IAU OAO Seminar: The Cultural Relevance of Dark and Quiet Sky Protection

The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is a joint project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), under the auspices of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences of Japan. The office is based in Tokyo, at the NAOJ Mitaka Campus.The mission of the OAO is to engage the public in astronomy through access to astronomical information and communication of the science of astronomy. This is implemented through a network of IAU National Outreach Coordinators and the IAU’s engagement initiatives with the public, encouraging active communication of science through IAU member public engagement, professional-amateur, and citizen science activities.The work of the OAO is about building bridges between the IAU and the global astronomy community of amateur astronomers, outreach practitioners, educators, communicators, and the general public, and through international collaboration, to make the science of astronomy accessible to all.

IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach

Join us on 31 May 2023 at 13:00 UTC as we talk about the Cultural Relevance of Dark and Quiet Sky Protection.

I﻿mage credit: Marcin Zajac/IAU OAE<h3>Join us on 31 May 2023 at 13:00 UTC for our IAU OAO Seminar on the Protection of Dark and Quiet Skies: the Cultural Relevance of Dark and Quiet Sky Protection!</h3>This online event will bring together astronomers, cultural practitioners, artists, activists, and outreach professionals to share their connection to the dark and quiet sky and its importance to the world’s cultures. We invite everyone – from students to professional astronomers to Indigenous knowledge holders – to tune in, learn about, and engage with this important issue.<h3>We will be joined by:</h3><a href="https://prc.nao.ac.jp/freqras/EN_index.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Masaaki Hiramatsu</a> (NAOJ) will discuss the ways light pollution in the radio part of the electromagnetic spectrum impacts radio astronomy – and our lives.<a href="https://sites.google.com/oao.iau.org/iauoaonews/national-pages/DominicanRepublic" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Manuel Grullon</a>, our IAU National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) Dominican Republic, will talk about the work he&#x27;s done to combat light pollution in his community.<a href="https://lightjustice.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lya Osborn</a>, co-founder of Light Justice, will frame light pollution in the context of social justice, touching upon issues of control and safety.<a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/799321-duane-hamacher" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Duane Hamacher</a> (University of Melbourne), <a href="https://linktr.ee/krystaldenapoli?fbclid=IwAR1p5KzwpaGNUV-pFKJO-g31HXVGhNINahijc7Xdn_J0OE5hBMSG8LL_1gQ" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Krystal De Napoli</a> (Monash University) and <a href="https://art2022.finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/programs/phd/bon-mott" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Bon Mott</a> (artist, educator, and curator based out of Melbourne, Australia) will discuss, as a team, their work that positions light pollution as an existential threat to Indigenous communities.<a href="https://cps.iau.org/community-engagement-hub/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Jessica Heim</a> (University of Southern Queensland; IAU CPS) will talk about some of the key issues surrounding night sky protection, as it relates, in particular, to satellites and humanity&#x27;s development of the space environment.<a href="https://aparnavenkatesan.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Aparna Venkatesan</a> (University of San Francisco) will focus on millennia-old cultural sky traditions that rely on dark and quiet skies. She will talk about the need for global strategies to protect our shared space environment and the intangible heritage it embodies.<h3>M﻿eet Our Speakers!</h3>Dr Masaaki Hiramatsu is a Senior Lecturer at NAOJ and the Head of NAOJ Spectrum Management Office. He obtained his PhD from the Department of Astronomy at the University of Tokyo in 2008. He later worked as a postdoc at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Taiwan and then as the East Asian ALMA Education and Public Outreach Officer at NAOJ for 10 years.Manuel Grullon is passionate about astronomy outreach and has worked in this field for more than 15 years. He is convinced that astronomy is the best way to make people understand how fragile our planet is and the importance of good science and mathematics education, particularly in the early years. He thinks these concepts can help to mould sustainable citizens that are more respectful of the environment, diverse in their opinions, and have a strong commitment to preserving and sharing all we have on Earth: the resources, the knowledge, and the challenges. Lya S. Osborn is a multidisciplinary designer, writer, literary translator, and the founder of a collaborative workshop in Seattle, WA. Lya also serves as the North America Regional Director for Unolai Lighting Design and has contributed to a broad range of award-winning international design projects over the past eight years. Lya received a double MFA in Lighting Design and Interior Design from Parsons The New School for Design, where her thesis work challenged the industry incentives which have long defined a designer&#x27;s role in society, and proposed alternate modes of directing design resources to historically disadvantaged populations. Lya is a co-founder of LightJustice.org, an