1. Members: The CSIR Student Chapter has been running for close on two years and currently has about 20 student members.

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1 CSIR Student Chapter Annual Report 2009 The chapter leaders for 2009 were: President: Angela Dudley Vice President: Saturnin Ombinda-Lemboumba Treasurer: Cobus Jacobs Secretary: Dineo Moema In the last year, we have tried our best to make use of both the SPIE and OSA grants. Even though we did not make use of all the SPIE grants on offer, we still had an eventful year promoting optics and photonics. With next year being the 50 th anniversary of the working laser, we already have some ideas so as to make the most of this remarkable event. 1. Members: The CSIR Student Chapter has been running for close on two years and currently has about 20 student members. Some of the CSIR student members with visiting lecturer, Dr Singh. At the end of last year we had a Cheese & Wine afternoon to say farewell to those members who were leaving and to elect new chapter leaders.

2 Chapter leaders: Angela Dudley (President), Dineo Moema (Secretary), Saturnin Ombinda-Lemboumba (Vice-President), Mapula Mametja (Outreach), Brian Yalisi (Event Co-ordinator), Melanie McLaren (Treasurer) and Cobus Jacobs (Web Designer and later, Treasurer as well). 2. Conferences: The conferences attended by some of our student members this past year, consist of three international and three local conferences ALC Conference: In March, four of our chapter members (Attie Hendriks, Angela Dudley, Darryl Nadioo and Yaseera Ismail) attended the African Laser Centre (ALC) conference, held in Dullstroom in South Africa ALC Student Workshop:

3 Later in June, the African Laser Centre (ALC) held its annual student workshop, where two student members, Angela Dudley and Yaseera Ismail, presented their work. Chapter members, Yaseera Ismail, Andrew Forbes (advisor) and Angela Dudley, at the annual ALC student workshop held at Kariega game reserve, in the Eastern Cape Adaptive Optics Conference: Chapter members, Cosmas Mafusire and Igor Litvin, presented at the Adaptive Optics Conference held in Shatura, Russia, in June SAIP Conference: In July, most of our members presented at the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) conference. This year the annual conference was held at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.

4 Chapter members who received awards in the Lasers, Optics and Spectroscopy group were: Ludwig De Clercq (Best MSc Poster), Angela Dudley (Best PhD Poster) and Cobus Jacobs (Best Manuscript) SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference: This year Angela Dudley was nominated to receive the Travel Grant from SPIE to attend the SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference in San Diego. Apart from attending the very beneficial student leadership workshop, she also presented some of her PhD work. Chapter members, Angela Dudley and Igor Litvin, who presented at the Optics and Photonics conference, with advisor, Andrew Forbes OSA Frontiers in Optics Conference:

5 In October, Angela Dudley was fortunate to make use of the OSA Travel Grant to attend the Frontiers in Optics conference held in San Jose. At this conference, she also had the opportunity to present her research. Angela Dudley with Nobel Laureate, Roy Glauber, at the Frontiers in Optics Conference. 3. Outreach: 3.1. Science and Technology Budget Vote: A highlight in terms of outreach for us this year, was being able to attend the Science and Technology budget vote held at Parliament, in Cape Town. Not only were we able to influence politicians as to the need for investing money into optics and photonics, but we were able to inspire teachers, parents and most importantly students. Angela Dudley, promoting the need for financial investment in photonics to Naledi Pandor (The Science and Technology Minister of South Africa).

6 School children getting exposed to the importance of Maths and Science at the Science and Technology Budget Vote SAIP Conference: In July of this year, the annual South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) conference was help in Durban. As part of our OSA activity grant, our chapter purchased an exhibition table at the conference to showcase to students from all over South Africa, the benefits of forming their own student chapter. Chapter members promoting the benefits of forming a student chapter and encouraging studies in optics and photonics

7 3.3. PULSE Program: Many of our student members help with the PULSE (Public Understanding of Laser Science Education) Program which has been developed by the National Laser Centre at the CSIR. This year PULSE visited events in both the Western Cape and Pietermaritzburg. Mapule De Gama and Malcolm Govender entertain students with some simple optics experiments.

8 4. Visiting Lecturer: Roelf Botha gives students a laser demonstration. This July, with the use of the OSA Travelling Lecturer Grant, Dr Upendra Singh visited our student chapter. Not only did he present to students at the CSIR, but he presented at the South Africa Institute of Physics (SAIP) conference where many students from all over the country were able to attend. Dr Singh giving one of his lectures to the CSIR student chapter, as well as other researchers based at the CSIR. Students at the SAIP conference listen to one of Dr Singh s talks.

9 For the next year we intend making use of the Travelling Lecturer Grant. We would like to invite a speaker to give a plenary talk at the SAIP conference to mark the 50 th anniversary of the laser. We also intend to apply for funding to improve our PULSE Program. 5. Finances: Financial Information (2008/11/ /10/30) Beginning account balance: R (2008/11/18) Incoming funds: No SPIE grants were applied for this year. Total incoming funds: 0.00 Expended funds: R Banking fees (2008/11/ /10/30) R Sponsored SPIE Student membership R Chapter Cheese & Wine function (2008/11/26) R Poster and flyer printing (2009/08/11) Total expended funds: R Ending account balance: R (2009/10/30) Current Officers: President: Angela Dudley (ADudley@csir.co.za) Vice President: Saturnin Ombinda-Lemboumba (SOmbinda@csir.co.za) Treasurer: Cobus Jacobs (CJacobs@csir.co.za) Secretary: Dineo Moema (DMoema@csir.co.za) In the following month we will be electing new officers. Current Student Chapter Members: Gerda Botha Roelof Botha Lugwig De Cleriq Angela Dudley M. J. Daniel Esser Malcolm Govender Adriaan Hendriks Yaseera Ismail Cobus Jacobs Wayne Koen Palesa Leroala Igor Litvin Kaminee Maduray Darryl Naidoo Saturnin Ombinda-Lemboumba Makungwane Pelle Lerato Shikwambana Brian Yalisi