommissioning, spent fuel storage and transportation and safe nuclear waste disposal. With seventy years’ continuous experience, the company is the world leader in high-performance solutions for all kinds of nuclear power plants. It is also working in the segments of wind generation, nuclear medicine, energy storage and other. Headquartered in Moscow, the company brings together over 300 enterprises and organizations and over 250,000 employees. Globally, the company has the second biggest uranium reserves, has 36% of the world’s enrichment market, and is the world's biggest builder of the latest generation nuclear power stations with 35 units under construction in 11 countries. Global website: www.rosatom.com
African Young Generation in Nuclear (AYGN) is a non-profit organization bringing together national networks (YGNs) for young professionals in nuclear field and other related disciplines. It is a continental affiliate body to the 1 experts to the young generations. This is effectively done by offering a platform to share, exchange ideas and network on issues related to nuclear science and technology in Africa and globally. For more information, please check: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanYGN/
The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE), formed in 1909, has grown to more than 6000 professional engineers. Members are professionally engaged in the full range of engineering activities, which includes academic research, manufacturing, electronics, telecommunications, measurement and control, mining, and power infrastructural services. Our members make meaningful contributions to the quality of life in communities and the steady advancement of technology. For more information, please visit: https://www.saiee.org.za/
South African Network for Nuclear Education Science and Technology (SAN NEST)’s objective is a suitably qualified and experienced nuclear personnel employed by nuclear science and technology programmes in South Africa with the aim of strengthening the nuclear science and technology education programs to better meet future demands in terms of quality, capacity and relevancy. For more information, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/company/south-africa-network-for-nuclear-education-science-and-technology/
