Astronomy for Development Case Studies 2020

Astronomy and space enjoy near-universal fascination. The study of the universe is deeply connected to what it means to be human. Questions on the origin of life, the existence of life outside Earth, and exploration of other worlds stoke fundamental curiosity in people, regardless of age, gender, geography or social and economic backgrounds.

While astronomy, as a curiosity-driven science, may be seen as irrelevant to everyday life, nothing could be farther from the truth. Some of the biggest technological breakthroughs of the past few hundred years originated from basic science research, including astronomy.

Astronomy has huge potential to be used for the benefit of society given that it connects science, technology, and culture. The Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) is a global office mandated to use astronomy, including its practitioners, skills and infrastructures, to drive positive developmental change. The office is a joint partnership between the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) with the support of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The OAD‘s vision is “Astronomy for a better world“ with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (see previous page) as broad objectives for global development.

The OAD, through an annual, open call for proposals, funds ideas that employ astronomy in innovative ways to help solve a problem or challenge in a community and promote sustainable development. Since the first call in 2012, a total of €851,959 has been awarded to more than 150 projects across the globe. These projects have educated, inspired, and amazed children and adults, promoted dialogue and peaceful intention between communities, stimulated the local economy, encouraged inclusive practices, and so much more. Despite the small scale nature of these projects, they have managed to reach thousands globally and benefited people by leveraging the strengths of astronomy.

This booklet provides examples of projects, run by passionate, active, and knowledgeable volunteer teams, that are changing lives around the world. These projects represent only a fraction of the work being carried out globally, including a large number of activities outside OAD and IAU networks that may not be well-known.

We hope that these projects and their stories can serve to demonstrate that astronomy is not merely an academic pursuit but can induce direct, real-world benefits. We also hope that these examples stimulate further ideas that put science to work in order to enhance global development. Finally, it is our sincere belief that astronomy is just one piece of the puzzle and that we must truly embrace interdisciplinary work to produce effective change and promote sustainable development.