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SUMMARY:K05 - Communicating Astronomy with the Public
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261124T012000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261124T014000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-890@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jose Francisco Aguilar ()\nWe now live in very chall
 enging times\, where mainstream scientific views and methods are being que
 stioned in social media and replaced by unproven and misleading theories t
 o serve commercial and political interests. In the face of anti-science at
 tacks\, astronomy\, with its universal appeal and scientific outlook\, can
  be used as an effective and powerful medium to educate the people on scie
 ntific thinking. Thankfully in the Philippines\, the proliferation and act
 ive participation of various Philippine amateur astronomical societies had
  contributed to the promotion and popularization of astronomy to the gener
 al public. In promoting astronomy and science to the public\, we can culti
 vate scientific and critical thinking for our countrymen and make them ask
  questions on how and why things happen\, and enable them to effect change
  and hopefully achieve real progress.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/
 238/contributions/890/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/890/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K07 - Astronomy as the Leader of Inter- and Multi-Disciplinary Sci
 ences
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T010000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T012000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-1001@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Areg Mickaelian (Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory)
 \nThe importance of Astronomy grows up with new discoveries related not on
 ly to Astronomy itself\, but also Physics\, Chemistry\, Biology\, Geology 
 and many other natural sciences\, as well as Computer Science. Astronomy b
 ecomes a science providing Big Data from the Universe to enrich our knowle
 dge in many fields. Many interdisciplinary sciences have appeared and deve
 loped based and/or related to Astronomy: Astrophysics (since the end of th
 e XIX century\, one of the first ever Interdisciplinary Sciences)\, Astroc
 hemistry\, Astrobiology (or Bioastronomy)\, Planetary Science (“Astrogeo
 logy”)\, Astroinformatics\, Archaeoastronomy\, etc. Each interdisciplina
 ry science will be presented and discussed in short. In addition\, Astrono
 my is always present in multidisciplinary fields\, such as the Search for 
 Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)\, Big Data\, Data Science\, Space Sci
 ences and Technologies\, etc.\, as well as transdisciplinary approach in s
 cience. Among the IAU Divisions coordinating the Astronomy by areas\, one 
 half have pure astronomical/astrophysical subjects and another half have i
 nterdisciplinary nature (ex. Division B: Facilities\, Technologies and Dat
 a Science\, Division D: High Energy Phenomena and Fundamental Physics\, Di
 vision F: Planetary Systems and Astrobiology). IAU Strategic Plans 2011-20
 20 and then 2021-2030 also have a special emphasis on Astronomy for the de
 velopment of interdisciplinary sciences and this is one of the main goals 
 for the IAU Regional Offices of Astronomy for Development (ROADs). Armenia
  hosts one of the ROADs (South West and Central Asia\, SWCA) and is heavil
 y involved in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary activities as well. 
 Collaboration between two ROADs\, SWCA and South East Asia (SEA)\, in this
  area may be rather efficient.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/con
 tributions/1001/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/1001/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K11 - Cosmic Encounter: When Space Rocks Become Extraordinary
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T080000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T081500Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-992@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mar Christian Cruz (National Museum of the Philippin
 es)\nMeteorites are among the oldest materials that humanity can physicall
 y encounter. Formed during the early history of the Solar System and trave
 led across space before reaching our planet\, these extraterrestrial mater
 ials provide a tangible connection between Earth and other celestial bodie
 s. The growing meteorite collection of the National Museum of the Philippi
 nes (NMP)\, as well as the dedication of the private meteorite-collecting 
 community\, allows this connection to extend beyond display cases and tran
 slate into meaningful public engagements.\n\n“Cosmic Encounter” explor
 es how meteorites can become effective tools for promoting space science b
 y sharing the extraordinary stories contained within seemingly ordinary ro
 cks. Their worth transcends monetary value\, as every specimen can represe
 nt scientific discovery\, a historical record\, or an opportunity to spark
  curiosity.\n\nThrough exhibitions\, research projects\, and outreach prog
 rams\, the NMP and its partners continue to make space rocks more accessib
 le to diverse audiences. From a meteoritical perspective\, this fusion of 
 geology and astronomy offers a multidisciplinary approach to understanding
  not only the cosmic environment surrounding us\, but also the processes o
 f our dynamic world. Moreover\, the roles of the NMP in preserving and con
 serving meteorites as part of the country’s scientific heritage\, togeth
 er with its future initiatives for advancing the field of meteoritics in t
 he Philippines\, will also form part of the presentation.\n\nUltimately\, 
 the keynote seeks to demonstrate that small fragments from space can make 
 significant impacts when they are understood and shared. In this sense\, t
 here is beauty in things that people may initially consider unnecessary.\n
 \nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/992/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/992/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K08 - Smart Telescope System in Astronomy Education
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T012000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T014000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-997@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Christopher Go ()\nDuring the last 3 years\, afforda
 ble Smart Robotic Astronomical Imaging Systems have appeared in the market
 . These easy-to-use systems allow beginners to control a telescope system 
 with a mobile phone or tablet and start imaging in as short as 5 minutes. 
