IAU Office of Astronomy for Education
National Astronomy Education Coordinator Team for China, Hong Kong
NAEC Annual Report –July 2023 to June 2024
Team Chair and Contact Person: Exodus Chun-Long Sit
(President of Starrix, Hong Kong)
1. Professionalize Astronomy Education:
• Presented at SciAccess 2024 Conference (organized by Ohio State University), with “Bridging the Senses: Innovative Inclusive Notational Tools for Astronomy-Inspired Music Composition” - May 2024
• Organized and presented at Public Lecture by Hong Kong Space Museum (as the President of Starrix Hong Kong), with “Aurora Borealis Hunting : Exploring Nordic Regions in the Arctic and Dark Sky Protection”- Apr 2024
• Presented at 4th Annual Conference of African Astronomical Society (organized by Cadi Ayyad University and the Oukaimeden Observatory, Morocco), with “Bridging Astronomy and the Arts: Exploring Low-Cost STEAM Activities for Outreach” - Apr 2024
• Presented at RASreach 2024 -education and outreach training event (organized by The Royal Astronomical Society, the United Kingdom), with “ASTROx DARK (Design, Art, Responsibility, Knowledge): Integrating Astronomy with Arts through Low-Cost STEAM Activities” - Jan 2024
• Presented at III Workshop on Astronomy Beyond the Common Senses for Accessibility and Inclusion - XVII Latin American Regional IAU Meeting (organized by Universidad de la República Uruguay, Uruguay), with “Inclusive Astronomy through Multiple Intelligences” - Dec 2023
• Presented at IAU Symposium 386: Dark Sky and Astronomical Heritage in Boosting AstroTourism around the Globe (organized by International Astronomical Union & Space Science and Geospatial Institute, Ethiopia) with “ASTROx Education: Dark Sky Advocacy in Formal Education and Science Communication” - Nov 2023
• Presented at Global Hands-on Universe Conference 2023, with “STEM+A@Astronomy: Integrate Astronomy into Science Education with Innovative Approaches” - Aug 2023
Lecture about Aurora Hunting on April 2024 at Hong Kong Space Museum
2. Provide Access to Good Resources:
• STEAM Online Column in Metro Education Plus
3. Promote Astronomy in Curricula
STEM+A@Astronomy Project in Formal Education
• Starting next year, primary education in Hong Kong will introduce a new subject, transitioning and splitting from traditional General Studies subject to Science subject and Humanities subject. Exodus had participated as an editor for primary school textbook publishers and serving as a consultant in the field of astronomy, astronautics and natural science. When developing new curriculum content for primary school textbooks, Exodus strive to evaluate, examine, and optimize the existing content of previous textbooks (for the old subject) to ensure relevance and the appropriateness of physics knowledge.
• As a National Astronomy Education Coordinator (HK), Exodus also founded two projects: Dark Sky Defenders (DSD) and Astronomy Space Ambassador (ASA), since 2021.
• The Starlight Squad, The Starry Night Defenders and Hong Kong Light Pollution Rescue Team and which are student-led social innovation teams aiming to raise awareness of dark sky and promoting popular science by approaches of taking practical actions and solving real-life problems.
It reaches more than 25,000 views and thousands of audiences with transmedia initiatives. The teams also contributed and showcased in Dreamstarter Pitching Day at Hong Kong Cyberport, Dreamstarter Fair, and university's Coding and STEAM Fair.
The Starlight Squad (星光守護隊)
• Official Page https://dreamstarter.grwth.hk/s/Starlight
• Astronomy Social Innovation https://dreamstarter.grwth.hk/s/Starlight/objective
The Starry Night Defenders (星空拯救隊)
• Official Page https://dreamstarter.grwth.hk/s/StarryNight
• Astronomy Social Innovation https://dreamstarter.grwth.hk/s/StarryNight/objective
Light Pollution Rescue Team
• Official Page https://www.collaction.hk/s/lightpollution (no longer available)
In the last few years, our STEM+A@Astronomy had designed more than 20 astronomical activities for primary students about night sky digitally and experientially via Design Thinking
4. OAE Networking:
• Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) of the 6th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education – since Apr 2024
• Virtual Organizing Committee (VOC) of IAU Communicating Astronomy with Public Conference 2024 – since Apr 2024
• Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) of the 5th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education – since Jun 2023
• Presented at IAU NOC Regional Meeting (organized by IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach), with “STEM+A@Astronomy: Integrate Dark Sky Education into Astronomy Outreach & Science Communication” - Feb 2024
• Presented at 5th Shaw-IAU Workshops on Astronomy For Education (organized by IAU Office of Astronomy for Education), with “STEM+A@Astronomy: Integrate Art in Astronomy Education through Low-Cost STEAM Activities” with proceedings - Nov 2023
• Presented at 5th Shaw-IAU Workshops on Astronomy For Education (organized by IAU Office of Astronomy for Education), with “The Starry Night Defenders: Integrative Astronomy Curriculum about Dark-Sky Social Innovation” with proceedings - Nov 2023
• Presented at International Dark Sky Preservation and Astrotourism Conference 2023 (organized by AstronEra and, India’s Department of Science and Technology and IAU OAD, Manali, India), with “ASTROx Dark Sky: How to Integrate Astronomy Education into Interactive Classroom” - Nov 2023
IAU Head Office (Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris) at Paris, France on Apr 2024
NAEC Hong Kong had explored different approaches and platforms with transmedia science communication, featured in television, radio broadcast, online media, and newspaper columns and so on. The following links had included some of our efforts:
https://exodussit.wordpress.com/english
https://exodussit.blogspot.com
https://sitexodus.wixsite.com/astronomy
5. Spread the News:
Selected Featured about Astronomy Education and Public Education
From Jun 2023 STEAM Columnist about Astronomy Education in “Metro Education Plus” (新城教育+), Metro Broadcast Hong Kong
Jun 2024 (To be released) Guest of informative TV programme “Thinkg Big” about astronomy knowledge and dark sky protection
May 2024 Guest on Radio Programme“Cantilena” (自投羅網) about storytelling of night sky adventure with music accompaniment, Radio Television Hong Kong
Mar 2024 Guest on Radio Programme“Climate Watcher” (大氣候) about Aurora Hunting in Australia, Astrophotography and Dark Sky Initiatives, Radio Television Hong Kong
Nov 2023 Guest on Radio Programme“STEM By You” (新科玉律) about Astronomy and Space Science Education, Community Involvement Broadcasting Service (CIBS), Radio Television Hong Kong
May 2023 Guest on Radio Programme “Climate Watcher” (大氣候) about Arctic Expedition in the Nordics about Aurora Hunting, Astrophotography and Dark Sky Approaches, Radio Television Hong Kong
For more information about being featured: https://linktr.ee/Exodus.Sit https://bit.ly/3uP8VcQ