Gusta Tshikhudo

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Tell us a bit about your background, Gusta.

I am the third-born in a family of five kids. I grew up with two brothers who were always investigating how things work by first breaking them apart. I enjoyed watching them struggle to put it all back together. The funny part is that I copied them and I managed to break my first computer! Thankfully the retailer did not ask many questions, they just replaced it. Choosing engineering as a career felt like a natural choice, I loved figuring out how things work and was always ready to solve a problem.

What was your path to the SKAO?

I studied engineering at the University of Cape Town, those years were the most liberating and toughest years of my life. I had to be responsible and manage the freedom that comes with being far away from home in a big city. After I qualified as an engineer I was exposed to many paths one can take within engineering. I worked in project management, design, reliability and integrity engineering. I gained experience in various industries including power generation, rail, nuclear and oil and gas.

What do you enjoy about engineering?

In engineering we solve problems on a daily basis. The outcome of the work we do transforms communities, societies and the world. We research, design, build, operate and maintain industries and infrastructure. If you are lucky you can get exposure to the entire value chain and then choose to specialise in one area. The training gives one versatile skills that can be applied in many industries and roles.

How has working for the SKAO developed your engineering skills and given you new experiences, challenges and aided your career?

Working for the SKAO is an adventure, I am getting exposure into the world of radio astronomy and the associated technologies. Nothing will be more rewarding than knowing I contributed to the discovery of new stars and galaxies and perhaps the possibility of discovering aliens!

This year’s INWED theme is “enhanced by engineering”, so how do you feel your work is developing and enhancing the wider world?

In the SKAO context engineering is being used to research, design, manufacture, operate and maintain technologies that enhance the capability of our two telescopes to study the Universe at large. Our deliverables contribute to the radio astronomy body of knowledge and in time, humanity will experience the benefits of applying these sciences.