Newton STFC-NARIT: Using astronomy education as a motivator for long-term capacity building in STEM

Astronomy is an area of science that interests and excites almost everyone - across all age, gender, social and cultural groups. However, this is in contrast to the science that it is part of, and the technology that drives it, which are often perceived as "boring" or "too complicated". This dislike (or even distrust) of science and technology can lead to even very young children deciding that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are not for them, closing down exciting career options before they are even aware that they exist. In the long term, this can cause significant problems for a nation, particularly one like Thailand, which needs an ever larger high-tech workforce if it is to continue to develop its economy.

In the UK, the National Schools' Observatory (NSO) have for over two decade been using astronomy to help overcome these prejudices in younger children before they fully develop, and show them the possibilities that STEM careers can offer. In this project the NSO's experience will be shared with Thai astronomers, along with a wealth of educational resources and, most importantly, direct access to observations from the world's largest fully-robotic telescope - the Liverpool Telescope (LT) - and data from Thailands own national telescopes. This will provide a big boost for Thai education, and help Thai astronomers to share the excitement of what they do with a new, important, young audience.

Thailand is caught in the "middle income trap". The Thai economy has developed considerably, but continuing development is threatened as the competitive edge in exported goods is eroded by rising wages, but they are not yet in a position to compete with developed countries in high value-added sectors. One important route to escape the trap is through the creation of a workforce with the necessary technical skills needed to develop those high value-added sectors of industry. However, to achieve this needs a new workforce with enthusiasm for these technical careers, and to build that up in the long term means starting young, before misconceptions and prejudices close down possible career paths.

In this project, we will use the excitement that children have for astronomy and space to foster a similar enthusiasm for the science, technology, engineering and mathematics that underpin our understanding of the universe. The National Schools' Observatory have been supporting schools and teachers in the UK for many years - using dedicated access to the world's largest robotic telescope (the Liverpool Telescope) as the centrepiece of a wealth of educational resources and activities. This project will open up those resources and the telescope to Thai pupils and schools, giving Thailand's astronomical community an exciting new range of tools to inspire and support future generations.