The International Astronomical Union will soon launch a new initiative called IAU Hands-On Workshops (I-HOW). In these workshops, young scientists in developing countries will learn how to access and analyse archived astronomical data for their research. They will be able to use these data to carry out original projects with the supervision of expert lecturers.

Vast amounts of astronomical data are currently stored around the world in the archives of ground-based telescopes run by large consortia, such as ESO, NSF’s NOIRLab, NRAO, ALMA, ATCA and LOFAR, and space missions run by space agencies like NASA, ESA, JAXA and ISRO. A lot of the data in those archives have not been fully exploited by the PIs who led the observations, meaning that there are hidden troves available for further scientific inquiry.

The I-HOW workshops will increase awareness of the availability of these data for solving specific astronomical problems, whilst fostering international collaboration between young scientists in developing countries and established staff members in developed countries. By expanding the community that uses the archived data, I-HOW will also enhance the scientific impact of the astronomical facilities.

The proposal is to hold about 2 of these workshops per year, covering different areas of astronomical research, instruments and wavelength ranges. The exact number of workshops per year depends on the budget that the IAU has available for this programme, the number of requests from the community, and the availability of lecturers. The I-HOW workshops will complement the IAU’s successful International Schools of Young Astronomers (ISYA) for MSc students by being focused on specific instruments and targeting Ph.D. students, postdocs, and young staff. Some of these workshops will be joint with COSPAR as part of their Capacity Building workshops.

Information on how to submit proposals and apply for the program will be available over the next few weeks. 

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together almost 12 000 active professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world's largest professional body for astronomers.

Links

• I-HOW webpage

Contacts

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org