The African Astronomical Society (AfAS) is set to host its inaugural annual conference on March 8–12, 2021 (AfAS2021). The Conference would be fully virtual.
The AfAS was relaunched at the Astronomy in Africa business meeting held in South Africa in March 2019. Seven months later, the AfAS Science business meeting was held in Ethiopia. At the meeting, the participants agreed that the annual AfAS Conference would be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in March 2020. But it was postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Because the pandemic persists, the AfAS Executive Committee has decided to make the conference a virtual event. The AfAS from South Africa would be the host.
AfAS2021 aims to bring together at least 200 participants from various institutions and networks researching astronomy, primarily on the African continent. The conference also aims to attract potential industry partners, representatives of governments, policymakers, inter-governmental, and other international partners from across Africa and the Diaspora.
AfAS2021 would focus on the astronomical science emerging from Africa and cultivating collaboration among countries in Africa and collaborations between Africa and the rest of the world. The conference will also look at how best to continue to generate interest in astronomy amongst the general public and learners, retaining youth and women in astronomy and strengthening the teaching of astronomy and related sciences.
Over the five days of AfAS2021, there would be two days of Science talks, two days of Outreach, Education and Development talks, and one day dedicated to the AfAS Business-focused meeting and digital networking sessions.
Registration for the conference is free and open to astronomers from Africa and the rest of the world. There would be several keynote speakers and a message from the South African Department of Science and Innovation.
For more information on how to register, visit the AfAS website.
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