Researchers from IDIA partner universities, especially junior researchers, were remarkably successful in gaining access to the MeerKAT telescope for new science projects. This means more opportunities for young scientists, more scientific discoveries, and lots of big data in need of powerful computing infrastructure in this age of mammoth scientific experiments. How do astronomers get to use telescopes? It is a … Read More
IDIA welcomes Dharam Lal, a visiting scholar. Prof. Dharam is an Associate Professor at the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research – National Centre for Radio Astrophysics in Pune, India. He is the Indian project leader for South Africa- India superMIGHTEE collaboration to extend the MIGHTEE project to lower frequencies by combining MeerKAT and the upgraded GMRT observations. Prof. Dharam’s research … Read More
Could you be an Astronomer? That is a question we would like to ask all young aspiring scientists. To help them answer, IDIA has prepared a resource that gives some ideas of what it means to be an astronomer. With input from astronomy graduate students from across the country, a picture emerges of a fun discipline that can be learnt … Read More
Listeners of popular Cape Town radio station HeartFM, were treated to an exciting breakfast interview between Associate Professor Carolina Ödman-Govender and Aden Thomas on the #HeartBreakfast radio show. This interview broadly forms part of Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy’s outreach activities, which aims engage the public scientific topics and discoveries. The interview highlighted the phenomena of black holes in particular, … Read More
Associate Professor Roger Deane, based at the University of Pretoria, a partner university at the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy was involved in the development of simulations from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) that lead to the visual imaging of what a black hole should look like. Assoc. Prof. Deane worked alongside post-doctoral fellow, Dr Iniyan Natarajan based at … Read More
This week (2 – 5 April) the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy and the Astronomy Department at the University of Cape Town (UCT) will host Dr Fabio Vitello and Dr Ugo Becciani from the Italian Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) in Catania (Sicily). They will be working with Dr. Lucia Marchetti, Prof. Russ Taylor, Dr. Tom Jarrett, Dr. Angus Comrie … Read More
The signature, at ministerial level, of a treaty to establish the international SKA organisation took place earlier in March 2019. South Africa and seven other nations signed the treaty to build the SKA , a major development in the realisation of the world’s largest radio telescope. Already, facilities like the South African MeerKAT telescope in the Karoo, which will be … Read More
“Being a scientist isn’t just about knowing things – it’s about seeking knowledge and solving problems and finding answers, and it requires creativity, passion and tenacity.” It’s that kind of thinking that drives astrophysicist Palesa Nombula to devote her time to studying the stars. And it’s that kind of thinking that made her the perfect science interpreter to take part … Read More
Dear ilifu/IDIA Researchers, The ilifu Research Data Management and Open Science Working Group will be hosting an ilifu RDM Users’ Engagement Workshop on 29 March, 2019. The purpose of the workshop is to engage with users of the ilifu infrastructure to identify if current research practices aligns with the newly developed ilifu Research Data Management policy. The workshop further aims … Read More
When Chaka Mofokeng and Tekano Mbonani returned to Leseding Secondary High School in the Free State, they were greeted with a full house – more than 120 learners packed the hall to hear the two young astronomy researchers talk about their studies and career prospects, and the joys of astronomy and science. The two fast friends and former Leseding learners … Read More
