INTERESTED IN JOINING THE GROUP?
South African scientists are playing a leading role in developing the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). A large component of the SKA will be built in the Northern Cape. The SKA will open a new window that will allow us to study the properties of the Universe over the 14 billion years of its existence. This international scientific experiment will dramatically extend our knowledge of how stars and galaxies formed and how they have evolved since the Universe was much younger. It will also help shed further light on some of the biggest questions in science, questions such as: “Is Einstein’s theory of gravity complete?” and “How did life start in the Universe?”
The Department of Physics & Astronomy at UWC is internationally recognised for its research in cosmology and astronomy. The South African precursor to the SKA, MeerKAT, is operational and will soon start generating exciting science results. UWC researchers are playing a leading role in the development of various large galaxy surveys that will be carried out with MeerKAT. There are opportunities to join us from undergraduate to postdoctoral level.
UNDERGRADUATE/ HONOURS BURSARIES
Can you see yourself being part of this, the biggest science endeavour in astronomy, ever? If so, then why not apply for an SKA-funded undergraduate scholarship?
Each year, at the undergraduate level, the Department of Physics and Astronomy aims to offer up to four full bursaries that cover all of a student’s tuition fees, as well as reasonable living expenses. These bursaries are offered in partnership with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). The aim is to support students applying to UWC to study towards a B.Sc. degree in Physics with Mathematics. To be eligible, a student must have received a Senior Certificate with matriculation endorsement. Furthermore, excellent final marks for Physical Science and Mathematics are required.
Scholarships are awarded for up to 4 years, covering the durations of the undergraduate and honours degrees. Successful applicants will receive additional support in terms of computing equipment as necessary (e.g., laptops). All funded students are expected to be highly engaged with various SARAO-related activities (e.g., SARAO conferences/workshops).
Direct queries can be sent to Dr Ed Elson (drelson.e.c@gmail.com). Potential candidates will be contacted and interviewed telephonically, and will be required to provide a certified copy of their final matric results. Students must be South African citizens.
MSc AND PhD SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2024 CENTRE FOR RADIO COSMOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE DEADLINE: 5 June 2023
The CRC is offering MSc and PhD scholarships for 2024. Successful applicants will be supervised by the team of CRC staff – Prof Ed Elson, Prof Lerothodi Leeuw, Dr Michelle Lochner, Prof Roy Maartens, Dr Siyambonga Matshawule, Prof Mario Santos, Prof Russ Taylor – on cutting-edge projects described briefly below. The available topics cover the Key Science goals of the SKA in cosmology and galaxy evolution – which are closely linked to the science goals of the major upcoming optical/ infrared surveys, such as DESI, Rubin/LSST and Euclid.
Students also have the possibility to be co-supervised by visiting professors Romeel Davé and Alkistis Pourtsidou (University of Edinburgh), Andrew Baker (Rutgers University), Matt Jarvis (Oxford University), Chris Clarkson (Queen Mary University of London), Stefano Camera (University of Turin), Phil Bull (University of Manchester) and Jingying Wang (Shanghai AO).
Students have opportunities to spend time in institutions abroad, in particular the ones just mentioned. Our research depends critically on data science and CRC students have access to the resources of our partner IDIA (Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy) at UWC (www.idia.ac.za).
For more details on how to apply, click below.
Latest Opportunities:
- SARAO/UWC SCIENCE OPERATIONS POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPSARAO and UWC are offering an exciting postdoctoral opportunity for a researcher interested ingaining experience in the science operations of the MeerKAT telescope. In this role, the successful candidates will support MeerKAT telescope operations, its users, and havethe opportunity to carry out their own research (up to 50 %). The SKA precursor MeerKAT is a …
- POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS CENTRE FOR RADIO COSMOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE, CAPE TOWNThe Centre for Radio Cosmology at the University of the Western Cape invites applications fora postdoctoral fellowship in areas of research relevant to its faculty members. These include:observational and theoretical Cosmology related to MeerKAT/SKAO and its synergies withother telescopes (with particular emphasis on the MeerKAT HI intensity mapping project), HIgalaxy science, machine learning, and radio …
- HONOURS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2024 CENTRE FOR RADIO COSMOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE DEADLINE: 16 October 2023The Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC) in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at UWC isinternationally recognised for its research in cosmology and galaxy evolution with MeerKAT, theSquare Kilometre Array (SKA) and other telescopes (see astro.uwc.ac.za for further details). In 2023, the CRC research team includes 24 PhD/ MSc students and 11 postdoctoral fellows.Postgraduate students …
- MSc AND PhD SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2024 CENTRE FOR RADIO COSMOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE DEADLINE: 5 June 2023The Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC) at UWC is internationally recognised for its research in cosmology and galaxy evolution with MeerKAT, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and other telescopes (see astro.uwc.ac.za for further details). In 2023, the CRC research team includes 24 PhD/ MSc students and 11 postdoctoral fellows. Postgraduate students at the CRC work …
- CRC MSc AND PhD BURSARIES FOR 2023 
DEADLINE: 6 June 2022 The Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC) at UWC is internationally recognised for its research in cosmology and galaxy evolution with MeerKAT, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and other telescopes (see astro.uwc.ac.za for further details). In 2022, the CRC research team includes 21 PhD/ MSc students and 11postdoctoral fellows. Postgraduate students at the CRC work in a friendly and highly active … - 2022 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS AT THE CENTRE FOR RADIO COSMOLOGY
The Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC) at UWC is internationally recognised for its research in cosmology using MeerKAT and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). CRC faculty are involved in other MeerKAT and SKA key science, as well as in HERA, HIRAX and the Rubin Observatory (LSST). In 2021, the UWC Astro Group consists of 25 …