From 11 February to 8 March 2022, the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) will hold a series of activities to celebrate Women and Girls in Astronomy. This annual project recognises the role of women in advancing science and encourages girls to consider careers in the field. The OAO invites outreach practitioners, parents, young people and astronomers to get involved in and contribute to the programme of virtual and in-person events.

If you are an astronomy outreach practitioner, you can take part by hosting your own activity, such as an event to celebrate women and girls in astronomy, a Meet the IAU Astronomers event, or a girls-only stargazing night. Register your event in the Astronomy Outreach Event Calendar. We’ll promote some activities on our social media.

If you are a parent, young person or someone who is interested in learning more about women in astronomy, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Follow the OAO’s social media channels to watch weekly interviews with notable astronomers, and with our IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs).

You can also attend an event hosted or supported by one of our 130+ NOCs, which we’ll be sharing on the OAO’s Facebook and Twitter, or one of the many community events listed in the Astronomy Outreach Event Calendar. Don’t forget to share on social media astronomers who inspire you with #WomenInAstronomy and #WomanInSTEM hashtags.

Children up to the age of 12 are invited to participate in a Draw an Astronomer contest hosted by the IAU Executive Committee Working Group Women in Astronomy and the OAO. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about astronomers? What’s their ethnicity? Their age? Where do they come from? What do they do for fun? Imagine your astronomer and send us your drawing for a chance to win a telescope, courtesy of the Stars Shine for Everyone project. There is more information on how to participate here.

We invite all astronomers to join the online campaign. Share a short video introducing yourself, your career, your passions, and what it means to be an astronomer and together let’s inspire the new generation to consider careers in astronomy. Or record why you support gender inclusion in astronomy. Send a short video (maximum 2 minutes) to the OAO’s International Outreach Officer, Suzana Filipecki Martins. Selected videos will be shared on the OAO’s social media channels. More information can be found here.

The OAO would like to thank the IAU Executive Committee Working Group Women in Astronomy for their support and guidance on the Women and Girls in Astronomy Outreach Global Project.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 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.

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). 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 (NOCs) and the IAU’s public engagement initiatives. The work of the OAO is about building bridges between the IAU and the global astronomy community of amateur astronomers, outreach professionals, educators, communicators, and the general public, and through international collaboration, to make the science of astronomy accessible to all.

Links

• Women and Girls in Astronomy | IAU

Contacts

Suzana Filipecki Martins
OAO International Outreach Officer
Tel: +31 644 0701 53 
Email: suzana.filipecki@oao.iau.org 

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Director of Communications
Cell: +1 520 461 0433/+49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars.christensen@noirlab.edu