Page 24 - EngineerIT June July 2025

EDUCATION

Focus on Hendrik J van der Bijl –

an outstanding son of
YOUNG SCIENTISTS South Africa

Hendrik Johannes
By Hans van de Groenendaal, Science and technology writer
van der Bijl was born
on 23 November
1887 in Pretoria.
ngineerIT returns to support The best projects in the various
Field Marshall Janie
the Hendrik van der Bijl awards categories are awarded R10 000 –
Smuts called him
Eprogramme after it was an amount that is directly paid into
“an outstanding son
affected by the COVID pandemic. their designated bank account, as
of South Africa who
The programme is now back in full well as a framed certificate with services are second
swing, and inviting companies to the sponsor company’s name and to none and have contributed greatly to
participate. The Hendrik van der Bijl logo. the enrichment of South Africa and its
awards are aimed at encouraging stature in the world.”
young people to select careers in The Eskom Expo for young scientists
He studied physics in Germany, where
science, technology, engineering was founded in 1980 by Dr Derek
he graduated with MA and PhD degrees
and mathematics (STEM) by Gray and has since then provided
at the University of Leipzig. His thesis
rewarding them for their work opportunities for school leaners
proved that an electron carried the same
and ingenuity. It is presented in from primary school to grade
fundamental charge in electrons in
conjunction with the Eskom Expo for 12 who have an interest in STEM
ionised liquids as in gases. Impressed by
Young Scientists. to exhibit their projects and to his talent and dedication, his supervisor
be judged on their skills and recommended him for the post of
The Eskom Expo for Young Scientists enthusiasm for science. The expo is assistant in physics at the Royal School of
offers students an opportunity to committed to developing a strong Technology at Dresden. At the beginning
showcase their personal scientific base of educated and skilled South of 1912 the 24-year-old Dr van der Bijl took
up his new duties.
projects. Then, at the annual Africans in these fields.
prestigious Eskom Expo for Young
In 1913, the Western Electric Company in
Scientists International Science Fair The Hendrik van der Bijl Awards
the USA employed Dr van der Bijl to work
(ISF), selected students from 35 Expo programme was initiated by the
with the team investigating the De Forest
Regions in South Africa compete late Dr Stafford Smithies and
Audion. In later years, he wrote: ”When I
against the best young scientists supported by Chris Yelland after
joined Western Electric Company at that
from around the country and the the Faraday Awards, originally time, I was shown and was told it was
world. sponsored by the London- capable of detecting radio waves and
based Institution of Engineering capable of amplifying feeble telephone
The 2025 International Science and Technology. These were currents, but it was not known how or why,
Fair will be held in Boksburg discontinued in 2009 and renamed and it was my task to find that out.”
from 6 - 10 October 2025 the Hendrik J. van der Bijl Awards.
In 1918, he published a paper bringing
together his experiences in designing and
Each year, learners participate Hans van de Groenendaal who
using the thermionic tubes as amplifiers.
in district and regional science administered the programme
His mathematical analysis of the triode
expos across the country, of which before, will again be at the helm
stood the test of time and formed
some 300 projects out of the total of the arrangements. Nico Maritz, the basis of amplifier design until the
of around 14,000 are selected to publisher of EngineerIT will make transistor usurped its position in the 1950s.
participate in the International the magazine’s editorial pages,
Science Fair. Selected categories online newsletters and platform Dr van der Bijl returned to South Africa,
and in 1923 founded the Electricity Supply
from these projects compete for the available to promote the award,
Commission, now known as Eskom. He
Hendrik J van der Bijl Awards. give credit to the sponsors and will
subsequently set his sights on the steel
feature articles about the winners
industry and established ISCOR.
The projects are judged by Industry and their projects.
experts drawn from the sponsor
The Hendrik J van der Bijl awards are a
companies, giving them an To sponsor one of the categories,
tribute to his huge contribution to the
opportunity to share their expertise contact Hans on 082 781 4631 or country and a fitting programme to award
and experience with the learners. email him at hans@comsa.africa. budding young scientists.

24 | EngineerIT June/July 2025