With European-ROAD’s coordination of the ERASMUS ICM program between Leiden Observatory and the Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI), five delegates from SSGI, including the EA-ROAD coordinator, visited Leiden Observatory from June 11-15, 2024. Two team members, including the EA-ROAD coordinator, extended their stay until July 15 and July 28 for further research engagements. The SSGI team had the opportunity to present Ethiopia’s educational, research, and astronomy development activities to the scientific community at Leiden. Additionally, they visited the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute in Groningen and engaged in strategic collaboration discussions with staff from both Leiden Observatory and Kapteyn. The SSGI delegates met key personnel at Leiden Observatory, such as Prof.Geore Miley (E-ROAD), Prof. Huub Röttering (former Director of Leiden Observatory), Prof. Ewine van Dishoeck (former IAU president), Dr. Pedro Russo (E-ROAD and director of Science Communication, Outreach, and Society), Michiel Rodenhuis (NOVA Director), and from Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, Prof. Leon Koopmans and Prof. Reynier Peletier (Science and Education Directors, respectively).
EA-ROAD was visited by Mohammed Yahya, the National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) of OAO Sudan, on June 28, 2024.
The OAD Director, Mr. Kevin Govender, visited the Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI) and the EA-ROAD office. He had a brief meeting with the SSGI Director and the EA-ROAD coordinator on his way to Rwanda to attend the INGSA2024 conference in Kigali on April 28, 2024.
The EA-ROAD coordinator participated and engaged in scientific presentations and school outreach activities at the 4th edition of the AfAS conference in Marrakech, Morocco, from April 15-18, 2024.
All the observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences held their Public Science Day and Shanghai Science Festival successfully, inviting the public into laboratories and research rooms to experience the beauty of science and how it changes our lives.
The China Astronomical Society’s College Student Astronomy Innovation Works Collection event successfully organized. The works included types such as popular science, science education resources, and platforms, involving topics like astro-tourism and the relationship between astronomy and psychology.
The International Conference on Digitalization of Astronomical Plates was successfully held both online and offline, discussing the significant importance, technology, applications, and industrial transfer of related technologies in the digitalization of astronomical plates.
Preparations for the report at the upcoming IAUGA2024 General Assembly.
Coordination of online meetings (April, May and June).
Welcoming of two new members to the network: Isabel Andrade on behalf of the Luís Gonzaga Gomes Portuguese-Chinese High School (from Macau) and Nuno Ferreira on behalf of the Portuguese School of Mozambique (from Mozambique).
Event for World Portuguese Language Day on May 5th. There were two online events with partners from all over the net about the AI used to help education and development; we did two events to allow people from any timezone (from Brazil to Macao). More info here and here.
Survey of the Lusophone Constellation project, supported by OAD.
Organisation and implementation of an online training course in astronomy and planetarium software for the Luanda Science Center (CCL) in Angola.
Participation in the SciComPT 2024 (8, 9 and 10 May 2024). More info here.
Participation in the CAP 2024 Conference (24-28 June 2024).
Abstract accepted for GA-IAU2024, to be presented two posters by PLOAD members, with the titles: “Lusophone Constellation: looking for a common agenda” and “PLOAD special days and its non-formal education activities in virtual mode”
Abstract accepted for Goldschmidt 2024, to be presented from the 18th to the 23rd of August, 2024, with the title: “PLOAD: Igniting Stellar Passions in Portuguese-speaking Communities”. More info here.
Abstract accepted for GA-IAU2024, to be presented as a poster by PLOAD member, with the title: “Astronomy Outreach Activities within the Context of PLOAD (Mozambique Node)”
Attended the “International Symposium of the Category 2 Institutes and Centres under the auspices of UNESCO in the field of Natural Sciences” in Malaysia to present the International Training Center in Astronomy under the auspices of UNESCO (ITCA) report
Planning for ITCA training workshop series in collaboration with Malaysia in late September
Planning for a join small symposium/workshops between NARIT and Science Center Singapore to be held in early September
Organized the “Conference on Astronomical Activities in School” (CAAS) for astronomy teachers regarding extracurricular activities in school. 40+ oral presentations and 30+ poster presentation, 150 participants
Organized the “Thailand Astronomical Conference (Student Session)” (TACs), student conference for highschool astronomy project. 40+ oral and poster presentations, 200+ participants.
