CONTACT - FINAL SPRINT BEFORE SKA OBSERVATORY LAUNCH LET'S TALK ABOUT... THE ORIGINS OF LIFE - Square Kilometre Array
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
CONTACT ISSUE O6 DECEMBER 2020 FINAL SPRINT BEFORE SKA OBSERVATORY LAUNCH LET’S TALK ABOUT... THE ORIGINS OF LIFE DELIVERING A ‘SOFTWARE TELESCOPE’
CONTENTS
06 09
SKA Global HQ corridors were sadly empty for much of this year due to the pandemic COVID-19 workplace procedures,
risk assessments and controls recently got the stamp of approval from the British Safety Council (BSC).
12 25 28
FOREWORD INSIGHT
18 Delivering a ‘software telescope’ Dear Friends and Colleagues,
03 Prof. Philip Diamond, SKA Director-General
21 Trouble in the skies? – An interview on 2020 – what a year! If you cast your mind back, • December 2019 – March 2020: successful
satellite mega-constellations the big news at the beginning of the year was SKA1 critical design review;
IN BRIEF
the Australian bushfires; we all felt for family, • March 2020: successful operations review;
04 Remembering Nichi D’Amico PATHFINDERS friends and colleagues in Australia and didn’t
• April 2020: successful, external, cost audit;
think things could get much worse. Well, it looks
04 Uncovering the birthplaces of planets with the SKA 24 LOFAR contributes to new solar eruption warning system different now! In January the WHO announced • June 2020: South Africa ratifies;
05 Teams ready for SKA Science Data Challenge 2 24 CHIME detection may resolve mysterious origin of FRBs
that a deadly coronavirus had been detected, I • July 2020: successful business-enabling
don’t think any of us (except the epidemiologists review;
05 Towards SKA Regional Centres - the Portuguese case 25 First direct detection of a brown and pandemic experts) understood what that • September 2020: Australia ratifies the
06 CSIRO’s iconic Parkes radio telescope dwarf with a radio telescope meant – we do now. We’re living with the global Convention;
given Indigenous name impact of COVID-19 and will be for some time to
26 ASKAP creates ‘Google Map’ of the Universe • September 2020: the SKA Board of Directors
07 Monitoring wildfires in Portugal with come, although it is wonderful to see the rapid
27 Upgraded GMRT gives new insights development and roll out of vaccines; let us hope
endorses the SKA1 Construction Proposal
SKA-related technology (CP) and the Observatory Establishment and
into galaxy evolution 2021 sees a return to a normal world.
07 UK fellowship awarded to expand LOFAR research Delivery Plan (OEDP);
The world of politics in 2020 has been fascinating • December 2020: Italy, Portugal and the UK
TEAM SKA and worrying, with a hugely visible presidential ratify the Convention;
FOCUS ON election in the USA – and significant threats to
28 Prof.Tao An – Head of SKA group at • December 2020: the Council Preparatory
democracy, although it is good to see the checks
08 F
inal sprint before SKA Observatory launch Shanghai Astronomical Observatory
and balances working. For those of us in the UK,
Task Force completes its 19th and final
meeting and passes its final report and
09 The SKA Observatory: our future and our European neighbours, Brexit has been a
numerous policies to the SKAO Council for
EVENTS show that has been painful to watch. The world
approval.
woke up, yet again, to the need to fight endemic
LET’S TALK ABOUT 32 Workshop: Heritage, History and Indigenous Astronomy racism with the explosion of the Black Lives Achieving all of these milestones is testament to
32 Matter movement; and saw sexism and misogyny the highly professional team at SKA Organisation
10 The origins of life Workshop: Tackling research accessibility
and across our partner institutes; it is an
tackled but not yet beaten on various fronts.
33 A
nnouncing the 2021 SKA science conference enormous body of work and I congratulate all
On a more parochial and much more positive staff and colleagues, all of whom contributed to
FEATURED IMAGE
note, after an extremely good year for the SKA,
NEWS & JOBS this achievement.
12 Goodbye to Arecibo we end it the best possible way with a Note
2021 will see an equally auspicious year for the
34 N
ews Roundup / Partner Publications Verbale from the Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office informing us that the SKA SKA, with the birth of the SKAO in January, to
HQ CORNER 35 S
KA Jobs Observatory Convention will officially enter into be celebrated at its first Council meeting. This
force on 15 January 2021, marking the start of a will be followed soon thereafter by the formal
14 2 minutes with… Dr Sheila Kanani – Outreach & new era in the SKA history. transition from the SKA Organisation to SKAO
Diversity Officer, Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and then, hopefully, Council approval to begin
Previous editions of Contact, and our various
14 K eeping team spirit alive in the time of COVID-19 SKA construction. I also hope to see more
news items and press releases have covered
countries join the Observatory as Members.
15 Marking Black History Month the various milestones this year, but it is worth
gathering them all in one place, because it is an I wish good health and good cheer to all of you,
15 Nigeria’s first radio astronomer impressive story: the SKA family, as we end 2020, with a bright
16 SKAO procurement preparations ramping up • August 2019: The Netherlands ratifies the light in front of us for 2021.
17 Two years of agile software development at SKA SKA Observatory Convention; Prof. Philip Diamond, SKA Director-General
2 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 3
IN BRIEF
IN MEMORY OF TEAMS READY FOR SKA
NICOLÒ D’AMICO SCIENCE DATA CHALLENGE 2
(1953 – 2020) BY SKAO
Registration is complete for the SKA
Science Data Challenge 2, with around
BY ANDREA POSSENTI (INAF) his key role
30 teams taking part from more than 60
in the Parkes
Multibeam institutions all over the world.
