South African astronomer appointed to prestigious international post

The National Research Foundation (NRF), which falls under the aegis of the Department of Science and Innovation, has announced that local astronomer Dr Vanessa McBride has been appointed as Science Director at the International Science Council (ISC). The ISC is a highly prestigious non-governmental organisation which brings together more than 220 scientific associations and unions. It is situated in Paris, where Dr McBride will now be based. “The impact of Vanessa’s work on astronomy in Africa has been huge, and the way she achieved this, with her quiet diligence and abundant kindness, speaks volumes of her character,” highlighted African Astronomical Society Secretariat Head Dr Charles Takalana. “It will be a great loss for the continent to see her go, but we are excited that we will have a fellow African now sitting at the highest levels of science globally.”