Olivia Barker, a Grade 11 learner from St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls Pretoria, emerged as one of South Africa’s brightest young scientists at the 45th Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF), held at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre in Kempton Park from 6 to 10 October 2025.
Olivia Barker, winner of the Dr Derek Gray Memorial Award and more at the Eskom Expo ISF 2025.
The event brought together some of the most promising young scientists from across South Africa and other countries including Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, India, Ireland, Russia, Ghana, and Mexico.
For her project work, seventeen-year-old Barker earned three Special Awards and a Silver medal. One of her wins was the prestigious University of Pretoria Dr Derek Gray Memorial Award, which includes a three-year study bursary in the sciences or engineering at the University of Pretoria, provided she meets the required criteria in her matriculation results, and Barker representing South Africa at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in Sweden.
She also received the following awards: the Ekurhuleni Drums Shanice Francis Memorial Award, valued at R30 000, presented to projects that offer novel solutions to environmental challenges, with each winner receiving a R5 000 cash prize; and the Soil Science Society of South Africa Award for the Best Soil-Related Project, which included a cash prize of R3 000.
“Winning three special awards plus an Eskom Expo Silver medal at the ISF was beyond my wildest dreams,” said Barker. “I was surprised and delighted to win two cash prizes, but winning the Dr Derek Gray Memorial Award was the biggest shock!”
Driven by a deep love for Life Sciences and Biology, Barker describes herself as a hardworking and passionate learner. “I am a hard worker, and I am driven by passion for the things I love, one of which is, of course, life science,” she said.
Her scientific curiosity runs in the family. “My father is a professor of botany, and my mother has degrees in science and law,” Barker said. “I’ve always been encouraged to ask questions and think critically at home, and that environment taught me to be curious from an early age.”
She also credits her school and teacher for nurturing her scientific growth. “I have an incredible science teacher, Mr van Wyk, who has believed in my potential for a long time. He’s always pushed me a little further and asked the most challenging questions. He’s a large part of why I am the scientist I am today,” she added.
Barker’s growth through Eskom Expo began when she heard about it from a friend who had participated the previous year. “I decided to give it a go because of my love for biology,” she recalled. “I was so keen that I went onto the Eskom Expo website and looked up the details early, before I even had a project idea!”
Her enthusiasm paid off. What began as “just the seed of an idea” evolved into the research project, “Measuring the impact of the Bankrotbos invasion on soil mite populations within Waterberg soil ecosystems”, which she is now deeply proud of. “Along the way it has grown into something that I am very proud of and attached to, and I’m grateful for the learning opportunities I have had on this journey,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience at the 45th Eskom Expo ISF, Barker notes several highlights. “I really enjoyed going to the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome; it was mesmerising to watch the stars and planets on the ceiling,” she said.
“Judging was also fun for me. Once I began speaking about my project, I felt myself come alive and the passion I have for it came spilling out,” Barker said. “I was blown away by the scale of the project exhibition hall and the sheer number of projects. The bonding time I had with my Northern Gauteng teammates was special as well.”
When she’s not delving into biology, Barker enjoys a variety of creative and athletic pursuits. She’s an accomplished archer, having competed provincially and nationally for the past four years, earning several medals along the way. She also enjoys modern dancing, art, crochet, and has taken piano lessons for eight years.
For other aspiring young scientists, Olivia encourages them to take risks and embrace uncertainty.
“The best ideas you have are sometimes the ones that seem a bit too crazy or uncertain,” she said. “You don’t need to be certain about everything when you start, you just need courage. Eskom Expo is a chance to learn scientific thinking, and that’s even more valuable than the project itself. Go for it, take chances, and know that there’s almost always a way around it when things go wrong. You never know where that single idea might take you!” she said.
For more information visit: www.exposcience.co.za
