By Bahle Gama
Leaders in the field of Astronomy on the African continent are meeting to map ways of elevating the profession and repositioning the continent globally.
They are meeting under the banner of the third annual conference of the African Astronomical Society which is currently taking place as a hybrid event.
It is being held at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Center for Astrophysics, Johannesburg. The conference began on Monday and will cover talks on science, outreach, communication, development, and education activities originating from astronomy in Africa.
The purpose of the gathering is to enhance further collaborations among African countries as well as the rest of the world. The conference is organised by AfAS in partnership with the Department of Science and
Innovation (DSI), the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), the University of the Witwatersrand, the African Science Stars Awareness Publication (ASSAP), the African Planetarium Association (APA), and the African-European Radio Astronomy Platform (AERAP).
According to a statement, some of the topics important to AfAS look at the status of astronomy in infrastructure and AfAS-led flagship projects.
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President of AfAS Professor Thebe Medupe stated that since Africa has a huge astronomy footprint, “It is vital to use astronomy for development to create opportunities and initiatives to attract and retain youth together with women in astronomy while also strengthening existing activities in the field.â€
“Even though our Society comprises mostly African members, the registrations reveal that attendees will also be from other countries outside the continent.â€
Each year, the annual conference attracts representatives from government, policymakers, inter-governmental, and other international partners from across the continent and the diaspora who enrich discussions.
The conference has brought together over 300 participants, with some 100 participants attending in person and the remainder attending virtually.
