IAU Executive Committee Working Group Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion Newsletter #11 March 2021
1) WG Triennial Report (2018-2021) – Astronomy for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity now online
2) New SubWG on “LGBTQI+ Communities in Astronomy”
3) Parastronaut Feasibility Project
4) IAU OAO Welcomes Proposals for 2021 Telescopes for All
5) Global Survey of Accessible Resources for Education
6) An Interactive Workshop to Explore Novel Ideas for Future Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Activities with the Arecibo Observatory
7) Projects and Programmes focused on Women and Girls in Science
8) Relevant Reads
9) Join our Sub Groups
10) Subscribe to our Basecamp and join the discussion
11) Share your News!
Dear friends,
Welcome to the eleventh issue of our monthly newsletter.
In this issue, with the publication of our executive working group triennial report, we take the opportunity to thank all our friends, colleagues and members of our community for their support. Their commitment and contributions in bringing equity, inclusion and diversity to their communities are the backbones of a successful triennium and we, as a community, are in great debt to you all.
In this issue, we want to highlight the creation of a new sub-working group: “LGBTQI+ Communities in Astronomy” led by Jacob Noel-Storr, the Global Survey of Accessible Resources for Education and the Parastronaut Feasibility Project.
Wishing you all our best,
Lina Canas & Amelia Ortiz-Gil
1) WG Triennial Report (2018-2021) – Astronomy for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity now online
The EC WG Triennial Report (2018-2021) – Astronomy for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity is now online and can be accessed at
https://www.iau.org/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/259/
2) New SubWG on “LGBTQI+ Communities in Astronomy”
The purpose of this sub-working-group is to ensure the representation of the members of those communities, including those who feel free and able to share their status and those who do not. There is a great deal of intersectionality between these communities, and the ways that they support each other, so grouping into one sub-working-group appears appropriate. Members of these communities can experience intolerance and harassment both within the astronomical community, and within the academic and national communities in which they live. It is of note that some member nations of the International Astronomical Union have various degrees of legislation in place which fail to protect, or actively incriminates, members of these communities. This sub-working-group will work to i) make recommendations where IAU policy could or should be improved for the inclusiveness of these communities; ii) ensure the positive contributions of members of these communities (who are willing and safe to be identified as such) to astronomy are highlighted; iii) ensure that membership of the International Astronomical Union, and participation in astronomy as a profession or hobby, is considered a safe space by members of these communities; iv) where possible, find ways to raise awareness to the above issues in astronomy. If you wish to become a member of the group, please send an email to Jake at noelstorr@astro.rug.nl .
3) Parastronaut Feasibility Project
For the first time in the history of human spaceflight, the European Space Agency (ESA) is recruiting individual(s) who are psychologically, cognitively, technically and professionally qualified to be an astronaut but have a physical disability that would normally prevent them from being selected due to the requirements imposed by the use of current space hardware. With this pilot project, ESA has taken the first step to mainstream disability and inspiring people with disabilities to pursue an education and/or career in the wider space sector.
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Astronaut_Selection/Parastronaut_feasibility_project
On March 31, UNOOSA led a multi-disciplinary webinar to learn more about the ESA Parastronaut Feasibility Project, and explore the challenges and opportunities in this emerging field:
We want to thank our colleague Beatriz Garcia for sharing the news.
4) IAU OAO Welcomes Proposals for 2021 Telescopes for All
The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) and Sterren Schitteren Voor Iedereen (Stars Shine for Everyone — SSVI), in collaboration with Leiden University, are now welcoming proposals for the 2021 Telescopes for All project. A full explanation of the requirements for proposals and the submission process is available on the Telescopes for All webpage. Telescopes for All will distribute 12 telescopes to underserved communities around the world, with the aim of broadening the horizons of children, parents and educators by sparking an interest in science. The project also raises awareness of the importance of equal opportunities in pursuing a career in astronomy.
