Every year, the Office of Astronomy for Development, through the International Astronomical Union, provides grants and supports projects around the world that apply astronomy in the pursuit of sustainable development. In 2022, the OAD funded 17 projects for a total of €109,822. These projects were run by multidisciplinary teams and addressed local and global challenges through astronomy-related innovations.
The selected initiatives include a community-empowerment project in Nepal; school and university-level astronomy interventions in Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria; astro-tourism projects in Mongolia, the US Virgin islands, India and Tanzania; an educational project for displaced children in Burkina Faso; virtual mentorship programmes in Colombia and Central America and Caribbean countries; and teacher training programmes in Malaysia and Peru.
As projects draw to a close, they will present their outcomes, achievements, and challenges on Friday, Feb 24, 2023. Each project will give a short presentation to an invited audience of stakeholders in the field of astronomy for impact. Through this exercise, the OAD aims to expand awareness of the contributions of astronomy and basic sciences to development and inspire further interventions globally.
The OAD is a joint initiative of the South African National Research Foundation, through its Department of Science and Innovation, and the International Astronomical Union.
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