Zara Randriamanakoto Quotes

Not specifically for African women, but for most women in this field and any other STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) related field: gender stereotypes and the inability to break the glass ceiling.

The main challenges I encountered were the language barriers (switching from French to English), exposure to a diverse culture in South Africa and especially adapting to the new educational system at the University of Cape Townbwhich required a lot of self-learning, self-discipline and perseverance.

The SKA project has helped put Africa on the map of the astronomy world and this is just the beginning.

These African women who are shaking up science.

The reality is that astronomy is a long-term investment, and although its benefits might not always be evident it has significant impact in many ways.

To study astronomy astronomers need to look deep into the sky. This requires specialized equipment, techniques and skills. Eventually, modified versions of these tools and their way into our daily lives, such as in the manufacture of wireless network protocols (Wi-Fi), closed-circuit television and mobile phone cameras.

I am currently expanding my research topic to the study of star clusters.

It is the IAU that has the power to say what a planet is and that decided to place Pluto in another category, that of dwarf planets. I told myself that for Madagascar to be on the world map of astronomy, we had to join such an institution

It wasn't easy at first. But I persevered and now I'm used to the language of Shakespeare. I read a lot and practiced English constantly since classes, conversations with friends and colleagues and especially communication outside the university are in English. It took time. But as the famous proverb says: "Practice makes perfect.

I studied astronomy because it was an opportunity that I could not miss and a challenge that I wanted to take up. Madagascar needed young experts in this field given its involvement in the South African SKA project as an African partner country during South Africa's bid to host SKA, the future largest observatory in the world. Today, astronomy has also become my great passion.

I am a research astronomer at SAAO. My research interests revolve around multiwavelength observations of interacting and collisional ring galaxies to help investigate the formation and evolution mechanisms of young massive clusters. I also work on radio loud AGN to study the AGN duty cycle using deep radio continuum surveys.

My research topics mainly revolve on multi-wavelength investigation of young massive star clusters in interacting and collisional ring galaxies. I am also interested in the life cycle of radio AGN.

Nothing predestined me to become an astronomer. I moved to Antananarivo for my university studies at the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Antananarivo. I obtained a master's degree in energy physics from the physics department in 2007.

Doing astronomy is like investing. It is a science that promotes innovation, an essential ingredient for the sustainable development of a country.

Have the audacity to protect your dreams, if you can dream it, you can do it. If you aspire to be an astrophysicist, start building your path towards your goal. Find a mentor along the way.