eunawe presentation south africa

EUNAWE South AfricaSouth African Astronomical Observatory, a facility of the National Research Foundation

Who is SAAO?

History: dates from 1820HQ: Cape Town, Western CapeObserving Facilities: Sutherland, Northern Cape

Total staff: 117 Scientists: Physics

AstronomyMathematics

Engineers/TechniciansElectronicsMechanicalOptical

Science Educators

South African Astronomical Observatory

Mission: to perform research in astronomy; To provide an international facility in Africa for such research; to educate and inform the community

SAAO:Host institution and SALT operator.

Sutherland:Good, dark astronomical site; used by SAAO for 30 years

Aseasonal with 75% nights useable

Median seeing of 0.9 arcsec

~1800 m altitude

Where is Sutherland?

SAAO & SALT HQ

10m - SALT

1.9m.5m .75m

KELT

Monet

IRAF

SuperWASP

BISONYSTAR

1m

SAUSUKGermanyPolandNew ZealandIndia

African Facilities

SALT / SAAO HESS

HartRAO / MeerKAT

Electromagnetic SpectrumHartRAO

SKASAAOSALT H.E.S.S.

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White Paper on Science and Technology 1996

“Scientific endeavour is not purely utilitarian in its objectivesand has important associated cultural and social values … Not to offer ‘flagship’ sciences (such as physics and astronomy) would be to take a negative view of our future - the view that we are a second class nation, chained forever to the treadmill of feeding and clothing ourselves.”

SA and EUNAWE

• Importance of Astronomy and Space for South Africa

• Importance of EU-South Africa Collaboration• Expertise in exploiting science and technology

for education and capacity building• South Africa: a gateway to Sub-Saharan Africa• UNAWE is a priority in South Africa

SAAO and EUNAWE

SALT Collateral Benefits Programme

SOUTHERN AFRICAN LARGE TELESCOPE

Manager, SALT Collateral Benefits Programme: Sivuyile Manxoyi

Education Officer Cape Town: Sivuyile Manxoyi

Public Outreach Officer: Thembela Mantungwa

Education Officer Sutherland: Marilize du Plessis

Visitor Centre and Logistics Officer: Karel Klein

Receptionist (contract): Claudine Vernooi

Night Tour Guide (contract): Glenda Stoffels

Day Tour Guide (contract): Dave O Hearns

Logistics Support: Cedric Jacobs

Administrative Support: Natalie Jones

Technical and New Media Support:Veronique Kazie-Ravat

Outreach Astronomer: Enrico Olivier

Weekend Tour Guide (contract): Willem Prins

Weekend Shop Assistant (contract): Juliana September

Yellow = EducationBlue = Public AwarenessRed = Community DevelopmentBlack = All of above

Cape Town Sutherland

Manager: SCBP

Admin Officer

Sutherland Manager

Education officer

Tour guide

Weekend / Holiday receptionist and shop assistant

Visitor centre and logistics officer

Receptionist and bookings officer

Tour guide

Tour guide

Education officer

Public outreach officer

Facilities and logistics officer

Public outreach astronomer

Technology coordinator

Yellow = EducationBlue = Public AwarenessRed = Community DevelopmentBlack = All of above

Cape Town Sutherland

Proposed Structure

EducationStrategy

Public AwarenessStrategy

Socio-economic DevelopmentStrategy

Management, Stakeholder relations, InternationalStrategy

Collaborators• GAUTENG:• Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory• SKA/MeerKAT• Johannesburg Planetarium• Johannesburg Observatory• Scibono Discovery Centre • ASSA Pretoria• ASSA Johannesburg• • FREE STATE• Boyden Observatory• ASSA Bloemfontein• • WESTERN CAPE• Iziko Planetarium (Cape Town)• MTN Sciencentre• Hermanus Magnetic Observatory• ASSA Cape Town• ASSA Garden Route

