SKAO welcomes Switzerland as eighth Member

BY MATHIEU ISIDRO (SKAO)

In January, Switzerland joined the SKA Observatory, becoming the first country to join the intergovernmental organisation’s founding Members by acceding to the SKAO Convention.

This brought the Observatory’s membership to eight countries, with Switzerland joining Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Swiss involvement is led by a strong consortium of research institutions*, on behalf of the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI). The consortium is led by the prestigious science and technology university École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), which handles management functions on behalf of the country’s academic community.

Scientists at Swiss institutions are already participating in seven of the SKAO’s Science Working Groups, including those focusing on cosmology, gravitational waves, and galaxy evolution. Swiss industry is expected to contribute expertise in high-performance computing, data processing, antennas and radio receivers, and precise time management through the use of maser atomic clocks.

Switzerland has been significantly involved in the SKA project over the past five years, gaining observer status in the SKA Organisation (the SKAO’s forerunner) in 2016. Annual “Swiss SKA Days” have built connections among academia, industry and government in recent years, showcasing opportunities for Swiss involvement in the SKA project and strengthening the case for participation in the country. In June 2021 SKAO signed a cooperation agreement with EPFL and in December 2021, the Federal Council approved Swiss membership in the SKAO, following Parliament’s decision to provide the funding necessary for membership and participation in the construction and operations of the SKA telescopes until 2030.

* The Swiss partnership includes: Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW), Universität Zürich (UZH), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ), Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW), Universität Basel (UniBAS), Université de Genève (UniGE), Haute École spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale (HES-SO), Centro Svizzero di Calcolo Scientifico (CSCS).

The Swiss flag is raised at the SKAO Global Headquarters for the first time following the accession of Switzerland.

Credit: SKAO