To increase the number of highly skilled scientists and engineers to support the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and Karoo Array Telescope MeerKAT, the National Research Foundation (NRF) has awarded 35 scholarships for the 2011 SKA Project Programme.
This programme supports national diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students. According to the NRF, the 35 scholarships awarded are as follows: three are national diploma bursaries, 10 undergraduate scholarships, six honours and BTech scholarships, 11 masters and five doctoral scholarships.
According to the research foundation, the scholarships need not be paid back and the recipients are not tied to the SKA project, but preference for jobs at the SKA will be given to the postgraduate students who have received funding.
The objective of the scholarships is to provide sufficient numbers of scientists and engineers to participate in the design and construction of the MeerKAT and the SKA, and to use these telescopes once they are operational, so further developing a vibrant South African astronomy research and teaching community, it says.
The SA SKA Project Office initiated a youth into science and engineering programme in 2004. In 2005 the South African SKA Project commenced a targeted “Youth into Science and Engineering Programme” to develop highly skilled young scientists and engineers.
According to the SA SKA Project Office, the young people supported by this programme will serve SA and other African partner countries in the future in key areas of economic development in addition to their participation in 'blue skies' scientific research.
It says to date more than 80 postgraduate students (from SA and the rest of the African continent) and about 40 undergraduate students are studying or have studied with SKA bursaries and are on their way to being a part of South Africa's exciting future in radio astronomy.
The SA SKA Project is a project of the Department of Science and Technology and the NRF and comprises Africa's bid to host the (SKA telescope, the design, construction and operation of the MeerKAT.
Africa has been short-listed with Australia to host the SKA. If Africa is selected to host the SKA, the core of the telescope will be located in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape with additional stations distributed throughout South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Mauritius, Madagascar, Ghana and Kenya.
The full list of award recipients can be found here.
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