Speaker
Abstract content <br> (Max 300 words)<br><a href="http://events.saip.org.za/getFile.py/access?resId=0&materialId=0&confId=34" target="_blank">Formatting &<br>Special chars</a>
The Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) is a partnership between the International Astronomical Union and the National Research Foundation, and is hosted at the South African Astronomical Observatory. Established in 2011 the OAD has been responsible for implementing a decadal strategic plan with the broad vision of "Astronomy for a better world". To date the OAD has established 9 regional offices (in Armenia, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, Portugal, Nigeria, Thailand and Zambia); coordinated the funding and implementation of 86 projects around the world; gathered a database of skills from over 600 volunteers; and established institutional partnerships through 10 different agreements. For technical advice and reviews of project proposals, the OAD uses three "Task Forces" made up of experts from around the world in areas related to (i) universities and research; (ii) children and schools; and (iii) general public. Its activities over the past (first) 5 years of its existence have recently attracted the award of the Edinburgh Medal, a first for the host country South Africa. This talk will briefly cover the history and ambitions of this office and describe the status of the envisaged roadmap, with particular focus on the OAD's relevance to the growing international conversation around "science for development".
