Kechil Kirkham, Project Manager of IDIA, has several strings to her bow. One of them is Looking Up, a radio programme and podcast with Cape Town radio station Fine Music Radio. On 1 October 2025 the 1,000th show will be broadcast.
Looking Up is a weekly 5-minute programme covering space and astronomy, which now reaches a quarter of million people each show. Being based in Cape Town means she can take advantage of the shoals of astronomers who pass through the city, and one of them recently was Prof Jessica Dempsey. Prof Dempsey is the incoming Director General of the Square Kilometre Array and due to replace Prof. Phil Diamond next year. She is currently heading up ASTRON in The Netherlands, and was here in Cape Town to visit IDIA and get to know the South African astronomical community. “Recording the 1,000th show with the most important person in astronomy today was a real blast” says Kechil.
Kechil says the initial impetus for the show was to inform locals about what is going on right here, and to give positive stories for South Africans to enjoy. Almost twenty years on, she still feels there isn’t enough science in the news, and that most South Africans are unaware of the contribution that the country makes to the field of astronomy. “It’s also given me a great excuse to walk up to any astronomer and find out what they’re up to. It is always astonishing, always fresh to me, and brings great insight into the work I do for IDIA.”
IDIA wishes Kechil a hearty congratulations on this impressive achievement!