[AstroNet] CAP2010: Register now!

[Kevin Govender]

Hi all
The time has come for Africa to shine again. This time we will play host 
to the biggest IAU Astronomy Communication Conference in the world. It's 
coming to our shores from 15 to 19 March 2010. We would like to 
encourage as many scientists, science communicators, journalists and 
enthusiasts to participate in the conference in one way or the other.
Please visit the website for more information: 
http://www.communicatingastronomy.org/cap2010/index.html
Registration and abstract submission is open!
We encourage as many Africans as possible to try to attend the 
conference as well as the pre and post activities (astronomy 
communication school and trip to Sutherland).

The second announcement is copied below:
Regards
Kevin


  Second Announcement and Call for Registration

Published on 18 September 2009

Dear Colleague,

The 'Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010' (CAP2010) conference 
will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 15 to 19 March, 2010. 
Following the previous conferences in this series, it aims to address 
the modern challenges in astronomy communication through a global 
perspective. Major themes of CAP2010 will be the outcome and legacy of 
the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) as well as techniques 
for how to make public astronomical knowledge global and accessible to 
everyone across national, language, political, social and cultural 
borders and to those with impairment limitations.


      Important Dates

*Abstract Deadline: 1 November 2009
Registration Deadline: 15 November 2009*


      *
      Rationale*

This conference builds on the astounding success of the International 
Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). It will bring together producers of 
astronomical information (research scientists), public information 
officers (connected with large observatories and space missions), and 
mediators (science reporters and writers, staff members from museums, 
planetariums). CAP2010 will focus on the outcome of the IYA2009 
activities, their evaluation and plans for future work. Furthermore, as 
this meeting will be held in South Africa, another major theme will be 
'stimulating astronomy communication in the emerging world'.

Some of the key topics of CAP2010 are:

    * Reports from IYA2009 National Nodes, Organisational Nodes,
      Cornerstone Projects and Special Projects with an emphasis on the
      IYA2009 legacy
    * Challenges and successes: Case studies from around the world
    * Crowdsourcing/Citizen science projects
    * Communicating in the social networking/Web 2.0 mediascape:
      twitter/youtube/facebook/vodcasting
    * Audiovisual & multimedia communication incl. tools and techniques
    * New ways to exploit and visualize astronomical data
    * Social impact of astronomy communication
    * Alternative ways of communicating astronomy
    * EPO Clearinghouses: Portal to the Universe, COMpadre, etc.
    * Evaluation of IYA2009 and lessons for the future      
    * Communicating across national, language, political, social and
      cultural borders


      'Astronomy communication 101' courses

One of the specific goals of CAP2010 is to create an IYA2009 legacy by 
actively promoting astronomy communication in the Developing World and 
this will feature throughout the meeting. Linked to, but not directly 
part of CAP2010, will be an "Astronomy communication 101" school 
directed at participants from the Developing World. Selected conference 
participants will be invited speakers. This school will take place over 
3 days from 10th to 12th March 2010, just before the main conference, at 
the South African Astronomical Observatory <http://www.saao.ac.za/>.


For more details on the conference, school and to register/submit a 
contribution, please visit: 
http://www.communicatingastronomy.org/cap2010/index.html



Best regards,

The SOC and the LOC


-- 

Kevin Govender
Chair: Developing Astronomy Globally Cornerstone
Manager: SALT Collateral Benefits Programme / SA Chair for IYA2009
South African Astronomical Observatory, a facility of the NRF
Office: +27 21 460 9350
Mobile: +27 82 487 8466
Fax: +27 21 447 3639
Email: kg at saao.ac.za / Skype: kevindran / Twitter: govender
Websites: www.saao.ac.za / www.salt.ac.za / www.astronomy2009.org.za / www.developingastronomy.org
Postal: P.O. Box 9, Observatory, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa
Street: SAAO, Observatory Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

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