Astrophysics Conference and Autumn School in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The National University of Mongolia, the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, and the East Asian Regional Node (EA-ROAD) recently hosted the first and largest conference in astrophysics in Mongolia. Prior to the start of the conference, the organizers held an Autumn School on binary and multiple stars for Mongolian and international astrophysics students.

The formal conference was held between the 1st and 5th of September, 2014. The opening featured a number of speakers, including a representative of the Mongolian Ministry of Education. Organiser Prof. Richard de Grijs, Director of the EA-ROAD based at the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University (KIAA-PKU), extended a welcome on behalf of the organising committee and introduced the audience to the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development and the EA-ROAD. Prof. de Grijs’ introductory presentation can be found here, along with the general programme of the conference and PDF documents of the presentations held throughout the week.

PhD student Chengyuan Li (Peking University) presenting at the conference
PhD student Chengyuan Li (Peking University) presenting at the astronomy conference in Mongolia

The Autumn School on binary and multiple stars, which preceded the conference, was aimed at capacity building in Mongolia and was therefore primarily meant for astrophysics students based in Mongolia. The school, held from 29 August to 31 August 2014, covered a wide range of topics related to the formation, evolution and environment of binary and multiple stellar systems, stellar populations, stellar dynamics, and aspects of astronomical observations. The school’s wide-ranging programme was coordinated by Dr. Thijs Kouwenhoven (KIAA-PKU).

Teachers and participants at the school, after the students received their certificates of achievement and attendance
Teachers and participants at the Autumn School, after the students received their certificates of achievement and attendance

For more information on the Autumn School, visit the website. Dr. Kouwenhoven and Prof. de Grijs are satisfied with the results of the Autumn School: “From Friday until Sunday, we ran a three-day summer school for local and international students, which was very successful and a lot of fun”, commented de Grijs.

 

(This post was written by Tibisay Sankatsing Nava, previously OAD intern, now OAD volunteer, on behalf of the East Asian Regional Node. Views expressed in OAD guest blogs may not necessarily represent the views of the OAD.)