The Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, is leading a high-level delegation to the Unites States of America (USA) from 18 to 21 June 2013 for a series of meetings aimed at strengthening cooperation in science and technology between South Africa and the USA.
A specific focus of the visit will be on cooperation in astronomy and space science. South African radio astronomers already enjoy thriving cooperation with their counterparts in the USA, e.g. on the internationally acclaimed PAPER (Precision Array to Probe the Epoch of Reionization) project, involving South Africa's Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Project Office and partners from United States National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the University of Virginia and the University of California, Berkeley.
Minister Hanekom will give feedback on the progress of the global SKA project – the world's largest radio telescope, which will be built in sub-Saharan Africa and Australia.
He will hold a number of bilateral meetings, including with Dr John Holdren, Senior Science and Technology Advisor to President Obama; Dr Robert Hormats, the US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment; and members of the US Congress and Senate. Given South Africa's extensive cooperation with the USA's National Institutes of Health (NIH) in health research and innovation, for example in the fight against poverty-related diseases, the Minister will also be meeting with the heads of several NIH centres.
Minister Hanekom will deliver a keynote address in Washington tomorrow morning at an industry symposium on "Innovation for Competitive Economies".
He will also be visiting the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in Washington, DC, to explore cooperation opportunities, including opportunities for the South African National Space Agency.
He is supported by the Director-General of Science and Technology, Dr Phil Mjwara, and Dr Bernie Fanaroff, Director of the SKA Project Office in South Africa.
For more information, please contact:
Nthabi Maoela
Cell: 082 944 0015
