Newton RCUK-SEA -- Capacity Building in STEM to ensure a sustainable community development and a successful astronomical observatory in Timor
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
The STEM education and outreach proposed by this project is aimed at strengthening engagement in local education, as well as specifically targeting teachers, by providing them with resources that can be used to underpin the STEM subjects taught in schools. Exposure to the practical applications of STEM and the opportunity to be involved in these directly is expected to encourage young people to pursue higher level education. Furthermore, to be acquainted with a team of real STEM experts will also be an encouraging experience for them. This early stage human capital development is expected to initiate increased economic development in the longer term.
Planned Impact
The astronomy education, along with the STEM education, creates specific context in preserving the environment for astronomical purpose and generates local skilled and knowledgeable human resource in the running of the observatory and astronomical research work. A breakthrough in securing hi-tech jobs will surely encourage more local young people to study and work on STEM topics. This STEM education and training is directed towards teachers and high school students due to the still very low efficacy of education in this area. This two-year project constitutes an important foundation for a long term effort towards a sustainable development by providing thoroughly the basic knowledge, skill, and real STEM ideas applied in specific context: a poor countryside with a prospect of hosting a high-tech astronomical observatory.
Publications
Huda I
(2021)
Measuring the impact of Indonesian antennas on global geodetic VLBI network
in Experimental Astronomy
| Description | The main purpose of this project was to provide opportunities for human capital development in Indonesia in astronomy and other connected areas (such as data science). We have run training activities in radio astronomy which have connected students at the undergraduate and graduate level from all over the country. The project has also provided with new technical capabilities via new computing resources, among other things, to run more training in the future and increase academic research benefits as well. Outreach activities were run in various areas of the country, include remote areas of West Timor. This is a net benefit to increase awareness to the current Indonesian project of building an optical telescope in this part of the country and protect the night sky. The project has also raised the profile of astronomy projects within the funding agencies and partnership opportunities with the UK but also with neighbouring countries. There is a potential to turn astronomy into an area for eco-tourism as well. |
| Exploitation Route | This project has contributed to raising the profile of astronomy in Indonesia. There is currently a telecommunication dish conversion into a radio telescope taking place, and this should in term be added to the East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN). The Indonesian astronomy community is growing and activities from this grant are pathways to foster the development within the country and partnership with the UK and Europe in the future. More specific projects could be taken over in the future such as technology work on radio antenna and receivers, data science and high performance computing, and protection of the sky (in the radio and optical regime), among other things. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism |
| URL | https://www.as.itb.ac.id/en/itb-summer-school-on-radio-astronomy/ |
| Description | The activities as part of this project have strengthened the astronomy and big data activities in Indonesia. It appears that the Indonesia government and scientific community are progressing to build their international astronomy presence, extending for example the links to the East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN). A telecommunication dish has been donated to the government by a telecommunication company (Indosat Ooredoo) and is in the process of being converted for radio-astronomy (as was the case for the one in Ghana). We cannot claim the full extent for this progress but our activities have contributed to raise the profile of astronomy in the country. This directly contributes to higher education prospect and foster links with the private sector. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| Impact Types | Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between Indosat Ooredoo and Institut Teknologi Bandung |
| Geographic Reach | Asia |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.as.itb.ac.id/en/itb-summer-school-on-radio-astronomy/ |
| Description | Institut Teknologi Bandung |
| Organisation | University of Technology Brunei |
| Country | Brunei Darussalam |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We provide guidance and support for the development of outreach in the West Timor region where the observatory will be built as well as for putting together an optical and radio sky protection plan. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Institut Teknologi Bandung is the main partner in this project. As this is a Newton Funded project, they provide matched funding to the project. |
| Impact | This will be added later. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Engaging the local population with the astronomical observatory project in West Timor |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | This activity was three-fold: 1) Public astronomy night with a talk about astronomy and light pollution in Kupang. Audience: local population and local school kids. Over 100 persons attended. Also attended by representative from DIPI, which manages the Newton fund project in Indonesia. Outcome: Change in understanding about the concept of light pollution and actions that can be taken to mitigate it. 2) Site visit of the future optical telescope in West Timor Audience: met with the local population living in nearby villages. Over 30 people were met. Also attended by representative from DIPI, which manages the Newton fund project in Indonesia. Outcome: For the villagers: they were happy to notice the importance of the project. Better understanding of the project. For us: better understanding of the challenges faced by the astronomical observatory project. For DIPI: better understanding of the astronomy project and necessity for training and eduction. 3) Meeting with a local politician in charge of the administrative region. Audience: 1. Outcome: Ground work to explain the international importance of their astronomical observatory project as well as the need for future regulation on lighting in the area of the observatory. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Summer School on Radioastronomy at Bosscha Observatory in Bandung |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Summer School on Radioastronomy at Bosscha Observatory in Bandung. A full week of lectures and practical research work for undergraduate (and postgraduate students). We fully funded 30 students. The majority came from various locations all over Indonesia, but also some participants originated from India and Malaysia. Lecturers included Dr. Rene Breton (Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics/School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester), Prof. Dr. Anna Scaife (Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics/School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester), Prof. Dr. Taufiq Hidayat (Astronomy Study Program, ITB), and Prof. Dr. Young-Chol Minh (Radio Astronomy Division, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute). The Summer School included a one-day field visit of the Indosat Ooredoo offices and Earth Station near Jatiluhur in West Java, where the students and lecturer met with the Indosat Ooredoo telecommunications company. A telecommunication dish donated to the government by the company is to be converted into a radio astronomy telescope. On the Friday, government officials from various funding and science councils were invited to attend the Summer School in the afternoon. They listened to presentations by the students and attended the official signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between Indosat Ooredoo and the Institut Teknologi Bandung for the transfer of the radio dish. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.as.itb.ac.id/en/itb-summer-school-on-radio-astronomy/ |
| Description | Workshop at Manchester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Workshop organised at Manchester to launch the collaboration between researchers at Institut Teknologi Bandung and researchers at The University of Manchester. The workshop included presentations by the different attendees, tours of the various relevant facilities (University ground, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre), focused discussions on specific themes addressing the grant's main goals. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Workshop in Indonesia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | We organised a workshop in Indonesia with our project partner. This workshop consisted of two components: 1) Science lecture at Institut Teknologi Bandung for the local postgraduate physics students Attendance: 30 students and staff members Outcome: Familiarise themselves with cutting-edge research in pulsar astrophysics, which might be an area in which they will be able to work in the future if a radio telescope is constructed. 2) Workshop on radio astronomy primarily for undergraduates in physics and physics teaching, as well as postgraduates and staff in Kupang. Attendance: 40 students and staff members Outcome: Obtain basic knowledge about fundamental physics principles behind radio astronomy and the uses of a radio antenna. This is the first step to train future teachers in this poor area of the country so that they can educate primary and secondary school students about astronomy and the motivation to build a telescope in the region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |