Blog Archives - IAU Office of Astronomy for Development https://astro4dev.org/category/blog/ Astronomy for a better world! Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:13:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://astro4dev.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-03_OAD_symbol_colour_2-32x32.jpg Blog Archives - IAU Office of Astronomy for Development https://astro4dev.org/category/blog/ 32 32 Science and Memory: Ana Teresa Diego, the Sky Also Remembers https://astro4dev.org/science-and-memory-ana-teresa-diego-the-sky-also-remembers/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:13:35 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=31086 This blog post was written by Dr. Facundo Rodríguez, project lead of the IAU OAD funded Right to Sky project in Argentina Originally published at https://diciembre.org/ciencia-y-memoria-ana-teresa-diego-el-cielo-tambien-recuerda/ The sky, its interpretation and what is said about it tells us a lot about the people who observe it. And, even from a scientific perspective, it changes depending [...]

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]]> Across the cultural divide: Europe and Africa through the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development https://astro4dev.org/across-the-cultural-divide-europe-and-africa-through-the-iau-office-of-astronomy-for-development/ Tue, 20 May 2025 08:55:33 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=30020 By Genevieve Marshall, IAU Head of Fundraising and past OAD Fellow In Singapore where I grew up, we’d sometimes travel to Malaysian islands such as Tioman. After a long, occasionally white knuckle-grip drive up to Mersing or Malacca, we’d trade my mother’s tiny Suzuki Swift for a paint-peeled, elderly but still sturdy boat. They had [...]

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]]> Writing in a Universe of Peace and Chaos https://astro4dev.org/writing-in-a-universe-of-peace-and-chaos/ Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:03:42 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=28521 written by Alboricah Rathupetsane, PhD student at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions, Stellenbosch University who participated in the writing retreat program in Sutherland, South Africa organised by the OAD’s Astro for Mental Health team A different kind of peace emerges from the vastness and emptiness of Sutherland. It is borne from the lack of embellishment [...]

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]]> Celestial Adventures: Inspiring Science and Discovery in Pakistan’s Mountainous Region https://astro4dev.org/inspiring-science-and-discovery-in-pakistans-mountainous-region/ Wed, 23 Aug 2023 08:47:05 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=28174 By Abeeha Hussain, STEM Ambassador for the OAD supported project “Astro -Phy Quench” Growing up in the northern reaches of Pakistan, far from the light pollution of bustling cities, I’ve had the incredible experience of gazing upon the vast expanse of clear, star-studded skies. Physics has always held a special place in my heart, with [...]

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]]> Embracing Uncertainty: A Transformative Journey with the OAD Office https://astro4dev.org/embracing-uncertainty-a-transformative-journey-with-the-oad-office/ Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:55:23 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=27943 By Joyful Mdhluli, OAD Fellow June has been an overwhelming month for me. Joining the OAD office has been the highlight of my year so far, but as with any new adventure, it brought its fair share of uncertainties. I often chuckle at the irony of having the uncertainty principle tattooed on my wrist, as [...]

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]]> Can Astronomy Make the World a Better Place? https://astro4dev.org/can-astronomy-make-the-world-a-better-place/ Thu, 25 May 2023 12:00:06 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=27831 By Tanita Ramburuth-Hurt “Is it possible for astronomy to make the world a better place? Can astronomy help solve problems of inequality and sustainability in the world?” These are questions I have long asked myself. In February 2023, I arrived at the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) in Cape Town, South Africa looking for [...]

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]]> Astrostays in World Travel & Tourism Council Blog https://astro4dev.org/astrostays-blog-for-world-travel-tourism-council/ Fri, 07 May 2021 15:20:18 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=22988 Sonal Asgotraa, Project manager of Astrostays, writes about the project for the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). As nature-based tourism emerges strongly in a post-COVID world, astro-tourism presents immense opportunities to create positive social, economic and conservation benefits. Astro-tourism is a form of experiential tourism that encompasses travelling for astronomy related experiences – ranging [...]

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]]> Online Lessons https://astro4dev.org/online-lessons/ Mon, 07 Dec 2020 10:34:08 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=21945 PRAGSAC (Promoting Radio Astronomy in Ghana through School visits and Astronomy Clubs) are developing online astronomy lessons for students in Ghana. The lessons will be released on their Youtube channel.

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]]> World Science Day for Peace and Development 2020 https://astro4dev.org/world-science-day-for-peace-and-development-2020/ Tue, 10 Nov 2020 13:24:42 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=21907 Celebrated each year on 10 November, World Science Day for Peace and Development highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives. The focus this year is on “Science [...]

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]]> Rethinking Human Development- Contribution to the International Science Council Initiative https://astro4dev.org/rethinking-human-development-sub-saharan-africa/ Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:06:15 +0000 https://astro4dev.org/?p=21904 The International Science Council (ISC) is featuring contributions from the global science community on Rethinking Human Development. This is a joint project with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In this contribution, OAD Director, Kevin Govender, and Prof Carolina Odman at the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy in South Africa, explore how science and [...]

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