 These systems (ZWO Seestar and Celestron Origin) were use in an Astronomy 
 Elective class at the University of San Carlos. This allows the students t
 o image galaxies\, nebulae\, star clusters\, etc. This workshop will discu
 ss on how these systems work and how they can be used in Astronomy Educati
 on.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/997/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/997/
END:VEVENT
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SUMMARY:K02 - Role of Research Institute in Influencing Lasting Impact on 
 the National Level
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261123T012000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261123T014000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-1000@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Matipon Tangmatitham (National Astronomical Research
  Institute of Thailand (NARIT))\nEighteen years ago\, Astronomy was a fore
 ign concept in Thailand. Then\, the National Astronomical Research Institu
 te (NARIT) was founded. Today\, Thailand is on the path of becoming world 
 renown research institute\, bolstering Southeast Asia's largest optical an
 d radio telescope with robotic telescopes around the world and members of 
 many international collaborations. This level of achievements under such a
  short time scale has rarely been observed anywhere in the history\, if at
  all. In order to accomplish this\, the role and responsibility in which a
  research institute serves its public had to be reconsidered from the grou
 nd up. By taking the public's science awareness as its sole responsibility
 \, NARIT has opened a new path for which research institutes can operate\,
  justifying its existence and gaining lasting public support. The success 
 of NARIT in establishing astronomy as a new core science in the context of
  developing country perhaps can shed a light that utilizing astronomy as a
  tool to push forward human capacity and technological development for the
  public is a viable strategy in gathering lasting support for a research i
 nstitute.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/1000/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/1000/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K04 - Engaging with the Public in Planetariums
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261124T010000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261124T012000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-993@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Martin George (International Planetarium Society)\nI
 t is now 101 years since planetariums became key tools in entertaining and
  educating people of all ages about the wonderful sights of the night sky.
 \n\nPlanetariums are now in use in very many countries\; they inspire peop
 le of all ages to show an interest in not only astronomy\, but science in 
 general. The International Planetarium Society (IPS)\, the world’s major
  professional planetarium organisation\, has members from around 50 countr
 ies and holds a major conference every two years to discuss techniques and
  equipment. The speaker will discuss the history of planetariums\, includi
 ng the technology used. This has been changing\, the significant differenc
 e being the use of digital projection techniques. However\, it is the staf
 f in planetariums that are the key to engaging with the public: a planetar
 ium is not the same as a movie theatre\, and offers a quite different expe
 rience. In the most successful planetariums\, the enthusiasm of profession
 al staff is infectious.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributi
 ons/993/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/993/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K06 - Inclusion\, Diversity\, Equity\, and Accessibility (IDEA) wi
 thin the Philippine Space Science and Astronomy Community
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261124T014000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261124T020000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-991@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Daryl Joe Santos ()\nIn a world full of prejudice\, 
 division\, and conflict\, astronomy and space science still serve as a rem
 inder to humankind that the Universe is full of wonders and mysteries that
  make us all awe in unison. One of the goals of the recently established P
 hilippine Society of Space Science and Astronomy Research (PSSAR)\, Inc. i
 s to keep these fields this way by making them accessible and inclusive to
  everyone\, regardless of gender\, race\, or disability.\n\nOn behalf of P
 SSAR\, Inc.\, I will introduce our different projects that promote inclusi
 on\, diversity\, equity\, and accessibility (IDEA) within our Philippine a
 stronomy and space science community. To lead these projects\, PSSAR\, Inc
 . recently established an Accessibility and Inclusion Special Interest Gro
 up (SIG)\, a standing body of three coordinators\, each responsible for a 
 distinct access modality and set of partnerships\, working under the super
