Workshop showcases range of SKA activities in Italy

Autumn got off to a great start in Italy with the “Third National Workshop on the SKA Project: the Italian Route to the SKAO Revolution” held virtually from 4 – 8 October, with the enthusiastic online participation of over 200 Italian researchers, a success that confirms how eager the community is for the SKA telescopes to come online.

Italy was one of the first countries to participate in the SKA project, through the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), and is a founding member of the SKA Observatory (SKAO). On the way to SKAO operations, INAF joined the International LOFAR Telescope in 2018 and the MeerKAT+ project (a planned expansion of the South African MeerKAT telescope, a precursor to the SKA telescope) in 2020, and is now working towards establishing an Italian dedicated data analysis facility that will join the SKAO Regional Centre network.

This workshop came at the right time to make these points and also look to the future, representing a substantial opportunity for the Italian researchers to:

- review the ongoing scientific activities in Italy in preparation for the future SKA surveys, giving particular emphasis to results from precursors and pathfinders, SKA-related theoretical/ simulations studies, and ideas for synergies with other facilities.

- present and coordinate INAF’s ongoing activities towards the establishment of the Italian SKA Regional Centre as part of the INAF Computing Facility.

- discuss a national scientific roadmap towards full exploitation of SKA surveys with the broader astrophysical community and organise the future SKA Key Science Projects teams.

The workshop showcased the broad range of SKA activities taking place in Italy, and the show has only just begun!

by Dr Daria Guidetti (INAF)

The workshop poster, feating SKA Low antennas and SKA Mid dishes, and the logo of INAF, in partnership with the SKAO

Graphics by Davide Coero Borga (INAF)