Janu, a Grade 11 learner from Volkskool Potchefstroom, and Ruan, a final-year BSc IT student, recently programmed and calculated their way to success during the annual North-West University (NWU) GeeXpo event.
The recent GeeXpo event, which represents a highlight on the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science’s calendar, focused on information technology, mathematics and statistical sciences and attracted hundreds of learners from across central South Africa to the campus in Vanderbijlpark.
In fact, this year saw a record number of participants taking part in the Maths Olympiad and PAT (Practical Assessment Task) Challenge.
Enabling and rewarding academic excellence
Both Janu and Ruan won full study bursaries in computer and information science from the campus in Vanderbijlpark: Janu for his undergraduate studies in 2021 and Ruan for his honours degree in 2020.
Both bursaries was sponsored by the executive dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Eno Ebenzo. Industry partner, Britehouse, also sposored several prizes for Ruan as well as affording him the opportunity of an interview with the focus on future employment.
Another three Grade 12 learners, Avian du Plessis, David Grűnewald and Xander Coetzer, also went home smiling after their success in the Math Olympiad saw them walking away with bursaries that will cover the registration fees during their first year of study. These three bursaries were sponsored by the NWU’s Centre of Business, Mathematics and Informatics.
According to Daleen Gerber, of the School of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, the impact of the annual expo is unlocked in the way it enables learners to experience the full spectrum of professional opportunities that can be associated with mathematics and computer science.
At the same time, the expo is also a platform from where academic distinction is celebrated. The latter referring to the bursary winners and the champions in the different categories, namely: Robotics – as hosted by Trophy Robotics, Maths Olympiad, Community Engagement Competition, Britehouse GeeXpo Competition and the popular PAT Challenge. The Community Engagement Competition and the Britehouse GeeXpo Competition were specifically aimed at current final-year IT students.
* The organisers would like to thank PNA for sponsoring all the prizes for the Maths Olympiad and the Fun Hour.
Janu Fouché came out tops in the PAT Challenge and won a full three-year bursary to study IT at the NWU’s campus in Vanderbiljlpark. Suné van der Linde from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences hands him his certificate.
Jacqui Muller from Britehouse congratulates Ruan le Hanie on winning the Britehouse GeeXpo Competition. He won a bursary to study towards his honours degree in IT in 2020.
Learners from across central South Africa attended the annual GeeXpo event.
