Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy

(DARA)

Goonhilly partner with universities and institutes for human capital project

DARA (Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy) is a joint UK-South Africa Newton Fund human capital development project to help drive economic development in Africa. The project aims to develop high tech skills using radio astronomy in a number of African countries.

Radio astronomy encompasses all of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills that underpin the emergence of a strong developed economy. The modern astronomer needs knowledge in physics, mathematics, chemistry and computing.

To develop, maintain and run radio telescopes and instrumentation requires key skills in technology and engineering. The targeted countries will be acquiring radio telescopes to form the African VLBI Network as part of their participation in the South African Square Kilometre Array project.

We aim to inspire and train a new and diverse generation of young people to engage with these skills. Our training programme engenders a research ethos as well as communication and diagnostic skills that are transferable to many aspects of a developing economy. The training team includes experienced entrepreneurs from the space sector to open the minds of the trainees to the possibilities in the industrial and commercial sectors.