Report from ‘Low cost high physics…’ conference
The ‘Low cost high physics and appropriate solutions to real life for developing countries’ conference was held in Yaounde, Cameroon, on 8-9 December last year.
The scope of the conference was to:
- find solutions for building experiments, enabling results to be compared with applied mathematical calculations;
- to find financially realistic solutions for solving problems encountered in developing countries.
The speakers made various proposals, mainly based on optical solutions and on harvesting components from used electronic appliances, such as CD-ROM drives, cell-phones, hard drives, etc.
Concerning the situation of PhD students in developing countries who are unable to land grants for their studies, one proposal emerged: the creation of a European fund for launching start-up businesses, run by science students. It was proposed that these could provide funds for the students, while also providing larger benefits for the community.
Another project discussed involved the remote monitoring of vegetation, using a new instrument, relying on the recent miniaturization of optical and communication components, formed of small drones.
The event, sponsored by the European Physical Society’s Physics for Development group, was organized by Paul Woafo, the president of the Cameroon Physical Society. Attendance was good, with guests from such neighboring countries as Gabon, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria; as well as more international visitors from Brazil and Europe.
The conference included a poster session; the participants in which should be commended. The Physics for Development group sponsored six poster prizes, which were really appreciated by the students. The highest prize was awarded to a female student, Assiatou Mboussi.
