Transformation of the Astronomy Community
Status / Challenges:
With 2024 as a goal, we will be able to ensure the growth and development of young African talent into senior positions within the astronomy community
Actions:
Identify key promising individuals and establish personal growth and development plans for planned career paths towards 2024 and beyond
Potential Stakeholders:
Transformation of the Way Meetings are Done
Status / Challenges:
This GA also has the potential to transform what IAU and similar meetings and interactions might look like going forward
Actions:
Ensure that all innovations in terms of conferencing are well documented in order to inform future meetings
Potential Stakeholders:
Vanessa Moss/TFOM
Collaborations
Status / Challenges:
With careful planning we can secure a significant number of new collaborations that will support the development of astronomy in Africa. Given the current low to modest level of astronomy in most African countries, the opportunity for collaborations, both building up to and surpassing 2024, is great.
Actions:
Establish a suite of opportunities for collaborations
Potential Stakeholders:
AfAS
Greater Unity in Astronomy Across Africa
Status / Challenges:
2024 offers an opportunity to come together as the African astronomy community, in order to support each other and grow through our respective strengths and resources.
Actions:
Use 2024 to galvanise support for this legacy issue, and establish a home for this such as the African Astronomical Society
Potential Stakeholders:
…
Education, Outreach and Development Flagships
Status / Challenges:
Several activities would have taken place – all these should have a sustainability plan associated with them in order to ensure that there is a legacy beyond 2024.
Actions:
- Incorporate 2024 into other strategy documents relating to education, outreach and development
Identify specific Outreach flagship projects that could be developed/supported leading up to 2024 and that would last well beyond 2024.
Potential Stakeholders:
AfAS, National Organising Committee(s), NAECs, ROADs, APA, IAU WiA WG
Education, Outreach and Development
Status / Challenges:
- Professionals in education, outreach and/or development should have opportunities before, during and after the GA to engage with projects and activities across the continent.
- Information and knowledge about Astronomy can be limited, even with some not being able to distinguish between Astronomy and pseudosciences.
Actions:
- For physical activities, connections need to be made well in advance to ensure that itineraries are planned such that side activities are planned and carried out as part of delegates’ travel to the GA
- All participants of the GA (physical and virtual) could be engaged in advance to contribute online education, outreach and development activities
Potential Stakeholders:
SAASTA, The Travelling Telescope, OAD, OAO, OAE
Science Flagships
Status / Challenges:
There are several potentially large projects related to either infrastructure or scientific collaborations such as a network of telescopes, computing infrastructure, etc. These projects can be supported and enhanced around GA2024 and thus have the potential to leave a lasting impact beyond 2024
Actions:
Identify specific Science flagship projects that could be developed/supported leading up to 2024 and that would last well beyond 2024.
Potential Stakeholders:
National Organising Committee, IAU WiA WG
Astronomy Hubs Across Africa
Status / Challenges:
The idea of an African Astronomy Hub is that it could be a focal point for astronomical activities within a particular geographic or language region in Africa. It may take the form of a physical office hosted within a single institution, or a virtual office located across multiple collaborating institutions.
Actions:
Explore the setting up of Astronomy hubs across Africa in partnership with organisations such as AfAS in order to ensure sustainability beyond 2024
Potential Stakeholders:
Diversity is Strength
Status / Challenges:
A strong legacy should be the demonstration of the strength of diversity in tackling human challenges, both in terms of astronomy (what Africa has contributed to the field) and in terms of development (how astronomy can work with diverse fields to impact on society)
Actions:
- Establish strong links with other disciplines that will be enhanced through the 2024 GA
- Ensure that the communication of African contributions to the field of astronomy is strong enough to last beyond 2024.
Potential Stakeholders:
…
Greater African Representation in the IAU
Status / Challenges:
Currently there are only a handful of African countries which are members of the IAU
Actions:
Encourage more African countries to join the IAU during the 2021 General Assembly, even if they join as interim members/observers. This will give a stronger African presence in the IAU by the 2024 GA.
Potential Stakeholders:
African ROADS and OAD, IAU WiA WG
A More Sustainable Field of Astronomy that meets the needs of Society
Status / Challenges:
There are many societal aspects that could be emphasized through the GA and thus influence the field of astronomy as a whole (energy, carbon footprint, education, development, gender equality, etc.)
Actions:
Build into the GA planning and implementation the formulation of recommendations which could influence future astronomy meetings.
Potential Stakeholders
…
Africa Established as a Destination for Talent and Investment Astronomy Community
Status / Challenges:
The GA could be used to further attract international talent and investment to the continent (whether that’s international collaborations, new facilities, companies, etc.)
Actions:
Develop a communications package around work and investment opportunities on the African continent, which can be promoted before, during and after the GA.
Potential Stakeholders:
…
