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COMMUNICATING ASTRONOMY WITH THE PUBLIC 2010 CONFERENCE (CAP2010) CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 15-19 MARCH 2010 ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS: WILDWIDE CONNECTIONS THROUGH ASTRONOMY. BY PROSPERY C. SIMPEMBA AND MIKE SIMMONS. www.astronomerswithoutborders.org pcs200800@gmail.com , msimm@ucla.edu.
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COMMUNICATING ASTRONOMY WITH THE PUBLIC 2010 CONFERENCE (CAP2010)CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 15-19 MARCH 2010 ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS: WILDWIDE CONNECTIONS THROUGH ASTRONOMY BY PROSPERY C. SIMPEMBA AND MIKE SIMMONS www.astronomerswithoutborders.org pcs200800@gmail.com, msimm@ucla.edu
OUTLINE • About Astronomers Without Borders • Mission • Structure • Projects/activities • Networking • Conclusion Sunset over the Zambezi River, Zambia. AWB’s Time 4 work
ABOUT AWB • Boundaries vanish when we look skyward . • We all share the same sky. • AWB is people meeting among the heavens. • The heavens transcend political, ethnic and religious differences. • Connecting and sharing knowledge and resources. • Astronomy communication
MISSION To overcome earthly differences in culture, nationality or religion through the universal appeal of astronomy.
STRUCTURE Officers: President, Secretary Board of trustees Board of advisors Regional Coordinators National Coordinators Affiliate associations clubs
PROJECTS: IYA & BEYOND Take part in GAM: April 2010 Professional, amateur astronomers, Educators, COMMUNICATORS, all astronomy enthusiasts, SPoCs W r i t e Your Name in the sky • online interactive events during GAM • sharing the excitement with others around the globe • Saturn Watch :Saturn's rings are back! • Is There Anybody Out There? - 7th April 00.00 UT • Beauty Without Borders - Saturn for All • Bring back the Milkway, one star at a time • Write Your Name in the Sky
CALL FOR IAU ENDORSEMENT OF GAM CALL FOR AWB NATIONAL COORDINATORS
100 Hours of Astronomy • A 100-hour, round-the-clock, • round-the-globe event, including • -24 hours of live webcasts from research observatories • -Public observing events, star parties, and other activities • April 2-5, 2009 • Chairs: Douglas Pierce-Price (ESO) and Mike Simmons (Astronomers without Borders) • www.100hoursofastronomy.org
ASTRO BOOK DRIVE Astro Book Drives are currently running in, Mozambique, Rwanda, Ivory Coast and soon in Zambia and Tanzania. improving Astronomy Education in Developing Countries. IAU
- AstroBookDrive was launched in October 2009. - It was founded by Dr. John Clarke ( Boston University , USA ) and Thilina Heenatigala (Sri Lanka Astronomical Association) - Currently it's affiliated with EurAstro and AWB. AstroBookDrive projects so far: Mozambique Book Drive – Donations for MozAstro by Girl Scouts Troop in California . Rwanda Book Drive – Donations for Rwanda IYA2009 Organization by Australian IYA2009 Jamaica Book Drive – Donations for Astronomical Association of Jamaica by Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Winnipeg ) Côte d’Ivoire Book Drive – Donations for Ivoir’Astro by EurAstro Organization Afghanistan Book Drive – Donations for Afghanistan Astronomical Association by StarPals Network Tanzania Book Drive – Donations for Tanzania by Greatert Portland Astronomical Society (Maine, USA) Zambia Book Drive: still looking for donations
Visit: http://astrodrive.lakdiva.net AWB Web Site • Face book-like functionality with blogs and groups • Sharing ideas and knowledge • Video conferences • Presentations • Collaborative projects • Platform for small or start-up programs with global project ideas
NETWORKING CENTRAL ORGANIZATION REGIONAL COORDINATORS AFFILIATE ORGANISATIONS AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA ASIA EUROPE NORTH AMERICA NATIONAL COORDINATORS
NETWORKING RESULTS • Enhanced education on astronomy • large sector of society GET TO appreciate ASTRONOMY • PROMOTE Youth involvement IN THIS CARDINAL SCIENCE • HELP DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO ACCELERATE THEIR DEVELOPMENT OF ASTRONOMY • PROMOTE FEMALE PARTICIPATION AND BRIDGE THE GENDER GAP (MDG)
Croatia UK Netherlands Morocco AUSTRALIA BOLIVIA ITALY SRI LANKA We produce a monthly newsletter
Iran: Solar eclipse 1999 Star Party: Iran 2004 Astronomy Seminar Zambia: 2009 Iraq/Iran
SABC STUDIO CAP2010 Interview CONCLUSION • AWB IS ABOUT • Connecting people for the only one sky • Sharing knowledge and resources • Communicating astronomy with the public • Building on the IYA momentum (Photo credit: John Goldsmith, www.icrar.org)
REFERENCES • 1. www.astronomerswithoutborders.org • 2.http://astrodrive.lakdiva.net