Science Engagement

I am passionate about bridging the gap between science and the South African public.
​Chemistry-inspired plays for schoolchildren (and adults!)
In 2018, I was fortunate to receive a Royal Society of Chemistry Inspirational Member Award. The citation read: ​​"For his positive impact through his plays promoting the chemical sciences, and ensuring that the performances were accessible to children from all parts of the local community." ​These plays, co-written and co-directed with Kathryn Wicht, were performed for the UCT Department of Chemistry's annual Jack Elsworth lecture-demonstrations. The plots were based on popular movies, viz. The Wizard of O2 (2012),  Harry Potter and the Molecule of Doom (2013) and How To Train Your Molecule (2014). Please get in touch if you would like to find out more or stage any of these demonstrations.
​Public talks
In 2018 and 2019, I participated in the global Pint of Science initiative ("Quench your thirst for knowledge") with the following talks at the Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen in Cape Town:
From the bench to the bedside: How difficult is it to make new medicines? (2019)

Small-molecule medicines have changed our society, permitting the successful treatment of infectious pathogens, “diseases of affluence” and mental illnesses. But what does it take to advance a new drug from the bench to the bedside? Historically, drugs were discovered serendipitously and were usually isolated from natural sources. Today, drug discovery efforts take many years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. They also require the input of dozens of specialists from a multitude of backgrounds to ensure that therapeutic compounds are effective and safe. Given these challenges, and the reality that most drug development efforts fail, you may be surprised to learn that we have any new medicines at all!
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​See: "Suspense and discovery with Pint of Science" (South African Journal of Science, November 2019)
Quinine: Shining new light on an ancient molecule (2018)

From human health to new materials, chemistry has transformed society. The capacity of chemists to manipulate useful molecules has given us exceptional control over the world. Quinine is a compound that was first isolated from the bark of the Cinchona tree hundreds of years ago. Possessing a host of therapeutic properties, it was the first effective treatment for malaria and has been described as “a drug that has probably benefited more people than any other in the combat of infectious disease”. What is so special about quinine, and why does it continue to beguile us after centuries of study?

​See: "Four awesome scientific ideas you should know about" (City Press, June 2018)
I have twice addressed the Waterfront Rotary Club on topics of interest. These presentations were entitled "Teaching old drugs new tricks: Using ancient compounds to develop new drugs" (2015) and "Treatments and vaccines for Covid-19 (in March 2021): A scientist’s perspective" (2021).
Science communication and innovation competitions
  • In 2013, I participated in the inaugural FameLab South Africa ("Pop idols for scientists") event in Grahamstown, South Africa, for which my talk ("The Human Element") was awarded Second Prize.
  • That same year, I participated in the Falling Walls Lab in Johannesburg for which I was awarded First Prize. This allowed me to participate in the Falling Walls Lab in Berlin, Germany, for which I was awarded Third Prize in the Young Innovator of the Year Competition. This resulted in an invitation to deliver an oral presentation at the Falling Walls Conference in Berlin the following day, billed as "The International Conference on Future Breakthroughs in Science and Society".
  • Finally, I participated in the inaugural Science Slam at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg, also in 2013.​
​The "science" of science communication
Occasionally, I am invited to deliver presentations on science communication itself. Previous engagements have included the "Write Science" writing courses at UCT (June 2015, February 2016 and November 2017), the Royal Society of Chemistry Local Section AGM (May 2014) and a meeting of the South African Society for Cardiovascular Research (February 2014).

Making the Difference
In late 2020, I participated in a Royal Society of Chemistry outreach programme to inspire the next generation of chemical scientists. The Making the Difference campaign aims to inspire school-aged children to study chemistry and go on to pursue careers in the chemical sciences. Recent research from ASPIRES2, a longitudinal research project studying young people's science and career aspirations, showed that young people don’t know what careers in chemistry look like. Diversity amongst those who are interested in becoming a scientist also decreases over time. I was featured as a medicinal chemist working to change lives by researching safe and affordable treatment options for malaria and tuberculosis.

Drug discovery MOOC (massive open online course) on the Coursera platform
In 2023, I was part of a team that launched a four-week MOOC on the Coursera platform, presented by the H3D Foundation, the H3D Centre and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, with support from UCT's Centre of Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT). The online course, entitled 'Introduction to Small-Molecule Drug Discovery and Development', includes video lectures, panel discussions, infographics, readings, glossaries and assessments, and is intended to be a tour, open and accessible to all, of what it takes to develop new medicines that are effective and safe.