The completely unexpected and sudden death of Prof. Nicolò
D’Amico (Palermo 1953 – Soleminis 2020), President of the surveys (1998-
The challenge will see teams analyse a
Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), has been an 2004), which
1 terabyte (TB) simulated SKA HI data
irreparable loss for the Italian astrophysics community and doubled the number
cube, using their own software tools to
beyond, and left a huge void in all the many people who, like of catalogued pulsars
identify and determine the properties
me, had the privilege to work with him. During the years of his and led to the discovery
of galaxies across a distance of four
Presidency, Prof. D’Amico fully exploited his natural aptitude of the still unique double pulsar
billion light years.
to synthesise all the received suggestions into a precise vision PSR J0737−3039. That made him one of the recipients of
for the development of astrophysics: to maximise the quality the prestigious “Descartes Prize” for outstanding European An international network of high-
of the research, and to make that a flywheel of growth, while scientific collaborations in 2005, among other prizes. Prof. performance computing centres are “The external SRC network will be Feedback from participants and the
paying special attention to education, outreach activities and D’Amico meanwhile obtained a full professorship at the a crucial element to the challenge, how the SKA Observatory interacts computing centres will be used to
science communication. He was the voting member for Italy University of Cagliari and became director of the local providing access, processing and with our user community, so beginning further inform work on the SRC model.
in the SKA Board of Directors, and thanks to his remarkable Astronomical Observatory and, later, director of the project storage for the data. This is similar to put this idea into practice via the SKAO is also encouraging best practice
managerial capabilities, coupled with an always crystal-clear for the construction of the Sardinia Radio Telescope. In to how the SKA Observatory will Data Challenge is an important step by working with the UK-based Software
and sound approach to the world of the institutions, he was autumn 2015, he was nominated President of INAF, and he disseminate the telescopes’ data in demonstrating how this will work Sustainability Institute to give awards to
the main actor in securing the long-term Italian funding for the was confirmed for a second term in December 2019, the first via SKA Regional Centres (SRCs) in effectively as a system,” says SKA teams that demonstrate reproducibility
project and in promoting SKA. president to be reconfirmed in the history of this prestigious the future. Science Director Dr Robert Braun. “It (using methods that can be replicated
Italian institution.
Graduating in Physics in 1977, only four years later Prof. has also strengthened links between by others to achieve the same results).
Eight facilities are involved, including
D’Amico, known as “Nichi”, was already “permanent” at these facilities. We’ve had their Reproducibility lies at the heart of the
two prototype SRCs: IRIS UK (part
the University of Palermo. After beginning with gamma-ray Above: Prof. Nichi D’amico during the second SKA IGO representatives together in a virtual SKA’s Open Science approach to its
of the UK Science and Technology
astronomy, a visit to CSIRO in Australia re-oriented his studies Negotiations meeting in January 2016 at the Accademia dei room discussing provision and access, future operations. Making software
Facilities Council), SKA France,
towards radio pulsars, the apex of which was reached with Lincei in Rome. which is something we have never had processing techniques open in this way
Shanghai proto-SRC, Australia
before now.” means they can also be built on for
proto-SRC, Italy’s National Institute
other, different purposes in the future.
UNCOVERING THE
for Astrophysics - Information and Through December teams will each be
Communications Technologies (ICT), given access to one of the computing
Institute for Astrophysics of Andalucía facilities, ready for the challenge to Above: Map of high-performance
BIRTHPLACES OF PLANETS (IAA) in Spain, ENGAGE-SKA in
Portugal, and the Swiss National
Supercomputing Centre (CSCS).
formally kick off on 15 January. The
results are due to be announced in July
computing centres involved in SDC2.
Eight facilities are involved, including
two prototype SRCs.
WITH THE SKA
2021.
BY HILARY KAY (THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER – UK SKA)
TOWARDS SKA REGIONAL
Advancing our understanding of how habitable planets form is one of the key science drivers of the SKA telescopes. Now a
team of astronomers, led by Dr John Ilee at the University of Leeds in the UK, has performed the first investigation into the
capability of the SKA-Mid telescope to observe the structure of protoplanetary discs, the birthplace of planets.
CENTRES - THE PORTUGUESE CASE
As planets form from the collision and coalescence of dust Read more in our Let’s talk about... the origins of life article on BY DOMINGOS BARBOSA AND SONIA ANTÓN (INSTITUTO DE TELECOMUNICAÇÕES)
particles, they create structure in the disk, carving out pages 10 and 11.
concentric gaps at their location. Analysis of this structure can SKA software development and prototyping work on the SKA Regional Centres will be bolstered by a new
provide crucial information on the composition of the disk and Centre of Competence in Advanced Computing.
the properties of the planets themselves. Dr Ilee’s team has
created a model of a protoplanetary disk similar to the famous Currently under commissioning, the The Centre of Competence is part of Telecomunicações (IT) focusing on 5G,
HL Tau star-disk system, which they have used to simulate the centre is installed at the University of the National Advanced Computing SKA and the local Software Bridging
observations that will be obtained by the SKA-Mid telescope Aveiro (UA) in Portugal. The new centre Network and acts as a gateway to its Teams and space science projects.
when it is fully operational. is the result of a cooperation protocol supercomputing centres, with the high “Aveiro has internationally recognised
signed on 9 November between UA storage capacity and state-of-the-art expertise in highly relevant areas,
The team has confirmed that SKA-Mid will be able to detect and the Foundation for Science and software and visualisation hardware for ranging from communications and
emission from centimetre-sized pebbles, allowing them to Technology (FCT) as part of the national Big Data analysis. These capacities will security to Big Data and artificial
analyse the structure created in the disk as planets form, strategy InCODe 2030, and was be key ingredients to the prototype intelligence,” said João Paulo Barraca,
shedding light on a crucial step in the formation of planets. inaugurated in the presence of Manuel Portuguese SKA Regional Centre that is from IT and DETI-UA. “This centre
As a result of its large field of view, SKA-Mid will be able Heitor, Portugal’s Minister of Science, currently being developed by ENGAGE opens new avenues to pursue first
to observe dozens of protoplanetary disks simultaneously, Technology and Higher Education. SKA researchers at UA. In the near class science, and joint industry and
providing robust tests of planet formation. “Understanding Simulated SKA-Mid observations (Band 5b, 67 mas) of a This milestone will strengthen national future, the Centre will receive a strong academia innovation actions, as well as
how the raw material for planet formation behaves is essential protoplanetary disk host to three giant planets (left), with a scientific production in areas involving boost from the European Commission. a stronger training environment to its
if we are to understand how planetary systems, like our own representation of our own Solar System on the same scale advanced digital skills, such as artificial alumni.”
