Astronomy for Development: Recognition and Consolidation On the 30th March 2016, just before the start of GAM2016, the work of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) was recognized through a very special international event in Edinburgh, UK – the award of the 2016 Edinburgh Medal. This award has …
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Dr. Wanda Diaz is a sight-impaired astrophysicist who uses sound for conducting Astronomy research instead of visual information. She is currently a visiting fellow at the OAD, working on tools and methods to assist people with different learning styles to learn, enjoy and contribute to Science. She wrote this post …
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Last month, I briefly visited the town of Sutherland with two other colleagues. It is a town located about 350km from Cape Town. Its altitude, relative isolation and arid conditions make it a perfect spot for optical observations and hence is the pride of South African Astronomy. The town itself is a …
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Astronomy for Development is inherently a global idea, cutting across all geographical and most human barriers. It has been steadily gaining momentum over the past few years. With the establishment of Regional Offices across the globe, there are more stakeholders than ever before. It is now critical to stick to the …
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If you would like to set up an Astronomy Club, the information here serves as a starting guide. The first step is to understand what kind of club you want to start. There are aspects or characteristics, such as the target audience, that will help you define your club. For instance, …
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Your excellencies, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen I stand here humbly, having travelled from the Southern tip of the great continent of Africa. Such long flights are always emotional for me as I pass over country after country without being able to see from the sky where one nation ends and …
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Five years ago, I made the life-changing decision to resign from my comfortable academic position at the University of Sheffield, a well‐respected university in the north of England, and move to the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University. Then, as now, my research focused on “star clusters”, …
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Mauritius is an enchanting place, famous for its beautiful beaches and scenery. The island has one of the most beautiful night sky views with the galactic center arching over night after night. Twinkle twinkle little stars, shine so bright like a cosmic jewelry box. Mauritius is not the only place …
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It is the time of the Global Astronomy Month (GAM 2015). Kevin has written what has now become the annual OAD blog for GAM. This year’s blog “reflects on the future with a focus on how the OAD intends to make an impact in the long term”. Read the complete blog at: …
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Scifest Africa is South Africa’s National Science Festival, held every year at the end of summer in Grahamstown. It is the biggest platform for scientists and engineers to engage with the public, share their work and inspire the youth to pursue careers in science and technology. Organised by the …
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