This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Rosalind Skelton, who is the Managing Director of the South African Astronomical Observatory, and closes out our series on This is the final episode in our series on women in Astronomy.
Dr. Skelton’s story begins with a deep-rooted curiosity about the natural world. As a young student, her interests spanned biology, archaeology, and physics. Physics ultimately became her gateway to understanding the universe. Her academic journey, began at the University of Cape Town and extended to globally renowned institutions such as Yale and the Max Planck Institute, and what began as an interest in physics evolved into a passion for astronomy once she encountered it at university.
Understanding the Universe: Galaxies, Time, and Our Place Within It
Dr. Skelton brings the vastness of the universe into perspective. A single galaxy contains billions of stars, and our own solar system is just a tiny fragment within the Milky Way. Her research in galaxy evolution explores how galaxies form, grow, and change over time. By observing distant galaxies, astronomers are effectively looking back in time, sometimes billions of years, and uncovering the history of the universe itself.
Dr. Skelton’s work is deeply embedded in large-scale international research efforts that rely on cutting-edge technology and collaboration. Projects such as the 4MOST Hemisphere Survey aim to map vast regions of the southern sky, capturing data from thousands of galaxies at once. Others, like the LADUMA project using the MeerKAT radio telescope, focus intensely on a single patch of sky, observing it for hundreds of hours to detect faint signals from hydrogen gas.
Astronomy is inherently collaborative. Massive projects like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) require international cooperation, shared funding, and collective expertise
Leading to Build the Future
In her role as Managing Director of SAAO, Dr. Skelton sits at the intersection of global science and national responsibility. Astronomy may be collaborative and international, but there is also a need to ensure that South African scientists are equipped to lead and compete on the world stage.
Leading an organisation as complex as the observatory requires not only scientific insight, but the ability to align diverse teams, from researchers and engineers to educators and outreach specialists. It is about creating coherence across a system where every part plays a role.
Looking ahead, Dr. Skelton’s vision for the Observatory includes:
- Keeping key infrastructure like SALT globally competitive
- Training the next generation of scientists and engineers
- Driving innovation in instrumentation and technology
- Extending the impact of astronomy beyond science into broader societal benefits
Her leadership style reflects her personality: thoughtful, measured, and grounded. She values listening over imposing, steady progress over rapid change, and collaboration over control. It is a leadership approach that prioritises sustainability and alignment rather than urgency for its own sake
Ingredients of Success: Perseverance and Values
Two of Dr. Skelton’s key drivers include perseverance and strong personal values. Perseverance keeps you committed to your cause, even when progress is slow and challenges arise. Anchoring yourself to strong values allows you to be grounded in your identity and by knowing who you are, you know what you will and will not accept.
In closing, Dr. Skelton shares that change is typically gradual, and progress is built over time through consistent effort. When you look back, you’ll realise how far you’ve come.
She sums this up with a colourful metaphor: “How do you eat an elephant? Bit by bit.”
Tune in for more…
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