Outreach & Education

For me, astronomy has always been about sharing. My passion for outreach stems from my own journey in amateur astronomy, the thrill of showing someone the rings of Saturn for the first time or sharing the story behind a distant galaxy. I believe the wonders of the universe are not meant to be kept to academics alone.

I believe that making astronomy accessible to everyone is crucial for building scientific literacy and curiosity about our universe. While I do this now as an enthusiastic amateur, I am committed to carrying this spirit of outreach one day into my professional career. It's not just a side activity; it's a fundamental part of what makes science meaningful.

Stargazing Event
Getting hands on with 3D printing and astronomy.
School Visit
Setting up telescopes for a community astronomy night under the Southern African skies.
Science Festival
Ready for launch! Building bottle rockets with the amazing children at Lawrence House.
Observatory Tour
Snacks, bottle rockets, some trigonemtry and python code! An adventure with some students during the "free time" at space camp.
Workshop
It's just rocket science ... A quick crash course in rocketry fundamentals.
Community Event
Exploring the spectrum of light with the Girls in Robotics NPO.

Student Mentoring

Just as many have done for me, I'm passionate about mentoring young scientists, particularly students from my former high school. I've had the privilege of guiding students through various projects and competitions, including personal research projects, Eskom Expo entries, and preparations for the International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT). Currently I sit as a Juror for the newly established national-level competition modelled on the IYPT, the South African Young Physicists' Tournament (SAYPT).

Most recently, I mentored a high school student who was interested in applying machine learning to LIGO gravitational wave data. You can read about his success in this article. As part of the mentoring process, I also created a video comparing his generated training data with real LIGO data, which provided valuable insights into the accuracy and effectiveness of his machine learning approach.

These mentoring experiences remind me that science education isn't just about transferring knowledge, it's about inspiring curiosity, teaching critical thinking, and showing young minds that they too can contribute to our understanding of the universe.

Community Service

Lifesaving South Africa volunteer

Outside of academia, I have served for 7 years as a volunteer surf rescue lifeguard and helicopter rescue swimmer with Lifesaving South Africa, where I was honored in 2024 to receive a National Bravery Award for my role in rescue operations. As a lifeguard, I also served as an instructor, committee member, advanced first responder, squad leader, as well as an inshore rescue boat crewman and skipper.