Ramasamy Venugopal

Science for Development, Astronomy & Space advocacy; @Astro4dev Fellow, @ISUnet Alumni, @SGAC team. Tweets are my own & don't reflect the opinions of IAU OAD.

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

How do you explain #Loadshedding to a cat?
#winter #SouthAfrica

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

Working from home today... 3 years since the first lockdown! Only this time, it's due to national protests. Also the first time in 2023 that I am able to work from home without #loadshedding.

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

My backup battery just died marking the end of my last day of work this year. Time to join my cats. #itsdezemba

[IAU-OAD @Astro4Dev]

Our team, pictured here, at the end of an intense week at World Science Forum #WSF_ZA2022, held in #Africa for the first time. The theme was Science for social justice with discussions on how #science can help to address global challenges.
https://t.co/x3idtv2ccc

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

If you want to know how #astronomy can contribute to society, please join us tomorrow at #IAUGA2022
#SDGs #development

[IAU-OAD @Astro4Dev]

The Astronomy for Development sessions at the IAU General Assembly 2022 in Busan, Korea.
#astro4dev
#IAUGA2022

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

@HomeAffairsSA Hi, is the E Permit system now open for applications? https://t.co/crZTIemdPo

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

Congrats @sonalasgotraa & Astrostays team for establishing a successful, sustainable, #astronomy based #tourism endeavour that brings livelihood opportunities to rural communities. Astrostays has been recognised as an example of #UnlockingScience by @ISC. #astrotourism

[BBC StoryWorks @BBCStoryWorks]

These starry nights could give Van Gogh a run for his money 🌠

See why rural localities in Ladakh are looking to the stars for skills and income generated by astro-tourism

#UnlockingScience
@Astro4Dev
@GHE_Connect
@IAU_org
@mh_connect
@NRF_News

#Ad paid and presented by @ISC

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

article here https://t.co/K1me405S4y

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

Kind request for @mohfw_india to remove #SouthAfrica from the travel #quarantine list. Our friends & family from South Africa are very excited for their 1st trip to @incredibleindia. Travellers from 99 countries can enter #India without quarantine but not from South Africa.

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

as per this article, countries which "exempt fully-inoculated Indians from restrictions will not need to quarantine". Since South Africa does not place any restrictions on travellers from India, please consider lifting #quarantine for South Africans. @MoHFW_INDIA

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

@Travelstart @qatarairways wow that's great news. We booked tickets to India on Travel start. The regulations on the Indian govt website say that South Africa Travellers must home quarantine. https://t.co/UIUP6qCYzV. We would be grateful if you can share the source of this new regulation.

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

People from all backgrounds welcome to apply. Join us as use #astronomy to further #development. #Space4Dev #Astro4Dev

[IAU-OAD @Astro4Dev]

Are you passionate about #astronomy & changing the world? Consider applying to the OAD #Astro4dev #remote #Fellowship. Stipend will be commensurate with project, qualifications and time commitment. Applications considered on a rolling basis.
https://t.co/Ls9eV6HeI4

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

This was posted on @ISUnet Facebook page and deleted a few hours later. Is that what people in #space sector think? Honestly had no idea. #BillionaireSpaceRace

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

hello #space friends, anyone know if @iafastro has an anti-harassment policy for conferences? how does one go about reporting an incident? I couldn't find anything on their webpages. #GLEX2021

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

This was and is so common in #India that most job ads don't even bother listing the salary. "Remuneration will be competitive and based on individual qualifications and experience". How many millions are companies saving just by underpaying people?!

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

In my very first job, they told me salary info is 'Confidential'. That's all it took to scare me (&my peers) and not discuss with each other. Later I found that others with exact same qualifications who joined on the same day as me were getting a much higher salary..

[Show The Salary @ShowTheSalary]

Surely you're not doing it to ensure those who are underpaid stay that way?
Surely you're not doing it to hide internal pay gaps rather than actually fix them?
Surely you're not doing it to pay as little as you possibly can to those who work for you?

So...what is it?

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

I was furious but of course couldn't use that information because it was all supposed to be CONFIDENTIAL! I didn't question it then but it makes no sense to keep it confidential. I was made to believe the company was protecting my privacy.. nothing is further from the truth

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

Incredible program. Speakers & experts today are from: Ghana Space Science & Tech Inst, African Union Commission, @ISUnet @dara_project @medialab @SKA_Africa Portuguese Space Agency, NASRDA, EGNOS Africa, @Astro4Dev, Uni of Ghana, Aerospace group & more. #UnitedAfrica4SI

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

the 4th #African #spacegeneration workshop happening in #Ghana and live streamed on youtube. Fantastic work by the @SGAC team to organize the event despite so much uncertainty and challenges. #UnitedAfrica4SI #space #astronomy
https://t.co/O84yO5rXkp

[Ramasamy Venugopal @ram_cosmo]

#CountdownToMars why do we (non US citizens & countries not involved in the project) find ourselves claiming the NASA rover landing as 'our achievement' & 'we did it', while we do not claim ownership of similar achievements of other nations?