SARAO Celebrates 20 years of Human Capacity Development milestone and launches Alumni Network

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) is still buzzing after a momentous celebration held on Sunday, 23 November 2025, marking the 20th anniversary of its vital Human Capital Development (HCD) Programme. More than just a party, the event was a powerful reflection on two decades of intentional investment in science, technology, engineering, and artisans — culminating in the exciting launch of the SARAO Alumni Network.

The SARAO journey of HCD

Initiated in the early 2000s in response to South Africa’s participation in the SKA project, the HCD Programme was designed to rapidly grow a cohort of radio astronomers and engineers, which was initially very small and lacking demographic diversity.

The formal programme kicked off with an opening and welcome by Prof. Mosa Moshabela, NRF Board Chairperson, followed by the NRF Institutional Reflection delivered by Dr. Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, NRF CEO. Pontsho Maruping, SARAO Managing Director, then guided attendees through “The SARAO journey of HCD”.

Today, the numbers speak volumes about the programme’s success:

• SARAO has awarded more than 1800 grants to fund faculty positions, postdoctoral fellowships, and postgraduate/undergraduate students.
• Of these grants, more than 80% have been awarded to South Africans.
• A major success is the transformation of the scientific pipeline: 70% of those South African grants have gone to Black SA citizens, and 35% to SA Women.

The programme has successfully built a pipeline that extends from school level through higher education, ensuring an appropriately skilled workforce for facilities like MeerKAT and the future SKA.

World-class research output

The dedication of SARAO and its university partners has yielded globally competitive research output. The rate of PhD production per supervisor in South Africa’s radio astronomy community stands at 0.42, which is higher than that of the US and Australia. This investment is now paying dividends: 157 postgraduate and postdoctoral HCD alumni are currently working in the South African research space at SARAO or SA universities. This local capacity is essential for South Africa to realise its return on investment in the SKA.

The middle of the programme was reserved for powerful personal stories during “Reflections from the beneficiaries”. Attendees heard from individuals including Feliciano Skippers, Jolene Moeng, Isaac Magolego, Kathleen Charlton, Dr. Sinenhlanhla Precious Sikhosana, and Prof. Roger Deane.

The celebration also highlighted SARAO’s deep commitment to local skills development and continental collaboration. Following this, Imraan Patel, Deputy Director General of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), delivered the keynote address. He alluded that everyone needs to put science at the forefront of all engagements, skills development and problem solving. 

• Local impact: In the Northern Cape, SARAO has funded 336 learners with bursaries to pursue Mathematics and Physical Science, and provided training for 134 students to qualify as artisans. The highly successful Lego Robotics programme, which has engaged over 400 learners, has even seen teams travel to international competitions in places like Uruguay, Morocco and the USA.
• Continental growth: SARAO has awarded 241 scholarships and fellowships to students and postdocs from the eight African partner countries involved in the SKA programme.

The launch of the SARAO Alumni Network

The highlight of the evening was the official launch of the SARAO Alumni Network, led by Dr. Adrian Tiplady, SARAO Deputy Managing Director.

This network represents the next crucial step in sustaining the achievements of the HCD programme. It will provide a formal platform to connect the vast and diverse cohort of HCD beneficiaries — scientists, engineers, and artisans — fostering mentorship, collaboration, and professional development. Alumnus are invited to join the network and grow the community to astronomical levels. 

The SARAO Alumni Network can be accessed at https://alumni.sarao.ac.za

The launch signifies SARAO’s commitment not only to training new capacity but also to supporting and sustaining this skilled community for years to come. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Angus Paterson, NRF Deputy CEO: National Research Infrastructures and the official cake cutting led by Takalani Nemaungani, Chief Director: Astronomy, DSTI and Kim Anthony, Head: SARAO Human Capital Development.

The SARAO HCD Programme has clearly laid a strong foundation for the future of radio astronomy. The newly launched Alumni Network promises to be the glue that ensures this success endures.

Special thanks

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the SARAO leadership team for their vision and dedication in bringing the SARAO Alumni Network to life during the 20th Anniversary celebration!

The launch of this network is a landmark achievement, promising to sustain the legacy of capacity development for years to come.

A special thank you to:

• Dr. Adrian Tiplady, SARAO Deputy Managing Director: For officially leading the launch of the Alumni Network, championing this critical next step in connecting and supporting our vast cohort of HCD beneficiaries.
• Kim Anthony, Head Human Capital Development at SARAO: For her unwavering commitment and leadership of the HCD Programme over the years, which has successfully transformed the scientific pipeline and delivered world-class talent to the research community and industry.

Pontsho Maruping, SARAO Managing Director: For steering the SARAO organisation and providing the strategic direction that ensures the HCD Programme remains a core function, critical to the success of projects like MeerKAT and the SKA.

And finally, a sincere appreciation for the entire SARAO HCD team! Your tireless dedication, coordination, and hard work behind the scenes are the true engines that facilitate the training of technical human capital and catalyse the growth of radio astronomy scientists across Africa. Thank you for your commitment to excellence, transformation, and building a bright future for science.

Their collective leadership ensures that SARAO’s commitment extends beyond funding and training, actively fostering a community that will drive the future of radio astronomy in South Africa and across the African continent.

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