Special event: SKAO Council visit
In October 2023, we welcomed the SKAO Council to Perth for the first time since establishment of the SKA Observatory (SKAO), and it was a huge success.
In addition to the two-day Council meeting, it was an opportunity to introduce the Council to the Australian component of the SKA project. This included visiting the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, a trip to the SKA-Low telescope site at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, and several Indigenous and local engagement activities. It provided delegates with a unique opportunity to understand the Australian landscape for the project.
Can’t see the antennas for the hi-vis! The SKAO Council delegates gather for a photo on site.
Supercomputer visit
The SKAO Council visit was kicked off with a welcome reception at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, where the SKA-Low telescope data processing and storage will be hosted. Director Mark Stickells spoke about the capabilities of Pawsey, including their new supercomputer Setonix which was recently ranked the fourth greenest supercomputer in the world.
You can read about the other goings on at Pawsey in their update.
Sharing Wajarri culture and heritage
The first Council visit to Australia was an excellent opportunity for the SKAO and its Australian partners to highlight the importance of the relationship with the Wajarri Yamaji, the Traditional Owners and native title holders of the observatory site where the SKA-Low telescope is being built.
Delegates were given a unique opportunity to visit the observatory site on a day trip before the official Council meeting. The delegation of approximately 50 people were welcomed to Country in language by Wendy Merry and were addressed by Anthony Dann. Susan Merry and Leonie Boddington led Wajarri artistic and language workshops, where the Council contributed to Susan’s artwork and learnt key Wajarri words when Leonie had visitors learning their honorary Wajarri name for the day, such as marlu daanjamanmanha (kangaroo dancing) or gudurdu nyaan-nyaan (heart whispering).
Susan Merry and Janean Richards add to the painting.
Wajarri artist, Susan Merry, directs Australian SKAO Council representative, Janean Richards, to add her hand print to the collective painting.
As part of the site trip, the group visited existing telescopes and infrastructure on site, including ASKAP, MWA and the AAVS telescopes. For those that hadn’t been to site – or indeed the Australian outback – it was a chance to gain an invaluable understanding of the remoteness of the site and the environmental conditions, as well as the beauty of Wajarri Country.
The next day, we were honoured to welcome Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation (WYAC) representatives Jennylyn Hamlett, Russell Simpson and Gailrose Simpson to deliver a special presentation at the official Council meeting, to share the perspective of the Wajarri Yamaji on the SKA-Low telescope on Country. Many delegates commented that this was a special experience for them at Council.
This was not the only chance for Council members to engage with Wajarri culture and heritage.
Many delegates participated in a full-day, Wajarri-led Cultural Awareness Training session. The session provided thought-provoking and, at times, confronting insights into the experience of Aboriginal people in Australia, both historical and contemporary. It also showcased the richness of Wajarri culture and heritage, which stretches back tens of thousands of years on the land, as well as language and Indigenous astronomy. The training was valuable in providing a richer understanding of the Wajarri relationship.