Dish Conversion Workshop – Ghana

Date: 21-25 January 2019

Location: AH Hotel, Accra, Ghana

Host: GSSTI – Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute

The first of four international workshops on the theme of Development through Radio Astronomy Global Network (DRAGN) was held in Accra, Ghana on 21-25 January 2019. This workshop focused on the conversion of large, 32 m diameter, defunct telecoms dishes in to radio telescopes. Representatives from 24 different countries came to the meeting which brought together experts who have successfully completed dish conversion with those from developing countries aspiring to do so. The meeting was opened by the Deputy Minister for Environment,  Science, Technology and Innovation.

Image: The group photo shows seated in the front row from left to right: 

  • Ms Adelaide Asante Asantewaa (Director,  Science, Technology and Innovation(STI) of The Ministry of Environment,  Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI))
  • Prof. Mary Boadi (Director, Radiology and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI), one of the Institutes under GAEC )
  • Prof. B.J.B. Nyarko (Director, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC))
  • Hon. Patricia Appiagyei (Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI))
  • Ing. Dr. Robert Adjaye (GSSTI Board Chair)
  • Prof. Melvin Hoare (Professor of Astrophysics at University of Leeds and PI of the DRAGN project)
  • Dr. Nana Ama Brown Klutse (Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana)

Presentations

Local Organising Committee

  • Bernard Duah Asabere – Chair
  • Theophilus Narh – Deputy
  • Eric Aggrey
  • Mark Kwesi Sarfo
  • Joyce Koranteng-Acquah
  • Elsie Porcia Anaman

Scientific Organising Committee

  • Melvin Hoare, University of Leeds, UK – Chair
  • Ben Stappers, University of Manchester, UK – Deputy
  • Mike Jones, University of Oxford, UK
  • Rob Beswick, University of Manchester, UK
  • Venkatasubramani Lakshmanan Thondikulam, India
  • Simon Ellingsen, Australia
  • Noriyuki Kawaguchi, Japan
  • Vladislavs Bezrukovs, Latvia
  • Bernard Duah Asabere, Ghana
  • Jose Ishitsuka, Peru

List of participants

  • Melvin Hoare, University of Leeds
  • Domingos Barbosa, Instituto de Telecomunicações
  • Miguel Bergano, Instituto de Telecomunicações
  • Jose Ishitsuka, National University of the Centre of Peru
  • Ben Stappers, University of Manchester
  • Venkatasubramani Thondikulam,  SARAO, South Africa (Retired Project Manager)
  • Japie Ludick, SARAO, South Africa
  • Nassim Seghouani, CRAAG, Algiers Observatory
  • Anita Loots, PICC
  • Gonzalo Tancredi, Depto. Astronomia, UdelaR
  • Angela Taylor, University of Oxford
  • Manuel Caldas, MIEM
  • Harris Yao Fortune Marc, University of Cocody Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
  • Glen Taylor, SARAO, South Africa
  • Alexander Pollak, University of Oxford
  • Stanley Kurtz, UNAM
  • Mohamed Ismail Mohamed Emam Fayed, NRIAG
  • Nektaria Gkizani, School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University
  • Bernard Duah Asabere, GSSTI
  • David Michael Gale, INAOE, Mexico
  • Pieter Pretorius, SARAO
  • Kobus Cloete, SARAO
  • Scarre Celliers, SARAO
  • Nkululeko Qwabe, SARAO
  • Chao Liu, Oxford University
  • Henry Llumiquinga, Astronomical Observatory of Quito
  • Juan Carlos Martinez Oliveros, Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley
  • Taufiq Hidayat, Department of Astronomy & Bosscha Observatory, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
  • Rhodri Evans, University of Namibia
  • Geoffrey O. Okeng’o, Department of Physics, University of Nairobi
  • Adélio Francisco Tembe, Eduardo Mondlane University
  • Salvatore Gioio, SARAO (SKA, SA)
  • Noorali Tayabali Jiwaji, Open University of Tanzania
  • Daliso Banda, University of Oxford
  • Peter Maina Ngugi, Technical University of Kenya
  • Andris Lesins, VIRAC
  • Dickson Adomako, GSSTI
  • Rasoamanana Radoniaina Andriantsiresy, Polytechnic School of Antananarivo
  • Kenta Fujisawa, Yamaguchi University
  • Lanre Daniyan, National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria
  • Rodney John Hine, University of Leeds
  • S. Zacharie Kam, Université Ouaga I Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO
  • Mhlambululi Mafu, Botswana International University of Science and Technology
  • Felipe P. Mosquera, Colombian, Student
  •  TADJIN, TTT
  • Stanley Ferdinand Mwanga, The University of Dodoma
  • Ericson Lopez, Quito Astronomical Observatory of National Polytechnic School
  • Joshua Villaverde, IESTP Cajas, Peru

Brochure

Click on the link for the event brochure: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aiDcsfOfT8LNK_fuOpicg8oRx-hQiMXR