2 minute read
SKAO to collaborate on human capital development programmes in Africa
from Contact 16
BY ANNE DANIELS (SKAO)
The SKAO teams up with partners in Africa to deliver opportunities for the next generation of students and scientists across the continent.
The Observatory now has memoranda of understanding for the next five years with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) aimed at collaborating on human capital development programmes. They were signed at the IAU General Assembly in Cape Town in August.
Partners across the SKAO will also benefit from the exchanges of ideas and knowledge that these programmes bring.
SARAO, a National Facility of the National Research Foundation, is the SKAO’s collaboration partner in delivering the SKA-Mid telescope. It has long-standing bursary programmes to enable South African students and those from the SKA African partner countries to study astronomy, engineering, computer science and other related fields in South Africa.
Under the new agreement, the SKAO and SARAO aim to build on their relationship and work together to provide opportunities for African students to study and train at leading universities in SKAO member countries and to participate in skills development interventions and programmes.
As the pan-African society for professional astronomers, AfAS aims to contribute to addressing the challenges faced in Africa through the promotion and advancement of astronomy. The SKAO and AfAS have now established a determination to work together to develop programmes promoting radio astronomy, multi-wavelength and multimessenger astronomy, and associated sciences on the African continent, using these activities as a tool for social and economic development in Africa.
“There are so many talented young people who can’t wait to get involved in astronomy; the SKAO is very keen to tap into that reservoir of knowledge,” explains Thijs Geurts, Head of International Relations at the SKAO.
“A number of skills acquired during training focused on radio astronomy such as programming, data reduction and analysis can then be used in other disciplines. A student’s career path, whether they are a scientist, an engineer, or a data scientist, is not necessarily limited to radio astronomy, but we of course hope to keep many talented people within the community.”
