A delegation from the Thai Embassy in Italy visited the facilities of the National Institute of Astrophysics in Sardinia this morning, February 16, 2018.
The Ambassador, H.E. Tana Weskosith, was received at the INAF-Cagliari Astronomical Observatory in Selargius, while the Director of the Thailand Board Of Investment, Choowong Tangkoonsombati, visited the Sardinia Radio Telescope in San Basilio earlier, in the presence of INAF-OAC Director Emilio Molinari (pictured together), the Director of the Sardinia Aerospace District Giacomo Cao, and the managers of the specialized company Gogate.
The visit to the Cagliari Astronomical Observatory (INAF-OAC) and the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT) was part of a broader two-day mission on February 15 and 16, 2018, which included meetings between local businesses and the Thai Board Of Investment (an organization that explores investment opportunities in the most promising sectors globally) and official visits to the Autonomous Region of Sardinia with President Francesco Pigliaru and to the University of Cagliari with Rector Maria Del Zompo.
Among the most promising sectors targeted by the Thai Board Of Investment is the aerospace sector, in which the Sardinian Region is currently investing heavily, also through the funding of specific calls for proposals. The Sardinian aerospace sector is beginning to gain international recognition thanks to the activities of the Sardinia Aerospace Department (DASS), a public-private consortium founded in 2013, which has been organizing this important event – directly through its president, Professor Giacomo Cao, along with Nicola Alfarano from the specialized company Gogate.
In this scenario, INAF plays a leading role because, first of all, it is one of the six public entities that are part of the DASS board, but above all, due to the presence of the Sardinia Radio Telescope in the Municipality of San Basilio.
“The Sardinia Radio Telescope,” says Emilio Molinari, Director of INAF in Cagliari, “has given a strong technological identity to Sardinia and represents a true international excellence. It is therefore natural that it is chosen as a symbol of INAF’s potential in Sardinia and that it is visited by government representatives and international investors who travel the world in search of new opportunities and collaborations in the technological field,” he concludes.
The President of INAF, Nichi D’Amico – who could not be physically present but followed all the preparations and coordinated the INAF team – highlights the great achievement of the National Institute of Astrophysics in being at the forefront of international collaborations: “This visit,” says D’Amico, “was also a good opportunity to remind the press and the general public that the National Institute of Astrophysics ranks second in the world in the Nature ranking for international scientific collaborations. These collaborations often rely on personal contacts of researchers, perhaps linked to institutions where they were trained or have worked, but it is equally important for governments and large companies to know and promote centers of excellence in a structured and lasting way,” concludes the President.
Interest in the great Sardinian antenna has steadily grown in recent years, in parallel with the ever-new achievements and technological improvements that make it the jewel of Italian and European radio astronomy. Just to mention the most recent visits, in the past year, teams from NASA and JPL and also a delegation from the Chinese Embassy have visited the Sardinia Radio Telescope and the Cagliari Astronomical Observatory. This time, with the visit of the Thai Ambassador (present at the Selargius Observatory) an additional element was added, namely the organization of concrete and effective meetings with Sardinian companies or those operating in our territory.