Highlights from the IAU General Assembly 2024 in Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa, proudly hosted the International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly for the first time, which marked a historic occasion for the African astronomical community. The assembly, which took place from 6 to 15 August 2024, was a watershed moment for South Africa and the continent of Africa as a whole. The General Assembly, held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC), brought together eminent astronomers, academics and enthusiasts from all over the world, providing a one-of-a-kind forum for international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The IAU is part of the International Council for Science, an organisation founded in 1919, and seeks to advance and protect the scientific field of astronomy in all its facets. The IAU comprises a global network of over 12,000 individual members from 90 nations who are all dedicated to furthering astronomy education and research. Through international collaborations and scientific exchanges, the IAU is crucial in determining the direction of astronomy and guaranteeing its global advancement.
The assembly featured over 200 scientific sessions, which ensured a busy and engaging programme. Attendees enjoyed talks from notable speakers such as Dr Bernie Fanaroff, Prof. Natalie Batalha and Prof. Joop Schaye, alongside several Kavli, Shaw, Gruber and Nobel Prize winners, providing a diverse array of insights and discussions. A groundbreaking feature of the IAU General Assembly 2024 was its open access model. For the first time, oral talks and poster displays from every scientific session were freely accessible online, making the proceedings accessible to anybody in the world, including video Q&A sessions, mobile Zoom rooms and remote presentations. The assembly’s poster sessions were particularly unique. Every poster was screened so that writers could interact with attendees face-to-face and virtually via Zoom rooms that had cameras and microphones.
There were several public engagement initiatives during the assembly. On 7 August, a captivating public speech was given by Dr Sian Proctor, a geoscience professor and astronaut from SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission. All conference attendees were also able to communicate over ham radio with astronauts via a live link to the International Space Station. In addition to the main programme, the assembly featured a range of side events, including scientific meetings, workshops, and hackathons. These provided further opportunities for collaboration and learning. There were also unconference sessions where attendees could suggest and cast votes on subjects for spontaneous talks and presentations, encouraging a lively interchange of ideas.
More than 600 representatives volunteered to engage with the public and schools in Cape Town, contributing to a robust outreach programme. Highlights from the conference were broadcast on a pop-up radio station in collaboration with a well-known radio host. This station provided a platform for conference participants to share their research and discoveries with the broader public. The broadcast content was streamed online and shared with community radio stations around the world, particularly benefiting regions where community radio has a significant reach, including many parts of Africa. This initiative aimed to broaden the impact of the conference and engage a global audience in the discussions taking place.
A lively pop-up market showcasing regional vendors, artists and craftspeople was also part of the assembly. This market provided a venue for exhibiting and offering creative local items and handcrafted goods to a worldwide customer base. It supported regional business owners and aimed to improve Cape Town’s socioeconomic environment while offering conference attendees a distinctive shopping experience. The market established a significant relationship between the conference and the neighbourhood by showcasing South Africa’s rich cultural legacy and artisanal ability.
Participants had the opportunity to visit South Africa’s numerous astronomy facilities through organised technical tours. These tours were available before, during and after the conference, allowing attendees to explore the country’s significant contributions to the field of astronomy. Detailed information and booking options for these tours were provided through the conference’s technical tours portal. The conference’s social events were designed to offer a deep dive into African culture and provide opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment. In addition to the usual receptions, participants enjoyed a cultural evening featuring song and storytelling, as well as a talent night titled “Astronomer’s Got Other Talents”, which showcased the attendees’ diverse skills and talents outside of astronomy.
Another highlight of the conference was the art exhibition Shared Sky, organised by the Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO). This international exhibition, which ran the entire conference, offered a profound reflection on the intersection of art and science under one sky and brought together Aboriginal Australian and South African artists to celebrate humanity’s ancient cultural wisdom through a collaborative display of indigenous art and astronomy.
In conclusion, Cape Town’s hosting of the IAU General Assembly in 2024 is evidence of the continent’s rising stature in the world of science. The occasion showed off South Africa’s capacity to organise an international scientific conference of this size as well as the country’s dedication to increasing the influence and scope of astronomy research. A collaborative and innovative attitude was fostered by the seamless fusion of cutting-edge technology formats with vibrant cultural and community interaction, resulting in a singularly gratifying experience. Future astronomical advances and international collaboration will surely be motivated by the assembly’s legacy, especially as Cape Town’s stature on the world scientific stage continues to grow.
Victoria Ndayambekwa Nakafingo
