SARAO - Key Persons
Deputy Managing Director: Strategy and Partnerships Dr Adrian Tiplady is responsible for developing, driving and directing SARAO strategy and partnership programmes...
Dr Adrian Tiplady is responsible for developing, driving and directing SARAO strategy and partnership programmes through key outwardly focused Divisions. These include Strategy, Communications, Construction Planning, Human Capital Development and the Africa Programme.
Job Titles:
- Professional Officer, New Investment and Projects
Dr Fernando Camilo is the Chief Scientist at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. He is a former Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University in New York, Director of Astronomy at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University. He holds a B.S. degree in Physics and Mathematics from Stony Brook University in New York and a Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton University. As Chief Scientist at SARAO he directs the SKA SA science program and the scientific program of MeerKAT as a world-leading facility in the pre-SKA era, and work with the user community to ensure the maximum scientific productivity of the MeerKAT large survey projects and open time. His interests span radio magnetars, young neutron stars in supernova remnants, old pulsars in globular clusters, and most recently joint radio/gamma-ray emission from pulsars.
As Chief Scientist, Dr Fernando Camilo directs the SKA SA science program and the scientific program of MeerKAT as a world-leading facility in the pre-SKA era, and work with the user community to ensure the maximum scientific productivity of the MeerKAT large survey projects and open time.
Chief Scientist Dr Fernando Camilo is the Chief Scientist at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. He is a former Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University in New York, Director of […]
Job Titles:
- Galaxy Evolution, AGN Feedback, VLBI Surveys ( Science or Technical ), SKA
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Fellow
- Galaxy Clusters, Magnetism, Radio Galaxies
- Senior Research Fellow at Rhodes University
- Senior Research Fellow Ms Keitumetse Molamu - Head
Dr Kenda Knowles is a Senior Research Fellow at Rhodes University and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRF-SARAO). She is an astrophysicist, and focuses on the physics of galaxy clusters, with the aim of understanding the constituent galaxies, plasma, and magnetic fields, the physical processes that affect them, and how these processes may evolve over cosmic time or with cluster properties. She boasts extensive knowledge and expertise on the Square Kilometre Array, a pioneering project through which her PhD, which she received from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2016, was funded. Her PhD studied observational astrophysics and cosmology and produced evidence for a new radio halo in a low-mass galaxy cluster.
Dr Knowles has grown through the ranks in local astrophysics, having started as a student in the NRF-SARAO Human Capital Development programme. She uses NRF-SARAO's MeerKAT telescope, located in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape, for part of her research. Dr Knowles led team of South African and international experts whose research in 2021 released a huge trove of data critical for astronomers to better understand the many different components of the universe. The team's seminal research paper, entitled The MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey I Survey Overview and Highlights, was published in the globally acclaimed Astronomy & Astrophysics journal.
She is currently the Primary Investigator of the MeerKAT Exploration of Relics, Giant Halos, and Extragalactic Radio Sources (MERGHERS), a project studying a large statistical sample of galaxy clusters with the MeerKAT observatory. A winner of a 2015 South African DSI Women in Science Awards Doctoral Fellowship and a prestigious 2017 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Postdoctoral Fellowship, she recently led the first data release of the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey, a rich dataset of 115 cluster targets, for the global community.
Dr Knowles is passionate about student training and the development of South African talent by using her research programmes and local and international networks. Her strong local research connections, as well as those with Italy, Germany, the USA, the UK, and her recent NRF/Swiss National Science Foundation bilateral project, help to foster international mentorship of South African students, better preparing South Africans to contribute to and to lead international astronomy research.
Job Titles:
- Radio Galaxies, Machine Learning Applications to Multiwavelength Data
Job Titles:
- Multiwavelenght Galaxy / AGN Formation and Evolution, Strong Gravitational Lensing, Big Data Visualisation Techniques
Job Titles:
- Manager: Research Capacity Development
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Special Advisor to the Managing Director
Dr Rob Adam was appointed the SARAO Managing Director from 1 January 2016 until September 2022. Prior to this, he was the Group Executive: Nuclear at the Aveng Group. Before that, he served as the CEO of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) from 2006 to 2012, and as Director-General of Science and Technology from 1999 to 2006.
Job Titles:
- Chief Technologist Professor
- Professor
Professor Justin Jonas provides technical direction and oversight for all activities undertaken by SKA South Africa through constant interaction with scientists, engineers, technicians and programme managers within the SKA SA project office and at partner organizations. His broad areas of influence are radio telescopes and associated instruments built and/or supported by SKA SA, sites and infrastructure to support these telescopes and instruments, and the training of engineers and technicians to build and operate the telescopes and instruments. His current key direction and oversight responsibilities include the construction, testing, commissioning and operation of the MeerKAT radio telescope, the development of the Karoo radio observatory site to meet the requirements of the MeerKAT, SKA1-mid and various Guest Instruments, and the technical aspects of the African VLBI Network (AVN) programme. Professor Jonas will play a key role in the successful integration of the MeerKAT Precursor into SKA1-mid, and he is a member of the Science and Engineering Advisory Committee (SEAC) of the SKAO. He determines the priorities for technician training programmes and academic engineering research projects that are supported by the Human Capital Development Programme (HCDP), and evaluates the quality and impact of these programmes and projects. He also participates in initiatives to identify innovative technologies that enable new opportunities in radio astronomy and the commercial market.
