The next Einstein is in the preprimary class of a township school about 100km from Cape Town and will need the help of the Muizenberg-based Aims (African Institute of Mathematical Sciences) if she is to achieve her full potential.
Physics Nobel laureate for 2004 David Gross made this hypothetical prediction on Sunday in support of Aims's Einstein Initiative, which seeks to recruit and nurture the brightest maths and science graduates on the African continent.
Gross was one of a group of eminent scientists - including the world's best-known living scientist, cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking - who are here to promote the Aims initiative started by cosmologist and education activist Neil Turok, the son of Muizenberg ANC MP Professor Ben Turok.
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On Sunday's full programme included a fully subscribed public lecture by Hawking, Gross, 2006 physics Nobel laureate George Smoot and Nasa head Michael Griffiin at the Muizenberg Pavilion.
Turok is a colleague of Hawking at Cambridge University in Britain. He will take up the post of executive director of a prestigious physics institute in Canada later this year.
Earlier this year, and partly in recognition of his Aims initiative, Turok was awarded a TED Prize of $100 000 (about R7,6-million) towards realising his "one wish to change the world". His wish was for the next Einstein to be an African.
At a VIP lunch on Sunday hosted by British High Commissioner Paul Boateng, Turok explained that a huge amount of aid had been given to Africa, but this had not been used to stimulate creative thought.
If Africa's young people were given proper opportunities, they could develop themselves, develop knowledge and help create wealth, he argued.
"It's so important to allow brilliant people in Africa to thrive, and somehow this very obvious fact has been missed." There had been an enthusiastic response to his idea, he said.
Started in September 2003, Aims offers a 10-month, intensive post-graduate programme where up to 53 students a year are taught maths and computing skills. Almost all of the 160 graduates from 30 African countries during the past four years have continued to a Master's or PhD degree at one of the six partnering universities.
At a news conference on Sunday, Turok said Aims planned 15 new centres in Africa during the next five years. The cost of supporting these would be about $150-million - less than 1 percent of the aid given annually to Africa.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of Cape Argus on May 12, 2008
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