Solar System, come into existence. SKA-Mid will allow us to (right). Credit: John D. Ilee, University of Leeds (Ilee et al. The inauguration was followed by a
intelligence and Big Data.
observe this clearly for the first time,” Dr Ilee says. 2020, MNRAS, 498, 5116). presentation at Instituto de
4 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 5
IN BRIEF
MONITORING WILDFIRES IN PORTUGAL
WITH SKA-RELATED TECHNOLOGY
BY DOMINGOS BARBOSA AND MIGUEL BERGANO (ENGAGE-SKA,
INSTITUTO DE TELECOMUNICAÇÕES)
One of the major hazards in Portugal is wild forest fires. Fires
have great economic impact and pose a serious life threat to
communities.
The improvement of real-time fire According to
monitoring and fire mapping has Alexandra Moutinho,
become a top national priority following Principal investigator
the extreme incidents and loss of life of the Eye in the Sky
of the last few years. To tackle fire project, “our aim is to
prevention, a new project called Eye develop a platform for
in the Sky is using a combination of Earth observation that
information technologies developed fills the gap between
for the SKA (such as cloud computing the large but time-
technologies and communication constrained coverage
technologies for infrastructure provided by satellites, Diagram of Eye in the Sky
management and device control) by and the on-demand
the ENGAGE-SKA team at Instituto local coverage provided by drones. control systems combined with modern
de Telecomunicações (IT), with high The autonomy and long range of our radio technologies enable reliable and
CSIRO’S ICONIC PARKES altitude balloons (HAB) equipped
with observation and communications
payloads and unmanned aerial vehicles
solution makes it an interesting one
for environmental monitoring missions
like wildfire detection or oceanic
real-time secure communication of
critical forest fire data.”
RADIO TELESCOPE
Eye in the Sky is a collaboration
(UAV) responsible for the payload’s observation.”
between the Mechanical Engineering
precise positioning above fire fronts.
As IT Auxiliary Researcher Miguel Institute at IST Lisbon, the Association
GIVEN INDIGENOUS NAME It aims to improve the reliability
of information for ground-based
Bergano adds: “Information
technologies developed for
for the Development of Industrial
Aerodynamics (ADAI) at University
firefighting crews and provides real-time fundamental research projects like of Coimbra and IT. It is funded by
BY DR STACY MADER (CSIRO) geotagged imagery to decision-making the SKA also enable applications with Portuguese national funds through
centres that coordinate the fighting wider socio-economic benefits. Here, FCT, the Foundation for Science and
To mark Australia’s NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) week, where the culture and resources. technologies developed for the SKA’s Technology.
achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples are celebrated, CSIRO’s famous Parkes radio telescope was given
a traditional name by local Wiradjuri Elders.
The 64-metre telescope, an SKA pathfinder, is located on
Wiradjuri country in New South Wales, about 380km west of
Wiradjuri Elder Dr Stan Grant AM revealed the names. “This
is a very proud day for our people and something that has
UK FELLOWSHIP AWARDED
Sydney.
During a naming ceremony it received the name Murriyang,
been coming for a long time,” said Dr Grant. “The naming of
the telescope is one of the biggest things to happen to our TO EXPAND LOFAR
RESEARCH
people,” referring to when as a young boy, it was illegal for
which represents the ‘Skyworld’ where a prominent creator
the Wiradjuri to speak their language in public.
spirit of the Wiradjuri Dreaming, Biyaami (Baiame), lives. Two
smaller telescopes at the Parkes Observatory also received Over two years, CSIRO’s local Parkes staff worked in
Wiradjuri names. collaboration with Wiradjuri Elders, the NSW Aboriginal BY HILARY KAY (THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER – UK SKA)
Education Consultative Group and the North West Wiradjuri
Language and Culture NEST on the telescope naming project. Dr Leah Morabito, an Assistant Council (STFC). hole
“Science is the search for truth, often we think we are the Professor at Durham University in the activity
During her career, Dr Morabito has
first to discover it, but much of the knowledge we seek was UK, has been awarded a prestigious at the
developed specialised data processing
discovered long before us,” said CSIRO Chief Executive Dr UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) centre of
techniques for the Low Frequency
Larry Marshall. “We’re honoured that the Wiradjuri Elders Future Leaders Fellowship to continue these galaxies
Array (LOFAR) to achieve the highest
have given traditional names to our telescopes at Parkes, to her research into galaxy evolution, one on the growth of stars, paving the way
resolution images at low frequencies,
connect them with the oldest scientific tradition in the world.” of the science drivers for the SKA. for future surveys with the SKA.
which are crucial in investigating active
The Parkes telescopes join CSIRO’s Australian SKA Pathfinder Originally from the United States, Dr supermassive black holes in distant ”I’m really excited because this
(ASKAP) in Western Australia in being given traditional names. Morabito began her career in the US galaxies. Dr Morabito’s Future Leaders fellowship will allow me to build a
Each of ASKAP’s 36 dishes at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Air Force before moving to Leiden Fellowship secures an immediate diverse team to unlock the secrets of
Observatory has a name selected by the local Wajarri Yamatji University in the Netherlands to leadership role for her in fully enabling supermassive black holes and how
community. complete her PhD and subsequently and exploiting SKA pathfinder LOFAR’s important they are in galaxy evolution.
becoming a Hintze Fellow at the transformational imaging resolution We’ll use an SKA pathfinder to develop
Read more here. in grand-scale low-frequency sky techniques and talent for the future,”
University of Oxford in the UK. She
is a member of the UK SKA Science surveys, that will remain unrivalled Dr Morabito says.
Committee, which acts as a liaison for the foreseeable future. Zooming
Telescopes at CSIRO’s Parkes Observatory received in on the radio emission from tens of
Wiradjuri names at a ceremony on 8 November 2020. between the SKA Organisation and the Dr Leah Morabito, Durham University
wider UK science community, through thousands of galaxies will provide an
Credit: C. Watson/CSIRO. unprecedented opportunity to measure Credit: Leah Morabito, Durham
the Science and Technology Facilities University
the influence of supermassive black
6 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 7
FOCUS ON
FINAL SPRINT BEFORE
SKA OBSERVATORY LAUNCH
BY SKAO
After years of international negotiations and 18 months
of ratifications, the SKA Observatory (SKAO) can now
The Convention,
officially be established. The positive conclusion to
held in the
2020 follows a flurry of activity which saw Australia,
HQ’s Council
Portugal and the United Kingdom ratify within weeks
Chamber, starts
of each other.
with a preamble
The UK’s confirmation of their for Industry, highlighting
THE SKA OBSERVATORY:
ratification on 16 December meant the Science and fundamental
threshold of five countries including Technology principles of the
all three hosts had been achieved the Hon Karen Observatory
(exceeded, in fact, with six ratifications
in total). This kicked off a 30-day
notification period after which the
Andrews MP
describing
the SKA project as a “great example of contributed with several key computing
OUR FUTURE
SKA Observatory will formally come how science and technology can drive infrastructures designed to support the BY PROF. PHILIP DIAMOND, SKA DIRECTOR-GENERAL
into being and the first Council of the industry forward, to grow our economy wider Portuguese scientific community.
