Arvind Ramessur holds a Master’s degree (by research) in Astronomy from the University of South Africa cum Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory.
He is a recipient of the prestigious South African Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Scholarship Award 2013 for his postgraduate research. Arvind has specialised in the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Technique to shed light on the geometrical nature and evolution of extragalactic jets at different radio frequencies and epochs. The VLBI technique is a powerful tool used by Radio Astronomers to observe the nucleus of distant bright galaxies in unprecedented detail and to create images of regions small enough to change structure on human time scales. The reason why Arvind ventured into Astronomy is that he believes that it is a field that can give us a different perspective on the way we see the world and reveal unexpected phenomena in the universe that can enthrall and challenge us.
”Science isn’t finished until it’s communicated ”
- Sir Mark Walport (U.K. Government Chief Scientific Adviser)
Arvind is also active in astronomy outreach programmes and science communication to help the general public understand the nuances and complexities of astronomy easily and effectively along with its importance in our daily lives. As a Mauritian Astronomer and a Toastmaster (Past President of Aurora Toastmasters Club - Mauritius), Arvind is often invited to deliver talks on Astronomy to college students (e.g., Loretto Rose-Hill College - 2019; St. Mary’s West College - 2020) as well as educators, university students, and professionals in NGOs.
Outside of research, his interests are photography, travelling, coaching, bodybuilding, woodworking, public speaking, and graphics designing (Logo Designer of the International Astrostatistics Association)
Ramessur, A., Bietenholz, M. F., Leeuw, L. L., Bartel, N. 2015, IAU, 313, 388. - Cambridge University Press: March 24, 2015
Ramessur, A., “Astrophysical jets in a distant galaxy could teach us physics” - Mail&Guardian: August 22, 2014
Ramessur, A., “Examining High Energy Jets” Issuu by Munyaradzi Makoni: December 8, 2014. SKA Postgraduate Bursary Conference
Ramessur, A., “Fourier-plane Modeling of the Jet in the nucleus of the galaxy M81” - University of South Africa (UNISA)
Newsletter: “International Joint Meeting: Communicating Across Cultures” - Alumni Affairs Office (Singapore) - Class Act Magazine; Issue 207, June 2020
Interview: “South Africa opens new ‘eye’ on southern skies” - Institute of Physics (IOP), Telescopes and Space Mission: June 06, 2018
Image credit: IAU OAO