UFS Centre for Microscopy on kykNET

In 2025, the University of the Free State was given the exciting opportunity to participate in a short factual television series for kykNET called "IdeeMakers", produced by Storytown Productions and scheduled for broadcast in April 2026. The series centres around the Tritech Science and Innovation Fair - a national competition for high school learners presented in Limpopo every year. Each episode features some of the young participants as they prepare for and take part in the competition, along with interviews and visual sequences of academics from the UFS, creating an opportunity to showcase science and innovation at the university.

The Centre for Microscopy at the UFS was featured in episode 2 of the series, which follows school learners as they design affordable, home-made, biodegradable golf clubs and explore innovative solutions for load shedding. During the episode, Edward Lee from the Centre for Microscopy was interviewed and performed a live demonstration with a student on the scanning electron microscope. The segment gave the viewers a glimpse of the wonders of the microscopic world, showing how microscopes can reveal intricate details and structures invisible to the naked eye, while encouraging interest and curiosity in scientific discovery.