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Third Annual Conference of the African Astronomical Society... has ended
The third annual conference of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS-2023) will take place as a hybrid event from 13 to 17 March 2023 at the University of the Witwatersrand Origins Centre, Johannesburg, hosted by the Wits Centre for Astrophysics. The AfAS-2023 conference will focus on the science, outreach, communication, and education activities emanating from Astronomy in Africa and seek to enhance further collaborations among countries in Africa and the rest of the world. The annual AfAS conference attracts policymakers, funders, researchers, outreach officers, and educators. It provides them with a platform to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, concerns, and challenges encountered and to adopt solutions.

OBJECTIVES

  • Share astronomy research from across Africa and promote dialogues, critical conversations, and debates around research topics.
  • Foster collaborations between the African Astronomy Community and the rest of the world
  • Showcase recent developments in Astronomy in African countries.
  • Provide a platform for policymakers, funders, researchers, outreach officers, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, concerns, challenges encountered, and solutions adopted.
  • Provide a platform for deliberations on strategies and policies, including the establishment and roll-out of astronomy schools, flagship projects, etc.
  • Discuss continental, regional, and national plans leading to the IAU General Assembly in 2024, Vision 2024, and the envisaged legacy thereafter.
  • Discussions on membership and conference fees and benefits and acceptance, in principle, for introducing membership fees from April 2024.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
  • New partnerships and collaborations in the fields of astronomy and related big data research in Africa and internationally
  • Increased Awareness of activities in Africa, both by Africans and international collaborators
  • Increase in collaborations and better dialogue amongst countries
  • Young African researchers inspired to take ownership and drive the development of astronomy in Africa.
  • Strategic partnerships for the implementation of AfAS flagship and other projects for the development of Astronomy in Africa and aligned to the goals of the GA2024 and beyond
  • Approval of conference and membership fees and benefits
Back To Schedule
Monday, March 13 • 16:15 - 17:15
Session 4: Special Session 1 - IAU General Assembly 2024 in Cape Town: Gearing up for the GA in 2024

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Convener: IAU GA National Organising Committee (NOC)

Abstract:
We propose a special session with a focus on maintaining the momentum of the African astronomy community for the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) General Assembly in 2024. This will be the first ever General Assembly (GA) of the IAU to be held on the African continent! 

The special session builds on the progress made over the last two years at both Special Sessions on the GA2024 during the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) meetings and at the Forums on Astronomy in Africa, held online in both 2021 and 2022. As such, it will include:
  • follow up on the activities included in the most recent version of the Astronomy 2024 Vision document (www.astronomy2024.org)
  • updates from the subcommittees of the GA2024 national organising team (science; education, communications and outreach; fundraising; Africa;)

This special session will comprise a mixture of community contributions and contributions from the GA2024 organising committee.

Agenda:

16:15 - 16:25
Charles Takalana
Co-chair of NOC
Update on GA2024

16:25 - 16:30
James Chibueze
Chair of Science Committee
Highlights from Science Committee

16:30 - 16:35
Sally Macfarlane
Co-chair of the Outreach & Education Committee
Highlights from the Outreach & Education Committee

16:35 - 16:40
Prospery Simpemba
Co-chair of Africa Committee
Highlights from the Africa Committee

16:40 - 17:00
All participants
Brainstorming & call to action

17:00 - 17:10
Khotso Mokhele
Closure
Chair
avatar for Vanessa McBride

Vanessa McBride

Astronomer, Deputy Director – IAU-OAD
Dr Vanessa McBride is an astronomer at the Office of Astronomy for Development, where she works towards bridging the gap between the community of professional astronomers and the development work.  She is co-chair of the National Organising Committee of the IAU’s General Assembly... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Charles Takalana

Charles Takalana

Head of Secretariat, AfAS
Charles Mpho Takalana completed his PhD in physics, focusing on Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in December 2020. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. Charles currently works at the African... Read More →
avatar for James Chibueze

James Chibueze

Professor, University of South Africa
avatar for Sally Macfarlane

Sally Macfarlane

SAAO
Dr Sally Macfarlane is a co-chair of the AfAS outreach committee and deputy chair of the African Planetarium Association (APA). She is currently working as an astrophysics post-doctoral fellow at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town. Part of her research is to explore... Read More →
avatar for Prospery Simpemba

Prospery Simpemba

Regional Coordinator, Copperbelt University/SAROAD
Prospery Simpemba is the Regional Coordinator for the Southern AfricanRegional Office of Astronomy for Development hosted at the CopperbeltUniversity. He is also Vice Chairman for the Pan African Planetary andSpace Science Network (PAPSSN) consortium board and coordinates PAPSSNactivities... Read More →
KM

Monday March 13, 2023 16:15 - 17:15 SAST
Tapestry Room
  Special Session

Attendees (35)