A childhood spent building wearable robot arms has developed into a passion for biomedical engineering for Scott Baker, whose first Eskom Expo journey culminated in a Bronze medal, two prestigious Special Awards and a University of Pretoria bursary valued at R600 000 at the 46th Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF).
Baker is a Grade 11 learner and Head Boy at Bryanston High School in Johannesburg, where he represented the Johannesburg Region. He received the prestigious University of Pretoria-Derek Gray Memorial Award, comprising the R600 000 University of Pretoria bursary and the Derek Gray Gold Medal.
He was also one of 10 young scientists to receive a laptop from Siemens PTY Ltd for an innovative technology project.
For Baker, engineering has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. “I am very fond of engineering, mainly the biomedical side. Prosthetics have been an obsession of mine since I was little, making robot arms that I could wear,” he said.
His parents recognised the interest early, telling him they could see where his future might lead before he had realised it himself. “My passion comes from me loving it as a little kid. When I go through life, I always try to make the little me happy and give him all he dreamed of,” Baker said.
That childhood fascination has developed into a desire to use engineering to improve people’s lives. “I’m told I’m also a big softie, so building something in prosthetics that lets me live my dream and build things while also helping people is a dream come true.”
Baker’s route to Eskom Expo began when a previous participant saw the arm he was developing and suggested that it would make a strong Expo project. Bryanston High School was already actively involved in science expos, so Baker approached his teacher and registered at the beginning of the year.
It would become his first science expo and his first ISF.
“Just competing this far was incredible. Winning an award, and the award I did, was mind-blowing,” he said.
Baker had not expected to receive one of the event’s major awards, although the judges’ response to his research gradually gave him hope. “As it went on, the judges’ interest had given me a spark of hope. Then, in the awards ceremony, I won incredible awards,” he said. “I felt on top of the world.”
The celebrations continued well beyond the ceremony. “That night I got very little sleep because everyone wanted to celebrate,” he said.
The friendships he formed became another defining part of his ISF experience. Baker, who describes himself as someone who usually goes to sleep early, found himself staying up late with new friends and enjoying the time between official activities just as much as the competition itself.
“I was lucky to have been with a great bunch of people who really wanted to have fun. Even after Expo ended, the people made it an amazing experience,” he said.
“The waits between events were also great because everyone was waiting together. I had met people from places I didn’t even know existed.”
Away from engineering, Baker is passionate about photography. He particularly enjoys attending motorsport events and airshows to take photographs and is a member of Bryanston High School’s photography club.
After seeing how quickly his own journey progressed from entering his first science expo to receiving a major university bursary at ISF, Baker encourages other young scientists to seize the opportunities available to them.
“The world is there if you grab it. Nothing will get handed to you, but if you’re the first one there to take it, the world is yours,” he said. “The Eskom Expo starts off small but gets big fast. It can take you places you’ve never heard of, if you give it the work it needs.”
CreativeBox
