AFAS

Organizing Committee

[expand title=”ADVISORY COMMITTEE”]

  1. Dr. Solomon Belay( Ethiopia, ESSTI)
  2. Mr. Takalani Nemaungani     (South Africa, DST)
  3. Mr. Kevin Govender (South Africa, OAD)
  4. Dr. Lerothodi Leeuw (South Africa, AfAS vice President)- Lead of Scientific  Business Meeting
  5. Dr. Mirjana Povic( Ethiopia, ESSTI)
  6. Mr. Alemiye Mamo (Ethiopia, EA-ROAD & ESSTI)
  7. Mr. Abdissa yilma (Ethiopia, ESSTI)[/expand]

[expand title=”PROGRAM COMMITTEE”]

  1. Dr. Lerothodi Leeuw (AFAS- Vice President)
  2. Dr. Zara Randriamanakoto(AfAS-Executive member)
  3. Mr.Charles Takalani (AfAS- Interim Secretary)
  4. Mr. Alemiye Mamo (EA-ROAD)[/expand]

[expand title=”LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE”]

  1. Mr. Alemiye Mamo – Chair , EA-ROAD&ESSTI
  2. Dr. Solomon Gerra – Secretary, ESSTI
  3. Mr. Getachew Wollel – ESSTI
  4. Dr. Sebelu Humne – ESSSTI
  5. Dr. Nigusse Mezgebe –ESSTI
  6. Mr. Feleke Zerihun- ESSTI[/expand]

[expand title=”IMPORTANT DATES”]

Ø Application of Scientific Meeting: Open 01 August 2019   

Ø  Application for Grant: Open 01 August 2019

·         End 30 August 2019[/expand]

LOCAL INFORMATION

PROGRAM

About the Meeting
Objectives
About AfAS
About the Meeting

About the Meeting

Astronomy in Africa science business meeting, to be held from 10-11 October 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is aimed to promote the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) to the science community and to highlight the astronomy in Ethiopia to the AfAS and international community.

The meeting will be lead by AfAS Science Committee and  focus on the business of the science for AfAS, the role of AfAS as far as the science is concerned ,  discussion  on the science goals of AfAS,  and   development of AfAS  science Strategy  for Professional Astronomy.

The Science business  meeting of AfAS will bring together African Astronomical professionals and other international astronomy community to discuss on scientific issues , consult on science strategy of AfAS and how they could be engaged in AfAS activities and contribute towards achievement of its vision and mission. Besides developing Science business strategy of AfAS the scientific meeting is used as a platform in creating partnership and collaboration with international scientific bodies as well as IAU356 symposium participants.

The Astronomy in Africa science business meeting is hosted by Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) and co-organized by with African Astronomical Society (AfAs), East Africa Regional office of Astronomy for Development (EA-ROAD), Ethiopian Space Science Society (ESSS) and Ministry of innovation and Technology (MiNT). It is a continuation of the Astronomy in Africa business meeting that was hosted at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town from 25-26 March 2019.

Sessions of the meeting

The AfAS Science Business meeting has the following 4 basic sessions:

  • Session 1: AfAS Science Strategy
  • Session 2. Current status of Astronomy in Africa
  • Session 3: Forum discussion about AfAS’s Science business strategy
  • Sesstion4: Scientific Partnership and Collaboration

Format of Meetings

The Science business meeting will comprise a series of invited and contributed talks, discussion and reflection on Science  business Strategy of AfAS, Interactive networking sessions that aims to stimulate conversations and scientific collaborations via  IAU  Symposium, flash talks and working/back sessions.

Participants

In the African Astronomy Science meeting, around 100 participants are expected to attend the meeting.

The participants  of the meeting  will come from the following groups :Astronomers based in Africa; Astronomers from the African Diaspora; Astronomers from around the world willing to collaborate with African astronomers; Astronomy instrumentation scientists and engineers; Astronomy educators and communicators; Data scientists and ICT professionals related to all the above groups; Students related to all the above groups; Amateur Astronomers related to all the above groups; Relevant government officials; Funding agencies ;Relevant industry partners; Invited  Individuals  and organization who are involved in development of African Astronomical Society (AfAS)

 

Objectives

Objectives of the meeting:

  • Share the progress update of AfAS activities since it was re-launched in March 2019
  • Share the state of scientific research being conducted across Africa and stimulate conversations on research collaborations;
  • Stimulate interaction with researchers outside Africa (through the IAU Symposium) and gather input on a science strategy for AfAS.
  • Develop a Science business Strategy for AfAS, which will be submitted to the AfAS Executive Committee via the AfAS Science Committee

Expected Outcome

The expected Outcomes from the scientific business meeting are the following:

  1. Developing AfAS Science strategy document
  2. Raising awareness on astronomical research activities in Africa both by Africans and potential international collaborators.
  3. Establishing new collaborations and partnership in the fields of Astronomy and related researches on big data both within Africa and at international level.
  4. Setting future directions of AfAS’s scientific engagements.

 

 

About AfAS

About AfAS

The idea of establishing African Astronomical Society (AfAS) was first incepted by working groups of African Astronomers at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2010 and officially launched at the 2nd Middle East and Africa Regional IAU Meeting (MERIAM-II) at Cape Town, South Africa 2011. However, AfAS didn’t go further as it was planned and become inactive since its inception. In 2017, during the fourth MERIAM meeting in Ethiopia, the resolution has been made to revitalize AfAS   by formulating interim committee with renewed energy and commitments. As a result the interim committee along with the Office of Astronomy for development (OAD) and strong support from South African Department of Science and Technology(DST) was able to conduct ‘Astronomy in Africa meeting’ at Cape Town  in March, 2019  that realized  the re-launch of AfAS by  adopting a new constitution and electing Executive Committee of AfAS. The Astronomy in Africa science business meeting organized by Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) in collaboration with African Astronomical Society (AfAs). East Africa Regional office of Astronomy for Development (EA-ROAD) and Ministry of innovation and Technology (MiNT) is a continuation of the Astronomy in Africa Business meeting that was hosted at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town from 25-26 March 2019.