Chief Technologist Professor Justin Jonas provides technical direction and oversight for all activities undertaken by SKA South Africa through constant interaction with scientists, engineers, technicians and programme managers within the […]
Job Titles:
- Principal Intellectual Property Officer
Mark Johnson is passionate about technology transfer and all elements associated therewith. He has more than 15 years' experience in the field, having executed the roles in the public sector both as a fund manager & a technology transfer specialist in the areas of chemistry, biotechnology, and more recently astronomy.
Since joining SARAO in November 2018 he has been instrumental in growing the technology transfer portfolio and has been responsible for the formation of two spin-out companies.
Mark holds a MSc in Polymer Science, a LLB and hopes to complete his MBA, he enjoys spending time with his family and has a keen interest in walking.
Job Titles:
- Head: Human Resources / Executive Management / Head: Human Resources Barney Msiza Completed a National Diploma in HR a Bachelor 's Degree from the University of South Africa
Head: Human Resources Barney Msiza completed a National Diploma in HR; a Bachelor's degree from the University of South Africa and Postgraduate studies in Labour Law including an LLM from
Mr Shawn Basson joined SKA SA in August 2012. He holds a B.com and Honours degree as well as an MBA and Masters degree in Capital Development Finance. Shawn's role is to ensure that all policies of the National Research Foundation (NRF) as well as that of the Department of Treasury are adhered to and implemented by all within the Finance and Supply Chain Management teams. Shawn was previously employed at Transnet. Currently he is also acting in the position of Deputy Managing Director of Operations and Business Processes.
Head: Finance and Business Support Mr Shawn Basson joined SKA SA in August 2012. He holds a B.com and Honours degree as well as an MBA and Masters degree in […]
Job Titles:
- Deputy Telescope Director: SKA - Mid
- Deputy Telescope Director: SKA - Mid Dr Kenda Knowles - Senior Research Fellow
https://www.sarao.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Mr-Sudeshen-Chetty.png 374 326 SARAO Web https://www.sarao.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NRF_SARAO_sm1.png SARAO Web 2023-08-20 15:57:58 2023-09-05 16:25:59 Mr Sudeshen Chetty - Deputy Telescope Director: SKA-Mid
Job Titles:
- Head of Engineering and Technology Development
- Head: Engineering & Technology Development Executive Management / Head: Engineering & Technology Development Ms Keitumetse Molamu Joined SARAO in September 2022. Ms Molamu Holds a BEng, BSc IT
Head: Engineering & Technology Development Ms Keitumetse Molamu joined SARAO in September 2022. Ms Molamu holds a BEng, BSc IT and an MBA in Information Technology. She was employed as
Ms Keitumetse Molamu joined SARAO in September 2022. Ms Molamu holds a BEng, BSc IT and an MBA in Information Technology. She was employed as a Senior Manager at the Royal Bank of Canada. She has held different engineering positions in different technology and research industries such as the Airports Company SA, Ericsson and Clydebergemann Africa. She brings experience in her technical expertise base of electrical engineering, electronics and computer science to the position.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director / Executive Management
- New Managing Director
Ms Pontsho Maruping was appointed SARAO Managing Director effective from 01 October 2022. She directs and manages SARAO in all its dimensions, including MeerKAT and Hartebeesthoek operations, and leads fulfilment of South Africa's obligations as a host country for the SKA, and upholds SARAO integration as a business unit of the NRF.
Job Titles:
- Fast Radio Bursts, Radio Cosmology, Dark Energy, Fundamental Physics
Job Titles:
- Member of the SARAO Users Committee
Job Titles:
- Radio Cosmology, 21cm Intensity Mapping, Diffuse Emission in Galaxy Clusters
Job Titles:
- Galaxy Evolution. Epoch of Reionization, Astro - Particle Physics. Physics Communication and Education
Job Titles:
- Computational Electromagnetics for Radiation and Scattering Analysis
Job Titles:
- Machine Learning Applications in Astronomy, Multi - Wavelength Galaxy / AGN Evolution, Multi - Wavelength Time - Domain Surveys
Job Titles:
- Member of the SARAO Users Committee
Job Titles:
- Microwave and Mm - Wave Electronics, Microelectronics and Receivers
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the SARAO Users Committee
Job Titles:
- Junior Engineer in Die Digital Backend Team
Zwivhuya Ramudzuli, a Junior Engineer in die Digital Backend team at SARAO, won the prize for the Best Poster Presentation at the University of Cape Town's (UCT) Engineering and the