SKA Observatory, governing body and create the jobs of tomorrow”. A large share of their compute time
What will be the philosophy and ethos fundamental science and technology, other astronomy/scientific organisations
representing the Member States, can Australia has a long history of leading will be open to society for studies as
of SKAO? We have an opportunity to to educate the next generation, to help to ensure the health of our profession.
meet. The first Council is now expected in radio astronomy. As well as ASKAP diverse as fire monitoring, precision
build a 21st century observatory and strengthen STEM skills and to ensure We rely on a strong user community
to take place in early 2021. and MWA, it is also home to the iconic agriculture, and the COVID-19
inter-governmental organisation from we maintain a strong user community. and strong radio astronomy institutes
Parkes telescope, an SKA pathfinder pandemic, a prime example of radio
As we bow out of 2020, almost all the the ground up; to establish a culture We must also work with our partners in our member nations for SKAO to
and the second largest steerable radio astronomy’s wider impact in society.
founding members of SKAO are in that will last for decades. to ensure that technologies and other prosper.
telescope in the southern hemisphere.
place: Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Finally, on Wednesday 16 December, innovations developed for the SKA
First, we should establish the mission of I am also determined that SKAO
Portugal, South Africa and the UK. The came the announcement that the deliver impact and benefit society.
SKAO. For me, that can be captured in will continue the tradition of SKA
seventh country to have signed the United Kingdom had ratified the If 2020 has shown us anything, it is
the following brief paragraph: Organisation as a world-class employer
SKA treaty, China, is expected to ratify Convention. Jodrell Bank, Home to SKA that the world needs science and and partner. We will continue to offer
early next year, as well as Sweden Global Headquarters, was recognised The SKA Observatory’s mission is, technology more than ever, and we in an attractive, welcoming and inclusive
and India, who took part as a UNESCO World Heritage Site through a global collaboration, to radio astronomy must do our part. environment, treating everyone with
in the negotiations in 2019 for its contributions to radio build and operate cutting-edge radio
We also have a responsibility to our fairness and respect. We have and will
but did not sign at astronomy. It is the central hub of the telescopes to answer fundamental
user community to ensure that they can continue to enhance a strong policy
the time. Other UK’s e-MERLIN national facility. This questions about our Universe.
produce transformational science using on equality, diversity and inclusion;
current members network of seven radio telescopes
To deliver on this mission, SKAO, with the SKA. To that end, we must do all we it will be embedded within the DNA
of the SKA spread across the UK (including the
its distributed workforce, must operate can to build the first phase of the SKA of the Observatory and its staff: we
Organisation iconic 76m Lovell Telescope) together
as a single, integrated facility. This can on schedule and within budget. This is do and will ‘walk the walk’. We will
are also form an SKA pathfinder instrument.
be summarised by the mantra under always a challenge for such high-tech, continue to foster a culture of creativity,
following UK institutions supported by the
which we have developed our joint world-first facilities, but we believe we innovation and professional excellence,
their own Science and Technology Facilities
thinking over the last years: “The SKA have a well-crafted CP with appropriate allowing ideas to thrive to deliver
path towards Council (STFC) led the SKA’s Science
will be one Observatory, with two budgetary and time contingencies. We value to our staff and community. We
accession to Data Processor and Signal and Data
Portugal’s ratification was announced telescopes, on three continents, all must also ensure, with our members, will continue to work with our global
SKAO and it Transport engineering design consortia.
on 11 December at a virtual event working as an integrated whole”. that the tools and SKA Regional partners and local stakeholders in
is expected attended by Minister of Science, “The ambition of the Square Kilometre a spirit of collaboration and mutual
they will join We have committed to build a Centre infrastructure is delivered to
Technology and Higher Education Array is one of the most important maximise the impact of SKA science. respect, recognising their roles as key
the Observatory Manuel Heitor. “Portugal’s participation sustainable Observatory; this must lie at
scientific endeavours of our generation I am also committed to working with participants in the project.
in the course of in the SKA programme and the fact the heart of any 21st century scientific
that could open up unprecedented the members to deliver a well-funded
next year. facility. To do this we must be seen as a Finally, and vitally, we will continue
that Portugal is a founding member opportunities for astronomers across Observatory Development Programme,
of the SKA Observatory opens new leader and act as an exemplar in all our with the establishment of strong
“To end this difficult the world,” said UK Science Minister which will drive continual development
opportunities for young people, actions. As such, we will ensure that our relationships with the Indigenous
year on such a positive Amanda Solloway. “The UK is proudly of technology, techniques, data
researchers, astronomy professionals actions always consider sustainability, communities around the telescope
note, with all the necessary steps home to the SKA headquarters and processing and analysis so that SKA
and amateurs in Portugal to be involved we will ensure that we minimise our sites, building on the initiatives our
completed for the SKA Observatory today’s milestone brings us one
impact on the environment and, as you remains at the forefront of world partner organisations in Australia and
in one of the most revolutionary step closer to constructing these
Convention to enter into force, is a will see in the Construction Proposal astronomy and science. South Africa have initiated and using
scientific cooperation initiatives at sophisticated telescopes that will
testament to the determination of those (CP) and the Observatory Establishment these as an inspiration to make sure
a global level,” said Manuel Heitor, enable our scientists to explore the It is my ambition to establish SKAO as
across the SKA to keep things moving and Delivery Plan, we will do our part our journey benefits them as well; we
Portuguese Minister of Science, universe in more detail than ever before the world-leader in radio astronomy.
no matter the obstacles,” says SKA in delivering on the UN’s Sustainable will acknowledge and understand their
Technology and Education. – potentially expanding our knowledge We will be the world’s largest
Director-General Prof. Philip Diamond. Development Goals. culture and history; we will provide
(Read more on Prof. Diamond’s vision of astronomy.” observatory; we will have a truly global
Portuguese involvement in SKAO will opportunities for development and be
for the SKA Observatory on the I am always very conscious that we membership, and we should use that
be managed by the Portuguese Space seen as a world-class custodian of local
following pages.) require the support and goodwill of and our influence with our partner
Agency, Portugal Space, while ENGAGE heritage.
