Speakers
Description
South Africa is blessed with a considerable amount of geographical locations that are both free from light-pollution and are also radio-quiet. The research facilities by design are secluded and purposefully regulate the amount of people that have access to them, respectively. It is within this context that a unique blend of outreach and science engagement initiatives are undertaken to ensure that while the scientific research goes on, the public(s) are kept informed and given access to the facilities, responsibly.
The HartRAO Visitors’ Centre of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory and the Visitors’ Centre at the Southern African Large Telescope are both uniquely positioned in a way that not only showcases astronomical developments in a curated exhibition format, but also giving the opportunity for visitors to interface with the scientific instrumentation and systems in real-time at the facilities. The impact of this contextual advantage may typically be understated, and yet it adds to the value proposition of the facility and makes the site tour experiences more meaningful.
The review seeks to unpack and foreground the similarities of how the two facilities maximise on their locations and how this works; citing advantages and aspects which may need to be improved.
This follows the path of unpacking why the visitor centres were established in the first place, how much they maximise on being at research facilities and any areas of collaboration either at research facility level or as the centres for public access.
Nuances around access and language considerations are also topical in the way in which these centres operate.
| Stream | Education, Development and Outreach |
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