DARA Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy Phase 3

射电天文学在非洲发展 DARA 第三阶段

• 批准号: ST/Y006100/1
• 负责人: Melvin Hoare
• 金额: $ 826.2万
• 依托单位: University of Leeds
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FY006100%2F1
• 关键词: DARA; Development; Africa; Radio; Astronomy

This proposal is to continue, deepen and expand the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project. DARA is a human capital development programme with the principal aim to develop high tech skills in radio astronomy in the eight developing African countries that partner with South Africa in the hosting of the mid-frequency telescope of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The first two phases utilized the Newton Fund and delivered a basic training to over 300 young people as well as Masters and PhD level training. This proposal is once again a bilateral UK-SA project bidding for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding as part of the Tomorrow's Talent strand of the new International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF). In this new phase we will extend the HCD pipeline to establish postdoctoral fellows in African partner institutions for the first time. The aim is to complete the establishment of radio astronomy research groups in each partner country so that their citizens can fully engage with the SKA project. We will also continue the basic and Masters level training programme. This third phase will also encompass elements of the DARA Big Data sister project to deepen the training in machine learning techniques required to analyse SKA data and embed synergies with Earth Observation data. We will also continue and expand our partnership with the space sector to showcase how the skills of radio astronomy can be utilized to address development challenges in Africa. The industrial partners also bring entrepreneurship and business start-up experience. Overall, the DARA project addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of increasing high tech skills, research activity and international cooperation.

这项建议是为了继续、深化和扩大非洲射电天文学发展项目。达拉是一个人力资本开发方案，主要目的是在与南非合作主办平方公里阵列中频望远镜的八个非洲发展中国家发展射电天文学方面的高技术技能。前两个阶段利用牛顿基金，为300多名年轻人提供了基础培训以及硕士和博士水平的培训。该提案再次成为英国-南非双边项目，作为新的国际科学伙伴关系基金（ISPF）明日人才链的一部分，竞标官方发展援助（ODA）资金。在这一新阶段，我们将扩大HCD管道，首次在非洲伙伴机构建立博士后研究员。目的是在每个伙伴国家完成射电天文学研究小组的建立，以便其公民能够充分参与SKA项目。我们还将继续基础和硕士水平的培训计划。第三阶段还将包括达拉大数据姊妹项目的要素，以深化分析SKA数据所需的机器学习技术培训，并与地球观测数据协同增效。我们还将继续并扩大与空间部门的伙伴关系，以展示如何利用射电天文学的技能来应对非洲的发展挑战。工业合作伙伴还带来了创业和创业经验。总的来说，达拉项目在提高高科技技能、研究活动和国际合作方面解决了联合国可持续发展目标（SDG）。