Contact 14

Page 40

Team SKA

Sharmila relaxing on a walk at Langebaan lagoon.

Dr Sharmila Goedhart – SKA-Mid Head of Science Operations One might say South Africa’s star has risen quickly in astronomy. Huge investment and home-grown innovation led to the development of the world-class MeerKAT radio telescope, inaugurated in 2018, and a new generation of scientists and engineers has been inspired by the country’s successful bid to become an SKAO host country. Among them is Dr Sharmila Goedhart, appointed as the head of science operations for the SKA-Mid telescope earlier this year. She simultaneously holds the same role for MeerKAT, and will oversee its integration into SKA-Mid. Sharmila spoke to us about the complexities of that task, national pride over the SKA project, and the many creative outlets that fill her spare time. Let’s start at the beginning, Sharmila. Where did you grow up and what kind of things did you enjoy as a youngster? I was born in Paarl, South Africa, and spent my childhood in various locations in Cape Town. I was a rather introverted child, and terribly clumsy and uncoordinated, so I did not do anything sporty. I preferred to spend my spare time with my nose in a book, preferably under a tree somewhere. I also really enjoyed arts and crafts, but my access to supplies was limited (cue my later obsession with art and craft supplies). I remember sewing little dolls clothes by hand using scraps from my mother’s sewing, and then trading them for the fancy Barbie accessories that my parents couldn’t buy me.

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C O N TA C T

ABOVE: Sharmila with her husband, Andrew, on their wedding day. ISSUE

14


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Articles inside

Foreword by SKAO Director-General Prof. Philip Diamond

2min
page 3

SKAO in the news

2min
page 52

The cover

2min
pages 1, 56

Two minutes with... Prof. Fred Watson

2min
page 38

SKA-Mid construction highlights

5min
pages 10-11

Celebrating our community: awards and honours

3min
pages 54-55

Cartoon Corner

1min
pages 52-53

Save the dates for astronomy activities in Africa 2023-2024

2min
page 51

SKAO meets SXSW

2min
page 50

Dutch ministerial visit to South Africa strengthens astronomical co-operation

2min
page 49

Clear skies for Swiss SKA Days 2023

2min
page 48

Visitors flock to family outreach events in the UK

2min
page 46

PAERI conference heading to Switzerland

2min
page 46

Photographer explores satellite and space debris response

2min
page 45

Experts gather to address impact of satellite constellations on astronomy

3min
page 44

Dr Sharmila Goedhart –SKA-Mid Head of Science Operations

11min
pages 40-43

South African school kids ‘reach for stars’ at HQ

2min
page 39

Growing interest in SKA project in Poland

2min
page 38

‘SKA-Low down’ for National Science Week in Australia

2min
pages 37-38

Bringing space science down to earth in South Africa

3min
page 36

Sharing experiences with the next generation of STEM

2min
page 35

SKAO publishes 2022 annual report

2min
page 34

SKAO and Shanghai strengthen ties

2min
page 33

Three-quarters of contracts now awarded to deliver SKA telescopes

2min
page 32

SKAO Council makes first trip to Australia

4min
pages 31-32

SKAO signs collaboration agreement with ESO

2min
page 30

Robots help to maintain China’s ‘Sky Eye’

3min
page 29

Discovery of a neutral hydrogen halo surrounding the Whale galaxy

4min
page 28

Record-breaking fast radio burst is most distant ever detected

3min
page 27

Astronomers discover galaxy wrapped in a ribbon

3min
page 26

Astronomers find new type of stellar object hiding in plain sight

3min
page 25

SKA pathfinders provide strongest evidence yet for low-frequency gravitational waves

3min
page 24

Murchison Widefield Array reaches historic milestone

3min
page 23

More MeerKAT: Celebrating five years of operations, citizen science, and future horizons

3min
page 22

Let’s talk about... multi-wavelength astronomy

13min
pages 16-19

The software developers catching gravitational waves

4min
pages 14-15

Euclid dazzles with first images

2min
pages 12-13

SKA-Low construction highlights

5min
pages 8-11

Astro-tourism: bridging the cosmos and communities

3min
page 7

Work begins on supercomputing collaboration in Australia

2min
page 6

Science Data Challenge paper shares insights (and code)

2min
page 5

School robotics teams fly the flag for South Africa internationally

2min
page 4
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