Keynote talks and workshops

Topic
Data visualisation

Title
Scientific visualisation in an era of AI and social media

Abstract
Astronomy deals with abstract concepts: wavelengths beyond human perception, physical scales beyond human reach, and time scales far removed from human experience. For this reason, scientific visualization is an indispensable tool in astronomy communication, it allows us to see the invisible, zoom through space, and compress time. The way that digital content is discovered, the platforms on/in which it is viewed, and even how it is created are all rapidly evolving. In an era when anyone can quickly make a video of anything, how can scientific content creators maintain trust? Using examples from the NASA Scientific Visualization Studio this talk explore ways to move forward in this environment. I will also suggest some concrete steps that the Astrovisualization community can take to maintain the public’s trust of their work in the AI era.

Biography
Mark SubbaRao leads NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, a group tasked with visualizing NASA science results for public audiences. Before joining NASA, Mark spent 18 years at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, where he produced planetarium shows and designed museum exhibits featuring data-driven scientific visualizations. During 2019-2020 Mark served as President of the International Planetarium Society (IPS), where he spearheaded the ‘Data to Dome’’ initiative – an effort to prepare the planetarium community for the big data era. Before that he worked at the University of Chicago where he was part of a team that created the largest 3D map of the Universe, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Mark SubbaRao has a PhD in Astrophysics from The Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of over 100 scientific publications. Mark’s visualizations have been widely featured in print, TV, and museums. His visualization work has been recognized with significant awards including the NSF’s Vizzies, The International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, and the Deauville Green Awards. Asteroid 170009 Subbarao is named in recognition of Mark’s work on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

Topic
Emerging technology

Title
Exploration of astronomical (and multidisciplinary) datasets and simulations using immersive technologies: Lessons learnt

Abstract
The next generation of astronomical facilities, such as the SKA Observatory or the Vera Rubin Observatory, and other exascale surveys, will produce data of a volume and complexity that challenge not only how we store and analyse it, but how we communicate it, both within the research community and to funders and the public. Immersive technologies, from digital planetaria to Virtual Reality (VR), offer a promising bridge between technical data exploration and public engagement, but they also present some challenges. In this talk, I will draw on my experience as Director of the UCT/IDIA Visualisation Lab to reflect on what we have learned deploying immersive technologies for both research and communication/education purposes over the past several years. I will discuss where digital planetaria and VR have the potential to succeed and fail as tools for conveying complex astronomical data and processes to diverse audiences, from research collaborators to the general public. Building on these lessons, I will introduce iDaVIE, our new open-source VR software for interrogating multi-parameter astronomical datasets (e.g., spectral cubes, catalogues, and cosmological simulations). I will present its capabilities for immersive data interaction, and show recent scientific results it has enabled, including analyses of MeerKAT and ASKAP data, alongside its emerging role as a communication and education tool.

Biography
Dr Lucia Marchetti is a Senior Lecturer in Astronomy at the University of Cape Town and Director of the UCT/IDIA Visualisation Lab. She holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Padua, Italy. Her research focuses on multi-wavelength galaxy formation and evolution, strong gravitational lensing and big data visualisation (exploiting both planetaria and VR technology). She is an active member of several international collaborations within Vera Rubin, Euclid, 4MOST and MeerKAT surveys. A dedicated science communicator, she coordinates Soapbox Science South Africa. She is a member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Division J – Galaxies and Cosmology Steering Committee, of the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP), and of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS). Publications: ADS library | LinkedIn: Lucia Marchetti

Topic
Communicating astronomy with funders and policymakers

Title
Communicating effectively with policy makers

Abstract
In working with policy makers in our city, in the US Congress and Agencies, and at the United Nations, I have found some general trends.  They are typically very interested in issues affecting astronomy.  Many have no technical background, but are expert in law and policy.  Specialist supporting staff can have technical backgrounds, but not usually in physical sciences.  There are often national policies that can conflict with the needs for protecting astronomical facilities, for example, stimulating industrial development.  It reflects well on your contacts when they can bring a winning solution to their higher-level bosses.