Read more about the programme here: https://www.iau.org/news/announcements/detail/ann21023/
5) Global Survey of Accessible Resources for Education
Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) and the Organization of American States (OAS), through its Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity, are initiating a joint project to create an online repository of resources that make teaching and learning more accessible for persons with disabilities. The first phase of the joint project begins with a three-month survey that will result in a collection of currently available resources across the Americas. AUI and OAS plan to develop a searchable resource portal and make it accessible to the public by end of summer 2021.As part of the initial phase, AUI and the Department of Social Inclusion of the Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity of the OAS are actively seeking input from those who produce or use existing teaching and learning resources for persons with disabilities. The survey is available to the community at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Ed4All?fbclid=IwAR0u1qRoRukVLjKLUswq3D6k4EDWcwt1gTnDyPs90mcUrLaxV7-s2DPkYMk
6) An Interactive Workshop to Explore Novel Ideas for Future Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Activities with the Arecibo Observatory
The US National Science Foundation is supporting an Arecibo Observatory Options Workshop, titled An Interactive Workshop to Explore Novel Ideas for Future Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Activities with the Arecibo Observatory, that is “focused on finding actionable and innovative ways to support, broaden, and strengthen the radio science community across Puerto Rico and to create or enhance the opportunities for scientific, educational and cultural activities and public outreach at the Arecibo Observatory. All are welcome, and participants at universities, colleges, and non-academic organizations, such as museums (etc.), in Puerto Rico are particularly encouraged to contribute.”
More information at https://arecibo.hub.ki/
We want to thank our colleague Suasana Deustua for sharing the news.
7) Projects and Programmes focused on Women and Girls in Science
a) Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls
Gender inequity is one of the most urgent challenges we face as a society, and COVID-19 has put the economic future of women and girls at even greater risk. Google.org, believes that solving big problems requires collective action, and the people closest to the challenges are often those closest to the solution. Google.org wishes to support organizations helping women and girls turn their economic potential into power: from programs addressing systemic barriers to economic equality, to those cultivating entrepreneurship, developing financial independence, and more.
Learn more at https://impactchallenge.withgoogle.com/womenandgirls2021
We want to thank our colleague Mike Simmons for sharing the news.
b) Women In Space Campaign, in Malaysia
Apadilangit; Universe Awareness Malaysia organized “Women in Space Month in March” with a round table discussion on “Space Women, What are the challenges? ( https://fb.watch/4jVE9lXN8s/).
We want to thank our colleague Rini for sharing the news.
c) Online program on female STEM role models
The US National Academy of Sciences’ Science & Entertainment Exchange led a special session on “We See You: The Power of Female STEM Role Models On and Off the Screen” the recording should be available later on their Vimeo page as well.
We want to thank our colleague Mike Simmons for sharing the news.
8) Relevant Reads
The cultural participation of people with disabilities or impairments: how to create an accessibility planThis publication aims to present a holistic vision of what it means to create conditions for access to cultural participation, as well as help cultural organisations, build their accessibility plans.https://accessculture-portugal.org/accessibility-plan/We want to thank our colleague Pedro Russo for sharing the news item.
The COVID Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language, article on Scientific American
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-covid-zoom-boom-is-reshaping-sign-language1/
Thinking Inclusive Science Education from two Perspectives: inclusive Pedagogy and Science Education
Science Communication Demands a Critical Approach That Centers Inclusion, Equity, and Intersectionality
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00002/full
The State of Inclusive Science Communication: A Landscape Study
https://inclusivescicomm.org/files/State-of-Inclusive-SciComm-2020-1.pdf
9) Join our Sub Groups
The IAU EC WG on Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion sub-groups are subsets of the working group created to focus, both discussions and actions, on the different fields across inclusion.
The sub-groups
- Intend to build upon specific networks within IAU and bring in external expertise, with their members steering and informing the WGs global actions.
- Identify specific needs in the community and draft courses of action and guidelines, aligned with both the IAU Strategic Plan 2020-2030 and the Springboard of Action leveraging all dimensions of inclusion on research, outreach, education and development.
- Are in contact and close collaboration with each other through email, basecamp or online meetings, accessing the intersectionality aspects inherent to the field, avoiding duplication of the efforts carried.
We would like to invite all of you to join one or more of the subWGs according to your particular interests and expertise. Further information about the subWGs can be found here.
10) Subscribe to our Basecamp and join the discussion
We have set up a common Basecamp dedicated to all communications. As we understand that not all tools are 100% accessible we want to offer various channels tailored to our different needs. As all the actions carried by the WG, our suggestions are open for discussion and we intend to involve our members as much as possible. Therefore if you identify any tool that would suit you please kindly let us know and we will try to implement it.
You can subscribe to our Basecamp by sending a message to Amelia Ortiz-Gil and Lina Canas with the subject: Inclusion WG Basecamp at astro4inclusion [at] oao.iau.org.
11) Share your News!
Reach out to us and share news, activities, articles, resources and events from the astronomy community for inclusion around the world. We are looking forward to reading your contributions!
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