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Dutch ministerial visit to South Africa strengthens astronomical co-operation
from Contact 14
BY LETEBELE JONES (SKAO)
A Dutch ministerial visit to South Africa took place in October, bringing together government officials, diplomats and science representatives from two SKAO member states and focusing on the astronomical ties between them.
During his address at the University of Cape Town’s Department of Astronomy, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf said: “Astronomy has been a leading science because it brings people together. It makes you feel small when looking at the stars but also makes us feel connected. South Africans have front-row seats with the best views of the Milky Way.”
In an evening filled with astronomy talks and demonstrations, SKA-Mid Head of Science Operations Dr Sharmila Goedhart presented on the progress of the SKA-Mid telescope to date. The event also included an immersive 3D visualisation that enabled viewers to “take a step” into the Universe in the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) visualisation lab. Meanwhile, stargazing took place at the Tony Fairall Teaching Observatory, situated on the rooftop of the astronomy department’s building.
The visit served to bolster the existing connections and collaborations between the Netherlands and South Africa in astronomy. It also provided opportunities for discussions and networking among a diverse group of academics, postgraduate students and members of the astronomy community, as well as the Dutch delegation and officials from South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation.