SKA, a national radio astronomy the taxpayers in our member countries governments to ensure global radio
Australia, future home of the SKA-Low Left: A certified copy of the SKA and so we must ensure that we and astronomy remains strong. As part of With these elements of an SKAO
research infrastructure bringing
telescope, announced its ratification Convention is held at the SKA Global our partners do all we can to inform that strategy, we will seek opportunities culture we can build an Observatory
together universities and industry, has
at the end of September, with Minister Headquarters. the public of the importance of to collaborate with radio astronomy and for the 21st century.
8 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 9
LET’S TALK ABOUT
“Every molecule has its own unique fingerprint, made up of a observed by SKA are needed to detect pebbles, which will
collection of signals at different wavelengths - this is caused reveal the birth-sites of exoplanets. This will also give us
by molecules being excited into different energy levels, and more clues about how our own Solar System formed.”
in the cold regions it’s caused by the molecules rotating.
Radio telescopes can search all these wavelengths, a bit like
an old analogue radio searching for different channels. If all
the wavelengths from a given molecule can be found, then DID YOU KNOW?
the molecule is definitely present in space,” Izaskun explains.
Even here on Earth some organisms – known as
Because they are made of more atoms, COMs are larger extremophiles – can flourish in environments humans
than simple molecules so they rotate slower, resulting in
LET’S TALK ABOUT…
would consider extreme, without oxygen, under
centimetre wavelengths, which lie within the frequency extremely high pressure, buried in the ice or under
ranges covered by the SKA. intense heat. One of the best known is the tardigrade,
THE ORIGINS OF LIFE “The SKA also has the potential to become a great COM
detector because, for astrochemists, centimetre wavelengths
which can survive temperatures from -200 to 150°C,
being deprived of water and oxygen, pressure six times
greater than the deepest ocean, and a host of other
are much ‘cleaner’ than millimetre wavelengths, which tend
BY CASSANDRA CAVALLARO (SKAO) to be crowded with these smaller, simpler molecules. This, discomforts.
together with the high sensitivity of the SKA, will help us to Read more in this National Geographic article.
The apparent detection of phosphine in the clouds of Venus made headlines around the world in September. While the identify new prebiotic molecules in space - molecules which
result is proving contentious among scientists, it turned the spotlight onto astrobiology, the study of how, when, and under have never been detected before beyond Earth.”
what conditions life may form in the Universe.
Finding the molecules is one thing, but for life to eventually
In astronomy, observing how other worlds form and how as methanol (CH3OH). COMs are exciting for astronomers form requires a habitable home. That’s why understanding
life may emerge on them is part of ‘Cradle of Life’ studies, a because they could, given the right set of conditions, lead to planet formation is crucial to Cradle of Life studies. Since the discovery of the first exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like
field that spans many specialisms. Our brief expedition into life forming. star in 1995 (for which Prof. Michel Mayor and Prof. Didier
And before a planet, must come a star. As a star forms, a
this broad topic focuses on two aspects: planet formation Queloz were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics),
“Contrary to what people might think, these molecules are collection of dust and gas debris is left swirling around it,
and the search for the building blocks of life. Let’s start with studies have focused on their potential habitability, based on
ubiquitous in the Universe and can be found in many different creating a protoplanetary disk. There’s still a lot that we
those building blocks. whether a planet lies in a zone where water can exist in liquid
astronomical objects, ranging from the coldest regions of don’t know about the process, but it’s believed that these
form. Part of the surprise surrounding the Venus phosphine
“Carl Sagan once said: ‘We are all made of stardust.’ And he the interstellar medium [the dust and gas that fills the spaces microscopic dust particles stick together, a bit like how a
announcement was that, on Earth, phosphine is associated
was right,” says Dr Izaskun Jimenez-Serra of Spain’s Centre between stars], to the dusty and dense cocoons of protostars, snowball becomes larger and larger, except in this case over
with biological processes, but Venus is considered
for Astrobiology, an expert in astrochemistry and former to harsh environments such as the centre of our galaxy,” says the course of a few million years.
inhospitable in the extreme: intensely hot, smothered by
chair of the SKA’s Cradle of Life Science Working Group. Izaskun. “COMs have been detected even in distant galaxies Radio telescopes can watch the process unfold by detecting an atmosphere of mainly carbon dioxide and with clouds
“Not only do the atoms that form our body come from old as far as seven billion light years away from us. This is exciting the signals emitted by these dust grains; smaller grains of sulphuric acid thrown in for good measure. If life were
stars; we currently believe that some organic compounds because it tells us that chemistry, and in particular complex emit shorter wavelengths, and larger grains emit longer to be found there, it would radically change our definition
key for the metabolism and biochemical processes in living organic chemistry, starts early on in the Universe.” wavelengths, making this a great example of multi- of hospitable, and of where life can emerge, but further
organisms could also have come from outer space, because Some of these COMs are “prebiotic” – precursors to those wavelength astronomy and the complementarity of different studies will be required to test and understand the results
they are known to form in interstellar space and they have which may have led to life. Among them are the molecular telescopes. before making that jump. The team behind the results have
been found in precursors to RNA, a similar molecule to the well-known themselves downplayed them since, due to questions over
meteorites.” The Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) the data processing methods used.
DNA (which carries the genetic information of every living in Chile has made huge advances in this field in recent years
We’re talking here organism). In fact, here on Earth some viruses, including by observing millimetre-sized dust grains as they begin to Irrespective of what’s happening on Venus, the Universe
about detecting COVID-19, replicate through RNA. coalesce. ALMA has been able to pinpoint for the first time a holds many more secrets on the origins of life, and the SKA
molecules in space. One theory which emerged in the 1960s (and is still location where a young planet is being born, provided high- is ideally placed to reveal them.