The message has to be concise and easily understandable.  We can’t assume that the value of astronomy is self-evident.  Context has to be provided for why the science and the facilities are valuable and why protecting them is in the local/national/international interest.  The best situation is when you are perceived to be a credible, expert source.  We are experts in astronomy, not necessarily in environmental science or in law and policy.  It’s therefore very worthwhile to make a clear statement of the problem in the context of astronomy and the need for a solution, without appearing to prescribe a fixed approach.  Practical examples are given.

Biography
Richard Green is an Emeritus Astronomer at Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona.  During his career, he served as Deputy Director of the US National Optical Observatory (now NOIRLab), Director of Kitt Peak National Observatory, Director of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory on Mt. Graham, and Director of UKIRT Observatory in Hawaii.  He served a term as Division Director for Astronomical Sciences at the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC.  He served two terms as the President of the IAU Commission on Site Protection and was the Interim Director of the Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky.  He currently serves as the Interim CEO of the LSST Discovery Alliance, represents the IAU at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and chairs the IAU Working Group on Astronomy on the Moon.

Topic
Combatting misinformation

Title
Building trust in science: Lessons from my experiences

Abstract
Trust is the foundation of scientific progress. Major discoveries are accepted because they emerge from rigorous experiments, independent
verifications, and open international collaboration. In this presentation, I will reflect on how trust has been established through my experiences
in the Super-Kamiokande neutrino experiment and in the KAGRA gravitational wave project. I will also discuss my experiences as the President of the Science Council of Japan several years ago, where interactions between science, society, and policy highlighted both the importance and the fragility of trust in science and scientists. Based on these experiences, I will discuss how we should maintain trust in science and why scientific integrity, openness, and international cooperation are essential for sustaining trust in science.

Biography
Takaaki Kajita is a Distinguished University Professor and a Special University Professor of The University of Tokyo. He is affiliated with the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR) of the University of Tokyo. Kajita received his PhD from the University of Tokyo School of Science in 1986, and has been researching with Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande neutrino detectors at the Kamioka Observatory of ICRR in central Japan. In 1998, at the Neutrino International Conference held in Takayama, Japan, he presented analysis results that provided strong evidence for atmospheric neutrino oscillations. In 2015, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for his role in discovering atmospheric neutrino oscillations. He is the project leader of KAGRA, aiming to explore gravitational wave astronomy.
Kajita was the director of the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research between 2008 and 2022. He was the President of the Science Council of Japan between 2020 and 2023. He has been a member of the Japan Academy since 2019.

Topic
Trust in science, trust in scientists

Title
What makes science and scientists trustworthy? Lessons for astronomy and science communication

Abstract
Astronomy frequently asks the public to trust highly specialized expertise, complex instrumentation, large collaborations, probabilistic claims, and findings that most people cannot verify themselves. Yet, concerns about science controversies, research misconduct, or the politicisation of space agencies ambitious long-term programmes in human space exploration, raise questions about how the role of trust in the communication trust is formed and maintained. While scientific institutions often assume that breaches of research integrity directly undermine public trust, empirical evidence remains limited. How do people decide which scientific claims and which scientists to trust? And what sustains trust when scientific authority is questioned?

Drawing on public deliberative workshops with citizens from seven European countries, this presentation examines how people discuss scientific findings and evaluate trustworthiness. The talk explores the expectations they place on scientists, and the different dimensions people mobilise when judging science and scientists, including expertise, values, institutional practices, and communication. By examining how trust is negotiated in public conversations, the presentation invites reflection on how scientific institutions can communicate uncertainty, transparency, and credibility in ways that strengthen their relationship with society.

Biography
Marta Entradas is professor at ISCTE-IUL (Portugal) and visiting fellow at the LSE (UK). Marta’s research focuses on public opinion about S&T, public trust in science and scientists, and science communication. She has conducted studies on astronomy communication both from the perspective of the public and scientists themselves, including the publication of the largest study of the IAU community and their communication practices and motivations across various world geographical regions. She received her PhD in Science and Technology Studies (STS) from University College London (UCL), was a Marie Curie Fellow (MSCA) at LSE and a Fulbright Scholar at Cornel University (NY). She was recognized with the ‘European Young Researcher Award’ (EYRA) (2016) by EuroScience, and by Ciência Viva in the ‘Women in Science’ book. She is PI of various funded projects, coordinating international comparative studies on science communication.