End of the year meetings National Research Foundation of South Africa, NRF|SAAO is hosting the 25th #SAASTEC, NRF/SARAO is hosting their 19th postgraduate & postdoc conference in eMonti. In the audience we see Dr Charles Takalana representing both AfricaAstronomy & IAU-OAD.

The sky belongs to us all, and any aspect of astronomy can be used to impact society. Mr Kevin Govender tells us more about the funding opportunities offered by the Office of Astronomy for Development. youtu.be/neby-zQMPl4 #SAASTEC24 IAU-OAD

The OAD got a spot on live national TV this morning. Dr Charles Takalana and Joyful Elma Mdhluli being interviewed on Morning Live here, talking about #astrotourism and astronomy for #mentalhealth. Thanks so much Sakina Kamwendo SABC News DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION @astro4dev National Research Foundation of South Africa #SFSA2024

Meet one of the NRF's shining stars, Dr Charles Mpho Takalana: nrf.ac.za/nrf-youth-mont… He received funding from the NRF for his study journey from undergrad to PhD. Today, he is the Deputy Director at the IAU-OAD, based at NRF-SAAO. #YouthMonth2025

Meet Dr Joyful Elma Mdhluli, a postdoctoral researcher at IAU-OAD at NRF-SAAO: nrf.ac.za/nrf-youth-mont… Her role involves designing, implementing, and evaluating projects that apply astronomy to real-world problems. #YouthMonth2025

The latest newsletter is out! In this feature: -Wellbeing techniques for astronomers -$1.5M Simons Foundation grant for a Caribbean project -Updates from St. Lucia, India, China & more 🔗Read here: astro4dev.org/iau-oad-newsle… #AstronomyForDevelopment #ScienceForSociety #Astro4Dev

Just published on arXiv: a guide to inclusive, locally rooted astrotourism for policymakers, operators & grassroots changemakers—especially in under-resourced settings. arxiv.org/pdf/2507.15827 #astronomy #tourism #astrotourism #entrepreneurship

1/1 We would like to invite you to register your learners for the South African Physics Olympiad 2025! This year, it will include an astronomy section, through the SAAO’s partnership with SAIP. Register: forms.gle/DACJDHShrTryAJ… More information: docs.google.com/document/d/1Nz…

We joined the IAU Symposium on Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age, sharing how the OAD’s Astrotourism project drives sustainable development, empowers communities, and integrates Indigenous & scientific knowledge. Watch the talk 👉 astro4dev.org/oad-participat…

The IAU seeks a full-time Administrative Assistant and Data Manager, joining the Head of Administration (HoA) in a very small team in the Secretariat at IAU Headquarters in Paris. lnkd.in/dpXb8S4n

Public Open Day at HartRAO: Tuesday, 5 August 2025 In celebration of National Science Week 2025, NRF/SARAO is hosting this exciting open day at its facility in Hartebeesthoek, Johannesburg. Follow this link to register: forms.gle/CBP5XgxqjDpBEy… #openday #nationalscienceweek

What happens when you take the tools used to study colliding galaxies and apply them to childhood illness, plastic exposure, and malaria risk? Join the next Astro4dev Full Moon Mashup to unpack this discussion: astro4dev.org/from-galaxies-… #Astro4DevFullMoonMashup #Astro4Dev

Join the first virtual #Astronomy2024 Legacy Project event today at 10:00 UTC! This initiative builds on the IAU GA 2024 to spark lasting interest in astronomy & STEM across Africa and beyond. 🔗 Register: forms.monday.com/forms/993fefef… IAU GA 2024 🌍 AfricaAstronomy

We are pleased to be co-hosting this dark and quiet skies workshop with UNOOSA, to discuss policy and technical mitigation measures to deal with the challenges posed by satellite constellations. Register now to join us from 9 to 11 December: unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwor…

Dr. Joyful Mdhluli from the OAD will be speaking at the upcoming Physics for Development Colloquia Series, hosted by the American Physical Society Forum on International Physics. The colloquium will take place virtually on August 28, 2025 astro4dev.org/mark-your-cale… NRF|SAAO DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Join the discussion at the UNOOSA - SKA Observatory #DarkAndQuietSkies workshop from 9 to 11 December 2025 in Vienna and online. Abstract submission closes on 31 August ⤵️

LUNAA Journeys astroguides training is catching all the attention in St. Lucia. The project is supported and funded by the IAU OAD under its flagship on Astrotourism. Read more : 🔗 travelandtourworld.com/news/article/s… 🔗 thevoiceslu.com/2025/08/saint-…