Within the context of the NRF Funded SARChI project: “Gravitational Wave Counterparts and Fast Transients” the following positions are available. All positions will be based at the University of Cape Town (UCT), in close collaboration with SAAO, IDIA/Ilifu and SARAO. Candidates will be requested to spend extended periods of time abroad, specifically in the Netherlands and Chile.
1. Masters (MSc, 1 year): Exploring extreme star-forming galaxies for SALT in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
2. Masters (MSc,1 year): HI masses of extreme star-forming galaxies in HI deep-fields
3. Ph.D. (3 years): Vertical structure evolution of spiral galaxy disks using optical and near-infrared integral field spectroscopy INSTRUMENT Sub-GROUP:
4. Masters (1 year) (MSc or MTech): Design and development of fibre-optic test facility
5. Ph.D. (3 years): Design, development and commissioning of a fibre slitmask integral-field unit for SALT prime-focus spectrograph
Through the National Research Foundation Research Chair Initiative, University of Cape Town (UCT) is offering a Postdoctoral Fellowship that is focused on using the recently upgraded Iziko Planetarium for research in astrophysics and related fields that require immersive visualisation. The candidate will work and liaise closely with the Iziko Planetarium University Consortium, led by Professor Thomas Jarrett (UCT), comprised of the University of Western Cape (UWC), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), and UCT in partnership with Iziko Museums, the NRF and DST. The mandate of the Consortium is to manage and drive the research side, exploit the facility for carrying out research in the physical, biological and medical field sciences, as well as engage with other interested groups (e.g., humanities and arts) associated with the universities.
In January 2019, the Astronomy department will upgrade the domes of the Tony Fairall Teaching Observatory on UCT upper campus. This will include the replacement of the old domes on the roof of the RW James building, and the installation of a new Celestron 14-inch telescope in the west dome, dedicated for optical spectroscopy.
