ADASS stands for Astronomical Data Analysis Software & Systems. It is an annual conference and a natural destination to present the diverse IDIA activities. This year, we are there with two oral contributions (talks) and two posters. Alexander Sivitilli, Angus Comrie, Lucia Marchetti and Tom Jarrett from the Visualization Lab are presenting a poster on Virtual Reality and Immersive Collaborative Environements. … Read More
On October 6 – 16 takes place the 2019 edition of the DARA Big Data Africa School. The Big Data Africa School aims to introduce fundamental data science tools and techniques to talented young science and engineering graduates across a range of disciplines. The aim is for students to develop skills and knowledge in working efficiently on extremely large datasets … Read More
IDIA is glad to welcome Ms. Natalie Zoghby who is currently studying for her Masters in Biomedical Engineering at the University of the Witswatersrand. In a special talk co-organised by IDIA and the UWC Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, we will how how Ms. Zoghby came to start her own business with her co-founders and how she is navigating the … Read More
“How can we realise a corporate world that tackles social challenges?” Asking this question motivated our speaker, Ms. Judi Sandrock to move from a purely corporate environment to social entrepreneurship and co-found XinaBox. She came and explained the XinaBox model for our third SEADS series seminar on Friday 20 September. She identified the need to diversify the economy in order … Read More
On Thursday 19 September, 35 IDIA researchers and staff gathered in Hout Bay for a day-long science retreat. As we both look back at the first four years of the institute, and look to the future and plan for the next quinquennium, this was an enlightening and inspiring day. In his concluding remarks, Russ Taylor expressed the conviction that we … Read More
The paths to success for women in science are as diverse as the women scientists of this country. Over the last few weeks astronomers and stakeholders from the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) have been raising awareness in several communities. A notable event was organised by Protea Heights Academy in Brackenfell to celebrate Women’s Month on August 24. … Read More
As part of our third instalment of the SEADS (Science Engagement and Development Seminar) series, we are welcoming the Xinabox. #Occupy Orbit Judi Sandrock, Co-founder, Xinabox-STEM Space Programme How South African students are launching experiments into space Xinabox is a technology and hardware ecosystem developed in the Western Cape, specifically to eliminate barriers to participation in the growing space economy. The … Read More
The Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) recently participated in the Federated Cloud Piloting at Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Italy from 10-11 September 2019. The purpose of the meeting was to launch the pilot demonstration project of a South African – European federated cloud to support collaboration on SKA Pathfinder data intensive large programs between South African and European research teams. This meeting … Read More
On 10 September 2019, the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) are signing an agreement to collaborate in radio astronomy research. The research in particular will utilize virtual Reality (VR) technologies on radio astronomy data coming from the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope, starting with its precursor, the MeerKAT. VR is not … Read More
Researchers, digital curators and digital librarians embarked upon the South African National Bioinformatics Institute at the University of the Western Cape as part of the Ilifu User Engagement Workshop 2019. The aim of Ilifu is to engage South African researchers at the partner organisations to be global pioneers in the strategic science domains of astronomy and bioinformatics and simultaneously promote … Read More
