About RATT

The Rhodes Centre for Radio Astronomy Techniques & Technologies (RATT) was established in 2012 around the eponymous SKA (SARChI) Research Chair awarded to Rhodes. RATT’s mission is to conduct world-class research into novel radio astronomy calibration, imaging, data analysis algorithms, software and techniques that are urgently required to maximize the science yield of the next generation of radio telescopes such as MeerKAT and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

In 2023, RATT was honoured to receive the prestigious NRF Science Team award.

MeerKAT antennas

South Africa To the World!

With the MeerKAT telescope inaugurated in 2018, and the construction of SKA-Mid soon to begin at the same site in the Karoo desert, South African radio astronomy is entering a new era. Techniques and technologies are becoming more important than ever.

RATT is at the forefront of research into the algorithms and techniques which will be needed for the data intensive radio astronomy of the SKA era.

People

RATT consists of a diverse group of astronomers, astrophysicists and engineers from the SKA partner countries within Africa and around the world.

We work closely with the Radio Astronomy Research group of SARAO, as well as with other university groups around the country.

S.K.A Organisation map

Interested in joining RATT?

An astronomy background is not a requirement to get involved at RATT. We're also looking to attract graduate students, post-docs and collaborators with a background in mathematics and/or physics and/or signal processing and/or computing science, or even just exceptional software skills. If you think you check off one or more of the items on this list, and you'd like to get involved with giant radio telescopes and work on some of the most interesting problems in instrumental astronomy, please reach out!

Recent Posts