Molecules are being debated) sees RNA as the driving force behind the resolution images of disks to identify commonalities and
“The formation of planets and the viability of complex,
made of atoms – beginnings of life on Earth millions of years ago. It’s thought differences between them, and in 2014 released a stunning
prebiotic molecules, during their formation are two exciting
oxygen has two these prebiotic molecules could have become incorporated image of the disk around a young star which turned existing
areas where observations at centimetre wavelengths with
(O2), water has into comets and meteorites which intensively struck the thinking on its head.
the SKA will be crucial for significant advances in our
three (H2O). What Earth around four billion years ago, Izaskun says. The detailed image of the disk around HL Tauri, a million- understanding,” Tyler adds. “Locating the formation sites of
astronomers look
Of course, molecules are tiny, and most of the regions where year-old star (a relative baby in star terms), suggested the future planets, and understanding the evolution of complex
for are “complex
we study them are thousands of light years away. Luckily, early stages of planet formation were already under way. molecules in these environments, are key to understanding
organic molecules”
the natural emission from COMs in the cold reaches of outer Until then, it was thought the process was much slower, so how Earth formed, and the likelihood of life arising on other
(COMs), carbon-
space is of low energy, placing them in the radio band of the wouldn’t be visible in such young star systems. planets.”
based compounds
made of at least electromagnetic spectrum, making radio telescopes uniquely While ALMA deals with millimetre wavelengths, the SKA will
placed to detect them. ALMA’s high-
six atoms, such step in to fill the current gap in our knowledge of the next resolution
step in the process, observing larger pebbles in the disk. A image of the
The complex organic molecule hydroxylamine (NH2OH, in the image) and urea (NH2CONH2) were among those recently recent paper, co-authored by members of the SKA Cradle of
detected in the interstellar medium. These prebiotic molecules could have been part of the process that led to life on Earth protoplanetary
Life Science Working Group, showed that it will also make a disk surrounding
within theories of a primordial RNA-world. Credit: Nasa Spitzer Space Telescope, camera IRAC4 (8 micron) / Ben Mills / clearer picture of the rings that newly forming planets carve
PinClipart.com / Víctor M. Rivilla the young star HL
in protoplanetary disks, like an ice-breaker clearing a path Tauri, released in
through the sea. 2014. It revealed
“With the SKA it will be uniquely possible to witness this previously unseen
phase of planet assembly by observing at exactly those radio substructures in
EVERY MOLECULE HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE FINGERPRINT, the disk, and gaps
wavelengths that match the size of coalescing particles, from
MADE UP OF A COLLECTION OF SIGNALS AT DIFFERENT centimetre scales to metres; and with sufficient resolution which could be the
WAVELENGTHS. RADIO TELESCOPES CAN SEARCH ALL to watch the growth of planets in the habitable zone around result of planets
their parent stars,” says Dr Tyler Bourke, SKA Project forming.
THESE WAVELENGTHS, A BIT LIKE AN OLD ANALOGUE Credit: ALMA
Scientist and a co-author on the paper.
RADIO SEARCHING FOR DIFFERENT CHANNELS. (ESO/NAOJ/
“ALMA has revealed amazing structure in disks but is not NRAO)
Dr Izaskun Jimenez-Serra sensitive to objects bigger than dust; the longer wavelengths
10 11
FEATURED IMAGE
GOODBYE TO ARECIBO
For more than 50 years, Arecibo It was a sad end for a facility with such Contact (a particular favourite of many
explored the cosmos from Puerto an impressive scientific legacy. Among radio astronomers). It also helped
Rico, making countless discoveries its list of achievements, Arecibo to inspire many young scientists, as
and inspiring great affection from the was used to discover the first binary became clear when news of its planned
astronomical community. Sadly, 2020 pulsar system, a major breakthrough decommissioning sparked a flood of
marked the end of the road for this supporting Einstein’s theory on the reactions on Twitter under the hashtag
giant of radio astronomy. existence of gravitational waves, which #WhatAreciboMeansToMe.
went on to be awarded the Nobel Prize
First came the breakage of two of the “A giant has fallen,” says SKA Director-
for Physics in 1993. The telescope is
cables supporting Arecibo’s 900 tonne General Prof. Philip Diamond. “It is
also credited with the first discovery
instrument platform, which housed the very sad to see a superb facility bow
of an exoplanet orbiting a millisecond
telescope’s receivers above that iconic out in this way. This will be a difficult
pulsar in 1992, and the first detection
305m dish. The damage was extensive time for the Arecibo staff, our thoughts
of a repeating fast radio burst in 2016.
enough for the US National Science are with them.”
These are all areas of science that
Foundation, which operated Arecibo,
the SKA will probe further, so as a
to announce that the telescope would
pathfinder Arecibo really did pave the
be decommissioned, as it was deemed
way for the next generation of facilities.
too dangerous to attempt repairs. Less
than two weeks later, on 1 December, In-between all the science, Arecibo
the instrument platform came crashing also made appearances on the silver
down too, completely destroying the screen, featuring in the James Bond All images credited to Arecibo
telescope. film GoldenEye, and the sci-fi movie Observatory and NAIC.
12 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 13
HQ CORNER
2 MINUTES WITH...
DR SHEILA KANANI
KEEPING
OUTREACH & DIVERSITY
OFFICER, ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL TEAM SPIRIT
SOCIETY (RAS)
ALIVE IN
THE TIME OF
Dr Sheila Kanani recently gave a Speaker Series talk
to SKA HQ staff on equality, diversity and inclusion
COVID-19
(EDI) issues. The event was organised by SKAO’s
newly revamped EDI Working Group on the back of
Black History Month, marked each October in the UK.
SKAO HQ staff, like many of our colleagues
around the world, have spent much of
this year working from home. This brings
challenges for everyone regardless of their
personal circumstances, and many miss
MARKING
the camaraderie of our office environment:
running into people in the corridors, chatting
over coffee or sharing sweet treats to mark birthdays. In
NIGERIA’S
FIRST RADIO
BLACK
recent months SKAO’s Recreation Committee and others
have organised a series of events to recreate that friendly,
Credit: Sheila Kanani inclusive atmosphere virtually for staff and their families.
ASTRONOMER
Tell us about your role as Diversity Officer.
