eunawe presentation south africa
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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.
f
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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