online forum offering resources that further social equity around lighting design. She is a member of the International Association of Lighting Designers, the Illuminating Engineering Society, and the International Dark Sky Association, and is Community Friendly Lighting Certified.Dr Duane Hamacher earned a bachelor&#x27;s in physics, a master&#x27;s in astronomy, and a PhD in the social sciences, and has transdisciplinary fieldwork experience. He was a recipient of an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellowship, during which time he worked for Meriam elders to record and preserve the astronomical knowledge and traditions of the eastern Torres Strait Islanders. You may recognise him from his TEDx Northern Sydney Institute talk in 2013, the National Geographic documentary &#x27;The Story of God with Morgan Freeman&#x27; from 2016, and several other films, documentaries, and exhibitions. Duane is a science communicator, science writer, multifaceted consultant, and a professor at the University of Melbourne on sabbatical as a CAPAS Fellow in the Kate Hamburger Centre for Apocalyptic &amp; Post-Apocalyptic Studies at Heidelberg University. In addition, Duane holds honorary professorships at the University of Southern Queensland, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and the National Autonomous University of Honduras.Krystal De Napoli is a Gomeroi astrophysics graduate, now undertaking an honours degree in astrophysics at Monash University. They are a passionate advocate for Indigenous sciences -- Indigenous astronomy in particular -- which they discuss in public presentations, radio shows, podcasts, research, writing, and pedagogy. In 2022, Krystal co-authored a book entitled &quot;Astronomy: Sky Country&quot; that explores the more than 60,000-year history of astronomy in Australia, the deep connections between environment, cultural practices, and the stars, and the need to preserve the dark skies above (as well as the cultural information that they contain). In her current role at Monash University, Krystal has helped to develop their first-ever Indigenous Science undergraduate course and is also working as a teaching assistant at a local school to design and teach an Indigenous science course for high school students.Dr Bon Mott is an artist, curator and educator. Bon utilises the symbol _/\_ to transcend the need for pronouns. Bon Mott has earned a bachelor’s and master’s of fine art in sculpture, and a PhD in installation art activated by performance, all from the University of Melbourne’s VCA Victorian College of the Arts. Originally from California, Bon now lives in Ngár-go (or, Fitzroy) Australia -- this is an ancient land with a history spanning tens of thousands of years. As an artist living on stolen land, Mott considers it a great responsibility to learn the intangible interconnections of Indigenous Knowledge. Mott’s works look back in history to find a path forward for expanded, inclusive social change through researching the lateral violence and patriarchal effect of colonisation from the time of contact. In particular, Bon Mott creates works that embody a commitment to reciprocal nurturing through collaboration with marginalised creatives, and researches the Indigenous and western science of lightning for their creative practice. The outcomes and processes of Mott’s creative process-driven independent arts projects are complex and multilayered, utilising transformative, transdisciplinary, and mixed-method research methodologies that stem from the lived experience of their nonbinary identity and neurological disability.Jessica Heim&#x27;s research interests involve exploring human relationships with both sky and land, with a particular focus on dark skies, as well as ethics and policy issues associated with space exploration and development. She holds a Master&#x27;s degree in Cultural Astronomy. In her dissertation research, she studied community experiences with dark sky initiatives and &#x27;dark sky friendly&#x27; LED streetlights. Jessica is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Southern Queensland&#x27;s Centre for Astrophysics, where her research focuses on issues pertaining to impacts of satellite constellations on astronomy and the space environment. She is a member of the American Astronomical Society&#x27;s Committee to Protect Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) and co-leads the Community Engagement Hub of the International Astronomical Union&#x27;s Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS).Dr Aparna Venkatesan is a cosmologist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of San Francisco. She works on studies of the first stars and quasars in the universe, and is also actively involved in projects in cultural astronomy and space policy. She has been recognized internationally for her research and DEI leadership, featured widely in the media, and received numerous prizes and awards. Dr Venkatesan is deeply committed to increasing the retention of underrepresented groups in astronomy and STEM, and is active in developing scientific partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide.

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

IAU OAO Seminar: The Cultural Relevance of Dark and Quiet Sky Protection

More events from IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach

Follow organizers to get events picked for you

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.

IAU OAO Seminar: The Cultural Relevance of Dark and Quiet Sky Protection

More events from IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach

Follow organizers to get events picked for you

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.