In September, the committee organised the annual
Macmillan Coffee Morning in aid of the UK charity HISTORY ADAPTED FROM ASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS,
MONTH
Each day is different – one day I might be writing a report Macmillan Cancer Support, raising more than £2,000 VOLUME 61, ISSUE 5, OCTOBER 2020
based on some survey findings, the next I might be in donations. Traditionally a great occasion to gather
delivering a careers session to 12-year-old Black, Asian together over hot drinks and cake, this year’s virtual event
Samuel Ejikeme Okoye (1939–2009) was
and Minority Ethnic (BAME) girls in an area with high had an added competitive edge, with staff voting for their
Equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI) is one of SKAO’s core the first Black African astronomer to
socio-economic deprivation! Together with my colleagues favourite creations rather than eating them. The winner was
values. With international staff from 20+ countries at the achieve a PhD in radio astronomy. He
I also run surveys and analyse data to work out what we a cupcake topped with an SKA dish!
SKA HQ it’s essential that everyone feels welcome, valued, did so at the University of Cambridge in
need to focus on, and pick diversity themes each year. The following month brought the spooky celebration and that we fully represent and celebrate the diversity of 1965, at the time when radio astronomy
of Halloween, and the creative challenge of a pumpkin people behind this global project. was beginning to reveal the high-
Why is it important for societies like the RAS and
carving contest for staff and their families. For many it energy universe. He went on to play a
indeed research institutions to talk about EDI? During Black History Month (BHM), which takes place every
was their first attempt at this annual tradition – an ideal major part in establishing astronomy in
Learned societies have a really positive part to play in EDI. opportunity to ‘upskill’ during the pandemic. There was October in the UK, SKAO took the opportunity to highlight Nigeria as both a discipline in itself and
Other organisations and universities can look to us for once again a space-themed victor: a pumpkin carved with Black voices in radio astronomy, and talked to members to drive development.
advice and we would also hope to provide a voice for the a ringed planet, stars and a rocket! of Team SKA about the importance of EDI efforts and
minorities who might not ‘fit in’ elsewhere. For changes to training within the workplace. With its global partnership But when Okoye started his career,
happen in EDI we need a ‘top down’ approach with buy- December in the UK brings icy temperatures and darker and sites in South Africa and outback Western Australia, the politicians and officials in his native
in from heads of departments and leaders in the field, evenings, making it perfect for the silliest fundraiser in the SKA is in a unique position among large-scale astronomy Nigeria believed that astronomy was
rather than the onus being on the individual. calendar, marked by workplaces, schools and community projects to focus on stories that have traditionally been an esoteric topic of little practical use
groups nationwide: Christmas Jumper Day. For a third under-represented in our field. As well as hearing personal (Okoye 1990). His sustained efforts to
Where do global research projects like the SKA fit into year, SKAO staff dug out their cosy knitwear embellished experiences in a feature on the SKA website, SKAO’s bring astronomy to Nigeria throughout
this conversation? with reindeer, Santa Claus and other festive motifs to raise EDI Working Group arranged a talk for SKA staff by Dr his career were repeatedly frustrated Sam Okoye at the 17th IAU
I think global projects are really exciting with regards to money for the international charity Save the Children, Sheila Kanani (see opposite), Diversity Officer at the Royal by lack of funding and practical General Assembly in Montreal,
EDI. We can get stuck in our bubbles, including in EDI, which carries out life-saving work in more than 100 Astronomical Society, outlining recent progress in this area support, but eventually, his employer Canada, in 1979. Credit: AIP
and forget what is actually out there! The issues and countries. and discussing the challenges ahead, and shared Dr Samuel the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Emilio Segrè Visual Archives,
Okoye’s remarkable story (see summary on the right). John Irwin Slide Collection
challenges in EDI in the UK might be completely different 2020 has kept many of us apart, but these small events started teaching astronomy and space
to those in other countries. By sharing what we’ve learned remind us that we are all part of the bigger SKA family, and as part of its undergraduate physics course; masters and
Marking BHM is part of a broader effort by the SKA
and what we’re doing, we can all help each other improve. that our sense of community still exists remotely and is very doctoral students followed. Nigeria developed a small space
Organisation’s EDI Working Group to ensure that our
much alive. programme, launching its first satellite in 1996. The Space
What would you say to someone reading this who values of equality and diversity are promoted, respected,
Research Centre at UNN which he founded was the forerunner
might be thinking “what can I do?” and backed by meaningful action at every opportunity.
of today’s Centre for Basic Space Research (CBSS) which
As SKA Director-General Prof. Philip Diamond said in a
If you’re an individual, look for “quick wins” so it doesn’t opened in 2001, part of the National Space and Development
statement on racism and discrimination in June: “Just
feel too overwhelming. Things like including your Agency set up by the Nigerian government in 1999.
writing these principles down is not enough, meaningful
pronouns in your email signature, joining a diversity
action is required, by me, by our team leaders and by all of Sam Okoye may have been the first Nigerian radio astronomer,
committee, becoming a diversity champion at work, or
SKAO’s staff.” but he was certainly not the last. His vision for astronomy as
taking courses like ‘mental health first aider’ training.
The SKA
If you organise events, be mindful of who you invite to an end in itself and as a tool for development – in Nigeria and
bake off for
speak - no more ‘manels’ please! If you are on an awards elsewhere – is finally being realized. Radio astronomy is taking
Macmillan
committee make sure the application process is open root across the continent, not least in South Africa, home to the
Coffee Morning
for people from all walks of life, and think about who SKA’s dishes. The UK-led Development in Africa through Radio
was won by
you celebrate and use as role models for your field. And Astronomy (DARA; dara-project.org) is aiming to produce a
Operations
don’t forget about accessibility. This year, because of the technologically savvy workforce through radio astronomy. And
Scientist Dr
pandemic, we’ve taken a lot of our work online, but that now Nsukka is the home of the West African regional centre
Shari Breen with
brings specific accessibility challenges, and we’ve also of the IAU’s Office of Astronomy for Development, setting the
her SKA dish
tried not to forget those who don’t have access to the seal on this remarkable turnaround in attitudes to astronomy.
cupcakes!
internet or a laptop.
Read Dr Okoye’s full profile here.
