I am the team leader of Kanty Astronomy Research Group (KARG). We are an extragalactic astronomy group affiliated with SAAO and the University of Ant… - Zara Randriamanakoto

I am passionate about science engagement, the promotion of Girls and Women in STEM, and especially the advancement of astronomy in all its aspects in my home country (Madagascar) and Africa.

I did my undergraduate degree in physics, then a BSc Honours in energy physics at the University of Antananarivo. I then did postgraduate studies in astronomy and astrophysics (BSc Honours, Masters and then PhD thesis) at the University of Cape Town. I obtained my PhD in astronomy in 2015. Between 2015 and 2018, I was a SKA postdoc at the same university.

I am often asked why I study astronomy and how useful it is in our daily lives. 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.