Title: A Whale Of An Equation
Location: Muizenberg Pavilion, Cape Town
Description: Conference – A Whale Of An Equation invites you to dive Into The Watery World Of Whales, Dolphins, Mathematics & Science.
A joint initiative by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Schools Enrichment Centre (AIMSSEC, the Cape Town Science Centre and A Whale Of A Heritage Route.

Date: 2011-06-07

 

DRAFT PROGRAMME

THEME: A dive into the watery world of whales, dolphins, mathematics and science.

Registration desk and floor management: The Scenic South Website team of Viv von der Heyden and Kim Kruyshaar.

 Educational Exhibits by Cape Town Science Centre.

 MC: (??)

  • Registration

Opening Session

  • Welcome
  • Conference call to Mr Clem Sunter re South Africa’s position on the Global Maths Index. Joined by Rocketeer Siya Xusa formerly of St John’s College Johannesburg and now studying at Harvard (latter to be confirmed)
  • Ideas on how to integrate science, mathematics, language and literacy, geography and art – Jai Grover PhD (Cambridge) (AIMSSEC) 
  • Rethink the Predator – awesome new images of Spotted Dolphins snapped during a recent trip to Bahamas – Lesley Rochat (AOCA)

Second Session: The Trials & Tribulations Of Being A Whale

  • Heathcote Williams’ Whale Nation – an epic poem and plea for whales read by David Muller (Zandvlei Trust)
  • The History Of Whaling In False Bay – Tourist Guide Brian Smith (The Cape Tour)
  • Pollution: The link between the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (The Pacific Trash Vortex) and Muizenberg Junior School’s Great Whale Tail Project – John Kieser (Plastics Federation)

Third Session: The Maths & Science Of Whales And Dolphins 

  • Identification of Cetaceans – Meredith Thornton, Scientist and Manager of Cetacean Research (Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, based at Iziko Museums of Cape Town)
  • Counting Whales: How We Do What We Do – Dr Ken Findlay (UCT)
  • Whale songs (?)
  • Biomimicry (?)
  • A Heard Of Whales – whale vocalisations – Dr Leonie Hofmeyr-Juritz
  • Whale sightings trends and other observations – a whale spotter’s perspective –  David Clegg (Ernst & Young)

 Closing Session

  • Whales – Foxes or Hedgehogs? (allocated)

ENQUIRIES/ADMINISTRATION/MARKETING

Alan Lindner                   cell  /

For more info go to: https://scenicsouth.co.za//2011/05/a-whale-of-an-equation-conference-7-june-2011/