Research chairs to back SKA bid

The universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Rhodes, Witwatersrand and the Western Cape are searching for internationally recognised researchers to take up the positions.

The chairs, awarded for 15 years, are worth a combined R240m and are subject to review every five years. They have been made available to universities as part of SA's commitment to strengthen cutting-edge science and engineering, the department announced this month.

This funding adds to the R140m which the department has already committed to a bursary programme — the SKA Youth into Science and Engineering — for studies in astronomy, physics and engineering related to the SKA and SA's Karoo pathfinder telescope known as the MeerKAT Radio Telescope.

SA is pitted against Australia to host the R20,5bn radio telescope. An announcement of the host country is expected in 2012.

Winning the SKA bid will produce many spin-offs for SA and the region. Several countries, such as Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique and Zambia, will host remote stations.

The output of the astronomy chairs at the universities would come in the form of problem-solving, techniques learnt and human capital trained to take the field forward in SA and beyond, said Dr Peter Clayton, Rhodes University deputy vice-chancellor for research and development.

Source: Business Day

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