2 minutes with...Pranesthan Govender

Pran joined the SKAO’s Communications team in April on secondment from the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), which hosts the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). His six-month secondment has now been extended to a full year, so we caught up with him to hear more about his role.

Welcome, Pran! Tell us about what you have been doing during your secondment.

I’m working on a communications campaign highlighting the non-science benefits and wider impacts of the SKAO together with our partners, including how we are contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I’m also supporting the establishment of formal relationships with the IAU’s regional offices, in particular the South-Africa based Office of Astronomy for Development, but also the Office for Astronomy Outreach and Office of Astronomy for Education. With my experience of the South African landscape I’ll work on local engagement and site visit strategies and build closer working relations with South African stakeholders, making the link with the SKAO Comms team at the HQ. I also look forward to supporting as much as I can the newly appointed SKA-Mid Communications and Engagement Manager.

What made you want to apply for the role?

It’s SKAO, one of the biggest scientific projects in our lifetime! I emailed our HR Manager saying that I would apply the minute I came across the role, that’s how much I wanted it. To be a part of the SKAO at its launch felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity and one I am so grateful and proud to have been granted.

Tell us about your work at SAAO.

I’m part of a diverse team and primarily support stakeholder engagement for both SALT and the SAAO, nationally and internationally. I have worked with our international stakeholders to foster close relations, and have done extensive outreach work too, contributing to the goals of South Africa’s Science Engagement Strategy.

How has it been doing your secondment remotely from Cape Town, while the Comms team is in the UK?

I always hear from my UK-based colleagues about the very cold weather so in this regard I feel great to be working from sunny South Africa! However, I can’t wait to head to the UK to see the amazing headquarters at Jodrell Bank. Lockdown has also forced me to appreciate time with colleagues in the office, which I took for granted.

Hopefully you can bring the sun with you… Finally, what do you hope to take from your SKAO experience?

I hope to have further exposure to the international environment and teams that work with the SKAO, to learn as much as I can about the project, its goals, objectives and strategies. Working with a team that has expert skills in this environment will definitely assist me too.