Organized the “JWST Data Analysis and Processing Workshop (South East Asia)”, or JDAP. A COSPAR and IAU’s hand’s on workshop. 40 participants
Attended the CAP 2024 conference
Presented “Top-down and comprehensive approach to astronomy outreach in Thailand” and “Planetarium program for the visually impaired students in Thailand” at CAP2024
Abstract accepted for IPS 2024 Berlin, “Planetariums that revolutionized astronomy outreach in Thailand”, “NAPA – Planetarium Software powered by Unity game engine”, and “Planetarium program for the visually impaired students in Thailand”
Sent two telescopes to Botswana in preparation for upcoming workshop between BIUST & NARIT.
BAO/ArAS School Lectures Program (RA provinces). 30 lectures delivered by 4 astronomers.
Byurakan, Armenia – BAO seminars by Armen Sedrakian (Frankfurt, Germany), John Sarkissian (CSIRO Parkes Observatory, Parkes, NSW, Australia) and Donald Schneider (Pennsylvania State University, USA), respectively.
Byurakan, Armenia – ArAS-25 anniversary meeting“Relation of Astronomy to other Sciences, Culture and Society”. ArAS medals to founding members and some other active members. A few young members were elected in ArAS Council.
Byurakan, Armenia – 10th Byurakan Science Camp (10BSC) for school pupils. 38 pupils participated. Coordinator: Sona Farmanyan.
Euro-Asian Astronomical Society (EAAS) Council Meeting; Areg Mickaelian’s participation as EAAS Vice-President – Online
Leiden, Netherlands – EU Erasmus+ project2024-2025 between E-ROAD and SWCA ROAD; ROAD staff is involved. There is a tight collaboration between the IAU South West and Central Asian (SWCA) ROAD hosted in Armenia and European ROAD (E-ROAD) hosted in Netherlands. In the frame of collaboration between SWCA and European ROADs, an Erasmus+ program is active between the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) and Leiden University. Visits of Areg Mickaelian, Gayane Baleyan and Meline Asryan were accomplished.
Toulouse, France – CAP-2024 Conference. Participation of Areg Mickaelian, Gayane Baleyan and Meline Asryan.
Byurakan, Armenia – Mathematical Camp for Artsakh pupils organized by mathematicians from Moscow and Saint Petersburg (Russia). 30 pupils participated.
We are organizing on 12 July an Astrophotography Contest in Byurakan.
We are organizing on 23-26 July a Teacher Training Program (TTP) in collaboration with IAU OAE and NASE.
We are organizing on 23-27 September in Abastumani (Georgia) an Armenian-Georgian Joint Colloquium.
Regional Astronomy Survey for Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkey.
Issue and distribution of the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) Electronic Newsletters (ArASNews #4, #5, #6) by Meline Asryan (ArASNews Editor).
Areg Mickaelian and others’ Public interviews and TV programs on various problems of astronomy.
Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory (AbAO), Georgia: Reconstruction works, installation of new telescopes, etc.
Interdisciplinary studies: ArAS-25 meeting on 6-8.05.2024 “Relation of Astronomy to other Sciences, Culture and Society”. Collaboration on Astroinformatics between BAO and Institute for Informatics and Automation Problems (IIAP).
Scientific (Astro) Tourism activities at BAO; visits of thousands of pupils, students and other visitors to BAO 2.6m and 1m telescopes, Planetarium and Viktor Ambartsumian house-museum, night observations with small telescopes.
The SAROAD secretariat had a change in the office of the Regional Coordinator from Mr. Prospery Christopher Simpemba to Saul Paul Phiri.
The call for DARA basic training is out for partner countries: Kenya, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. The training will commence in September.
Mobilization of country coordinators and filling of vacant positions
FAST4Future project has commenced and is still ongoing.
Tactile experience: an astronomy development tool for the blind and visually impaired 17th and 18th of May 2024
Girl-child Astronomy Development Workshop 21st June, 2024 at Oraukwu, Anambra: The WAROAD in partnership with Okany Chioma trained over female 40 students on capacity building and astronomy development. The major hands-on activities for the event were on solar system modelling, coupling of Galileoscopes, and the construction of optical telescopes.
Starring Orizon and world asteroid day Program started 29th June, 2024 it will run till December, 2024. It is a star gazing program with University Students that holds once in a month.
AstroIoT: It is on internet of things for light pollution control and space science development. The online workshop was held on the 2nd and 29th of May, 2024 and the participants were drawn from various Universities across West Africa. The in-house workshop was held from 22nd-24th May, 2024.
Outreach, World Asteroid Day and Excursion with Suchest Academy Odoru on 5th June, 2024.
Women and Girls’ in Astronomy was held on the 9th May, 2024. In attendance were about 80 students.