14 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 15
HQ CORNER
SKAO PROCUREMENT TWO YEARS OF
PREPARATIONS RAMPING UP AGILE SOFTWARE
BY ANDREA CASSON AND MAURIZIO MICCOLIS (SKAO) DEVELOPMENT AT SKA
One of the main activities for the project next year, based on our expected timeline of SKA construction starting on 1 July
2021, will be preparing, awarding and kicking-off the first half of the over 50 contracts needed to build the SKA. BY DR JUANDE SANTANDER-VELA (SKAO)
This activity is being led by the Member Industrial Liaison Officers It will also be an opportunity to assess It is already two years since we started our software development journey with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®)
Programmes team, but involves (ILOs) - our network of professionals readiness for contracting across the with our first Program Increment (PI) planning, PI1.
practically every business unit within acting as the interface between in- organisation as a whole, looking at our
SKAO and of course all Members country industry and SKAO - to support funding, staffing, processes, tools and In software development, agile practices approach The event was again a
who have been allocated contract their preparation and is actively being training and so involve Strategy, HR, IT, discovering requirements and developing solutions through
the collaborative effort of self-organising and cross-functional
success: we planned the
work for the execution of
DID YOU
work by the Council Preparatory Task updated by the project management Finance and Communications as well as
Force (CPTF). Our draft procurement team. the other teams already mentioned. An teams and their customer/end user. more than 129 Features! KNOW?
schedule, covering preparation and update of the procurement schedule Before that, the work
A lot of preparatory work has already In that first PI planning we had 55 people distributed across Hackathons (for
review of the contract document will again be shared with ILOs by the planned for PI8 was
happened this year with the writing five agile teams plus the SKAO software management and hacking marathon)
packs and running the Invitation to end of January 2021, by which time completed to our strict
of more than 20 Outline Procurement engineering teams, which were able to develop 15 Features
Tender (ITT) processes and associated we will have received refinement definition of “Done”, and are design sprint-
Plans each dealing with different parts (that’s what we call the chunks of work and functionality that
governance, has been shared with through the CPTF on the cash/in-kind resulted in the release of like events in
of the telescopes. The selection of we can develop in three months).
distributions across SKA1; consolidated 95% of the expected value which computer
NEC4 as the contract form meant that In early December we held PI9, which hosted 167 people - that is, we accomplished
all the project managers (who will run
the outcomes of the Progress Review; programmers and
received returns from our Software across 17 agile teams from across the SKA partnership, now 95% of our objectives. software developers
the construction contracts) and most of divided across two main parallel delivery tracks (what we call Note that we have been
Request for Information; and of course collaborate on
the engineers in the Programmes team Agile Release Trains in SAFe parlance), plus one shared- over 80% of value release
we hope that the Council will have specific projects,
participated in training alongside (well, services group that provides engineering and computing since PI2, which is unheard
met for the first time. Taken together
at least on Zoom) delegates from the support to teams across the two. This partitioning is required of in non-agile software the goal being to
these events should mean that many
Mission Assurance, Procurement, so that we can actually make sense of the planning! development for research create functioning
of our assumptions will have been
Legal and Operations teams. infrastructures! This is a software by the
validated, or at least clarified, and thus
We’ve also been getting to good demonstration of end of the event.
allow us to provide more certainty on
grips with the Contract Event how increased interaction
the procurement plan. In February we
Management and Reporting between developers and
will also begin the internal Contract
(CEMAR) tool that will be used users facilitated by the Agile methodology improves success
Readiness Reviews, carried out on
to administer the contracts. and helps make a better final product.
every contract document pack by a
Next year will start with a cross-functional team, which gives a go/ One staple of our software development is our three weeks
Progress Review, planned no go on that contract’s readiness for devoted to Innovation & Planning (I&P). While the PI9 Planning
for the first half of January. procurement. In short, there is a huge meeting is undoubtedly part of the I&P, the Innovation is
This will allow us to check the amount of work under way to make sure time set aside for people to work on unplanned things that
contract preparations are at all the right pieces come together at the might make a difference. For PI9 we added something new:
the right stage in relation to the right time, and with construction only participation in the AstroPy hackathon. Jointly organised by
construction schedule. months away, it now all feels very real. SKAO and the AstroPy collaboration (a community developing
Python software for use by astronomers), this hackathon
allowed people to devote two days to look at bugs in the
Left: More than 50 SKAO staff have AstroPy codebase and fix them, collaborating with them using
undertaken NEC4 contract training THE PROCUREMENT their mature processes. That way we get contributors to the
this year, with the whole SKAO Project PROCESS SKA-wide project to be exposed to those mature processes
Management Group taking advanced — which have inspired our own — and also contribute back to
training. SKAO Project Managers, Step 1: An internal Contract Readiness an Open Source project such as AstroPy.
David Solan and Ben Lewis are now Reviews (CRR) is carried out by a cross-
fully accredited and others will follow. functional team, giving a go/no go on a We are incredibly happy for — and somewhat incredulous
contract’s readiness for procurement. of — the level of success that these two years of software
Step 2: A contract that is going to development for the SKA have brought, which has allowed
competition enters procurement us to progress work at pace by co-opting resources and
PLACING OVER €800 MILLION OF CONSTRUCTION at the market survey stage in the expertise where they are in the SKA community without
CONTRACTS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS allocated Member country. recruiting hundreds of software developers! And this is thanks
BOTH EXTREMELY CHALLENGING AND HUGELY Step 3: Pre-qualification and invitation to our amazing teams and all the people that make everything
to tender (ITT) stages (all contracts). work like clockwork. We sure hope to be ready for PI11, which
EXCITING. WE HAVE BEEN GEARING UP FOR is when SKA construction will begin in earnest!
Step 4: The Technical Evaluation Panel
THIS MOMENT FOR MANY YEARS AND, HAVING drafts an award recommendation
RECENTLY TRAINED MORE STAFF IN NEC4 for the Finance Committee (Tender
sub-committee) who reviews and
CONTRACTS AND RECRUITING EXPERIENCED formally recommends approval Some of the 167 people working on SKA software at PI9:
PEOPLE IN THIS AREA, WE ARE IN A STRONG to the SKA Director-General.
Observations, Management & Controls train on the top,
POSITION. I’M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO 2021! Step 5: Following Director-General Data Processing on the bottom.
approval, the contract can be awarded.
Andrea Casson, Head of Project Management Group
16 C O N TA C T | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 17
You can also read
