SARAO News

SARAO participated in various activities in celebration of National Science Week (NSW) 2018.

NSW, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a countrywide celebration of science involving various stakeholders and/or role players conducting science-based activities during the week. NSW 2018 was held from 30 July to 4 August 2018.

Various staff members from SARAO represented the organisation at these events, where they interacted with audiences through exhibitions and learners workshops.

The following activities took place:

• The NSW national launch hosted by the University of Mpumalanga in Nelspruit took place on 28 July 2018.
• The NSW Exhibition took place in Mvezo, the hometown of the late former president Nelson Mandela in Mthatha, Eastern Cape on 30 and 31 July 2018.
• A Science Talk at Willowmoore High School in Johannesburg on 31 July 2018.
• A Career and Science Talk, and learner workshops between 1 and 3 August 2018 at the Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School in Paarl; Masiphumelele High School in Fish Hoek; and Vusisizwe High School in Worcester.
• A MeerKAT Science Talk, hosted by the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in collaboration with the Cape Town University of Technology (CPUT), took place at CPUT on 1 August 2018.

SARAO staff members Simphiwe Madlanga, Tony Dhlamini, Palesa Nombula, Isaac Sihlangu, Aphiwe Hotele, Anathi Hokwana, Sarah Buchner and Dimpho Lephaila participated in these events. The team was supported by Dr Tana Joseph from the TRAPUM project on MeerKAT, who is currently based in Manchester in the United Kingdom; and Ogechukwu Nnadih, a Ph.D candidate at SpaceLab at the University of Cape Town.

The last SARAO activity for the NSW celebrations is an exhibition which will take place at the Cape Town Science Centre on 4 August 2018, where Bulelani Xaia and Dr Joseph will be interacting with various members of the public through astronomy based activities.