 vision of the PSSAR Inc. Board. The aforementioned group will lead our pre
 viously implemented initiatives such as color-code labels for showing verb
 al communication preferences\, promotion of using preferred gender pronoun
 s (PGPs)\, inclusion of sign language interpreters\, Braille and text-to-s
 peech translations in our events\, and creation of sonified astronomical d
 ata and tactile learning tools and materials. I will also introduce our mu
 ltisensory star party and space accessibility program entitled “Hear and
  Touch the Sky” which will provide numerous activities that will promote
  accessibility in the field in collaboration with numerous local organizat
 ions.\n\nThis talk aims to influence organizers\, stakeholders\, agencies\
 , and institutions to always consider IDEA not as an additional feature in
  their mission\, vision\, and events\, but as a central and intrinsic part
  of their planning\, so as to ensure that everyone will have the opportuni
 ty to enjoy and learn from the cosmos.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event
 /238/contributions/991/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/991/
END:VEVENT
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SUMMARY:K03 - Visualising the Horizon: Toward an Ecological Theory of Scie
 nce Communication
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261123T014000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261123T020000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-990@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kelly Blumenthal (IAU-OAO)\nThe United Nations has s
 et a global benchmark for tertiary education enrollment by 2030. While the
  situation has improved over the years\, progress is slowing in many natio
 ns. The share of women (particularly those with intersectional identities)
  graduating from these programmes falls below this benchmark\, and those f
 rom non-Western countries (e.g.\, Africa and Latin America) also lag behin
 d.\n\nSTEM outcomes show a similar trend\, though effects from the so-call
 ed Leaky Pipeline lead to the exclusion of women and other historically un
 derrepresented groups. For example\, Indigenous\, Aboriginal\, and First N
 ations groups make up a vanishingly small percentage of the STEM workforce
 \, even accounting for their relative population size. These statistics in
 dicate there is a staggering lack of opportunities\, support\, and represe
 ntation for these groups in STEM fields.\n\nStudies show that focusing on 
 community\, culture\, and building trust stimulates STEM identity\, partic
 ularly among groups historically left out of STEM opportunities. In this t
 alk\, we will present a pathway toward improved engagement and uptake of S
 TEM in future generations by utilising an ecological model for science com
 munication based on mutuality and reciprocity.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.
 th/event/238/contributions/990/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/990/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K09 - More Than Stargazing: Astronomy Outreach as a Pathway to Dar
 k Sky Advocacy
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T014000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T020000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-998@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Khristian Dimacali (Philippine Astronomical Society)
 \nFor many people\, the night sky begins with a simple act: looking up. Ye
 t as communities develop and artificial light increases\, opportunities to
  experience a truly dark sky are becoming increasingly rare.\n\nThis keyno
 te shares the experience of the Philippine Astronomical Society\, Inc. (PA
 S) in using astronomy outreach to build public appreciation for the night 
 sky and encourage its protection. Through overnight stargazing camps in Ta
 nay\, Rizal\, participants experience the night through telescopes\, meteo
 r watching\, astrophotography\, lectures\, meteorite specimens\, and exhib
 its. The sky itself becomes the classroom\, allowing people to discover fi
 rsthand the value of dark skies.\n\nThrough its Celestial Nights activitie
 s with Masungi Georeserve\, PAS also connects geotourism and astrotourism 
 with a broader conversation about light pollution and its implications for
  wildlife\, fragile ecosystems\, and communities\, particularly as develop
 ment expands in Rizal. The experience of PAS demonstrates that dark-sky ad
 vocacy can begin with wonder. When people are given the opportunity to exp
 erience a star-filled sky\, understand what makes it possible\, and recogn
 ize what threatens it\, astronomy can become more than a way of understand
 ing the universe—it can become a pathway to environmental stewardship.\n
 \nPreserving the night sky is therefore not only about protecting our view
  of the stars. It is about recognizing dark skies as part of our natural e
 nvironment and encouraging communities\, organizations\, and decision-make
 rs to consider the impacts of artificial light\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.