• LIMPOPO• University of Limpopo Science Centre• Giyani Science Centre

• MPUMALANGA• Osizweni Education and Development Centre

• KWAZULU-NATAL• Astronomy and Cosmology Research Unit (UKZN)• Gateway Science Centre• Unizul Science Centre• Olwazini Science Centre• ASSA Natal Midlands• ASSA Durban• • EASTERN CAPE• Scifest on the Road• AstroSoc (Rhodes Astronomy Society)• • NORTHERN CAPE• National Institute for Higher Education• Northern Cape Department of Education• • NORTH WEST PROVINCE• University of the North West• • NATIONAL• Astronomical Society of Southern Africa• South African Association of Science and Technology Centres• South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement

Education

Education• Sutherland schools extra classes• Chemical cleanup in Northern Cape• Science shows and workshops in Karoo Hoogland• Science centre in Sutherland• After school learning facility in Sutherland

• Educator workshops (UCT, US, UWC)

• Astronomy in libraries project• Langa township project

• National Science Week• Sasol TechnoX (award winning workshops)• World Space Week• Astronomy Quiz (winners in both provinces; finals at SAAO)

• NRF Western Cape collaboration• UNAWE outreach – SA, Australia, Netherlands event

SOUTHERN AFRICAN LARGE TELESCOPE

Public Awareness

Public Awareness

• Sutherland, Williston, Fraserburg festivals

• Sutherland science centre for public• Sutherland development centre

• SKA Undergrad programme

• Langa Township Astronomy Project

• Franschoek outdoor festival• Namibian Science Week

• Science Centre Accreditation Project• AMNH input into visitor facilities

• Open nights• Astro-Picnics• Telescopes on Lion’s Head• Telescopes on the beach

SOUTHERN AFRICAN LARGE TELESCOPE

Socio-Economic Development

Sutherland, Northern Cape

• Rural SA• 3800 people• 80% unemployment• Alcohol abuse• Teen pregnancies• Domestic violence• Overcrowded housing• Racial divides

SOUTHERN AFRICAN LARGE TELESCOPE

Socio-Economic Development

• Tourism festivals• Tourism route

• Sutherland drug and alcohol awareness programme• Sutherland Youth Club programme

• Inter-governmental forum

• Sutherland Reflections (Art meets Science)

• Tech ops development plan

• “Science, Technology and Community development centre” in Sutherland – jobs surrounding the centre; – establishment of Management Board; – MOA signed; – construction underway; – public meetings

Science, Technology and Community development centre(floor space: 20m x 6m)

-Digital doorway-After school centre-Wireless mesh-Interns-Training during construction-Usage by SAAO/SALT staff-Management board

International Activities

• Africa– Ten year plan for Africa– Seed Grants– Telescope donations for Africa– Visiting groups to SAAO– Regional development workshops– African Astronomical Society

• Globally– Beyond IYA Exec Committee Working Group– IAU Commission 46– IYA2009 “Developing Astronomy Globally”– Seed grants (Macedonia, Nepal, Uganda, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Kenya,

Ethiopia, Gabon, Rwanda, Uruguay, Tajikistan)– Global Telescope Donations– IAU Global Office of Astronomy for Development

SOUTHERN AFRICAN LARGE TELESCOPE

Tasks for EUNAWE• T1: Train and empower primary school teachers in each

partner country to provide inspiring lessons to young children, involving the Universe and space.

• T2: Develop, translate and disseminate hands-on and inquiry-base educational resources in each of the partner countries, emphasising European and South African science and technology.

• T3: Provide a network for the exchange of expertise and material between educators of young children in EU member states, Associated Countries and International Cooperation Partner Countries.

Tasks for EUNAWE• T4: Expose substantial numbers of young children in the 6

participating countries to awareness of the Universe, emphasizing astronomy and space sciences for developing perspective and an appreciation of the rational method.

• T5: Foster interaction and exchange of best practice between professional scientists and primary level educators.

• T6: Develop indicators and evaluation instruments for the programme and evaluate EUNAWE.

Current Status

• Press releases• Funds have been received• Financial management systems put into place• Collaborators informed• Project Manager advert sent through due

process• Presentation of project at DST 18th April 2011

Basic 2011 Timeline

• End May, early June: PM appointed• June: Announcements and press releases• June: Communication with SA collaborators• July: Materials consolidation• August: Teacher workshop preparation• End September: Implementation• October: Followup• November: International workshop attendance

EUNAWE South AfricaSouth African Astronomical Observatory, a facility of the National Research Foundation