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AfAS Conference 2026

AfAS-2025 DATA SCIENCE HACKATHON!

Are you ready to innovate and tackle astronomical challenges using data science? As part of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) Conference and General Assembly 2025, we are excited to host the AfAS-2025 Data Science Hackathon under the theme “Connecting Astronomy in Africa: A Pathway to Growth.” This hackathon will offer participants the chance to experience the entire pipeline of machine learning, from conception to application. We will make use of the advanced South African ilifu data-intensive research cloud facility to run the hackathon challenge.

Date: 20–21 March 2025

Time: 08:00 AM – 17:00 PM

Venue: UNISA Science Campus – NB Pityana 02-055A Counsel Chambers in Johannesburg

For more info: https://www.africanastronomicalsociety.org/2024/12/12/join-the-afas-2025-data-science-hackathon/

  Association (APA) Biannual Workshop   

The APA Biannual Workshop will focus on the current state of planetaria in Africa and will explore how APA and the broader African planetarium community can collaborate effectively to tackle shared challenges. Through interactive sessions, participants will share success stories from our African colleagues, exchange lessons learned, and discuss best practices for building and operating planetaria. The workshop will also include the election of a new APA committee and discussions on how APA can better support the community in the future. 

Date: 22–23 March 2025

Time: 09:00 AM – 17:00 PM

Venue: UNISA Science Campus (Florida)

For more info: https://www.africanastronomicalsociety.org/2025/01/10/call-for-registration-and-abstracts/

 

BLUEshift Africa: Workshop on teaching undergraduate astronomy

 

This workshop is for any African lectureror early-career scientist who is currently teaching undergraduate-level astronomy, or intends to teach undergraduate astronomy in the future. This includes teaching full astronomy courses, as well as teaching astronomy topics within physics, mathematics, or other courses. We welcome early-career scientists such as Master’s and Ph.D. students and post-doctoral researchers who teach or are interested in undergraduate teaching, as well as senior lecturers and astronomers. We aim to have participants who will also be attending the AfAS 2025 Conference.

 

Co-chairs: Dr. Linda Strubbe

 

Date: 22 – 23 March 205

 

Time: 09:00 AM -17:00 PM

 

Venue: UNISA Science (Florida) Campus

 

For more info: https://sites.google.com/site/lestrubbe/workshops-resources/blueshift-africa

African Lunar Symposium

AfAS and NASA-SSERVI are cohosting the first “African Lunar Symposium” as part of the AfAS Annual Meeting. This all day event will feature lunar researchers from across Africa and NASA. Additionally, there’ll be opportunities to discuss ways that NASA SSERVI (Solar System Exploration Virtual Institute) and researchers in Africa can collaborate on research that may shape the future of space exploration. The session is designed to be interactive with two Q&A sessions as well as time for mingling and networking.

Co-chairs: Dr Greg Schmidt/NASA & Professor James Chibueze/UNISA

Date: 23 March 2025

Time: 09:00 AM -17:00 PM

Venue: UNISA Science (Florida) Campus, NB Pityana 02-055A Counsel Chambers, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

NASA Night; Community Discussion

Come join colleagues to enjoy a casual meeting point as part of the AfAS Annual Meeting. There will be short talks by NASA SSERVI (Solar System Exploration Virtual Institute) Directors and others as well as a status on the a cubesat outreach project that began at last year’s IAU General Assembly. Perhaps even a “Space Quiz!”

Hosts: Dr. Greg Schmidt & Ms. Kristina Gibbs for NASA SSERVI

Date: 23 March 2025

Time: 18:00 PM – 20:00 PM

Venue: Emperors Palace in Kempton Park in the Education and Outreach Room