 th/event/238/contributions/998/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/998/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K01 - Looking Back\, Looking Up: Celebrating the Historic 50th Yea
 r of PAGASA Planetarium
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261123T010000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261123T012000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-1002@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Michael Bala (DOST-PAGASA)\nPlanetariums play a vita
 l role in astronomy education\, science communication\, and public engagem
 ent. This review traces the historical development of planetariums in the 
 Philippines\, drawing on government records\, institutional publications\,
  legal documents\, and historical accounts. The earliest documented modern
  planetarium was established in 1954 at the Philippine Weather Bureau's As
 tronomical Observatory in UP Diliman\, followed by the National Planetariu
 m in 1975 and the PAGASA Science Garden Planetarium in September 1977—th
 e country's first operational planetarium. Originally fitted with a Zeiss-
 type projector and an MS-8 Minolta projector\, and designed with 88 seats 
 symbolizing the 88 recognized constellations\, the PAGASA Planetarium has 
 served for nearly five decades as a cornerstone of astronomy education\, d
 elivering live shows and lectures to generations of students and the publi
 c.\n\nThe planetarium's evolution reflects the broader modernization of Ph
 ilippine astronomy-learning facilities: from analog\, mechanical star-proj
 ection systems to digital\, mobile\, and full-dome technology. A key miles
 tone came in June 2014\, when the PAGASA Planetarium transitioned to digit
 al projection with the installation of a Panasonic DLP system—an upgrade
  that\, through sustained preventive maintenance and careful equipment man
 agement\, has continued operating well beyond its expected service life. A
 ccess to astronomy education also expanded geographically with the introdu
 ction of PAGASA's mobile planetarium in 1999 and the establishment of regi
 onal planetariums in Mindanao (2024) and the Visayas (2025)\, decentralizi
 ng services beyond Metro Manila.\n\nAs the PAGASA Planetarium approaches i
 ts 50th anniversary in 2027\, this presentation reflects on its historical
  and technological journey while addressing the challenges of aging infras
 tructure and plans to procure a new digital projection system. Together\, 
 these developments underscore sustained institutional commitment to modern
 izing science education facilities\, expanding public access\, and strengt
 hening scientific literacy and appreciation of astronomy among Filipinos. 
 The lessons drawn from sustaining and upgrading a national planetarium—l
 ong-term planning\, diligent maintenance\, and continuous innovation—off
 er valuable guidance for preserving science education infrastructure that 
 inspires curiosity and public engagement for future generations\n\nhttps:/
 /indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/1002/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/1002/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:K10 - Astronomy in Vietnam: An Overview and Recent Progress
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T074500Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261125T080000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261112T133729Z
UID:indico-contribution-162-930@indico.narit.or.th
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Quynh Lan Nguyen ()\nOver the past decade\, astronom
 y and astrophysics in Vietnam have grown. While national infrastructure—
 such as observatories in Nha Trang\, Hoa Lac\, and ExploraScience Quy Nhon
 —has laid the foundation for public outreach and data collection\, unive
 rsities are now driving the next phase of growth through academic speciali
 zation and infrastructure expansion.\nThis presentation highlights recent 
 national advancements in astronomy research and education\, focusing on ma
 jor university-led developments. A key highlight is Phenikaa University’
 s launch of its new planetarium complex and the establishment of Vietnam
 ’s first specialized undergraduate program bridging Astrophysics and Spa
 ce Data Science.  Phenikaa University is advancing both theoretical resear
 ch and hands-on observational education. Furthermore\, these developments 
 serve as critical infrastructure for Hanoi hosting the 19th International 
 Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2026)\, where Phenikaa Univer
 sity serves as the primary academic venue. We summarize these pedagogical 
 and infrastructural developments\, demonstrating how university-led platfo
 rms and international collaborations on gravitational waves are training t
 he next generation.\n\nhttps://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/
 930/
LOCATION:Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort\, Mactan\, Cebu
URL:https://indico.narit.or.th/event/238/contributions/930/
END:VEVENT
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