Mr. Case Rijsdijk

Born in Holland, educated at Kabulonga Boys High, Lusaka, Zambia and the University of Cape Town where he studied Maths and Physics, and during which time he also studied Astronomy under Prof R H Stoy, Astronomer Royal at the then Royal Observatory at the Cape, now the SA Astronomical Observatory, SAAO.

He taught at leading schools in Zimbabwe and South Africa and became chairman of the SA Association of Teachers of Physical Science, before returning to the SAAO in 1995 where he initiated the Science Education Initiative, and managed many major outreach programmes.

He has been an invited speaker at over 70 Conferences, both local and international. He has delivered numerous public lectures and workshops. He is an honourary member of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, ASSA, the Royal Society of South Africa, RSSA, and the South African Institute of Physics, SAIP. He has received numerous awards, including the prestigious National Science and Technology Forum Special Award, 2009, for his contributions to Science Communication and Education over a lifetime and in 2017 was given the ASSA’s highest award, the Gill Medal, for his services to Astronomy in SA.

He ceased formal employment in 2003 to concentrate on his interests in astronomy, particle physics and physics education and is still actively involved in many outreach programmes, including teacher training and Olympiads, serves on several science advisory councils and is the current President of the ASSA.