The plan outlining the vision and priorities for Australian astronomy over the next decade was launched today at the Astronomical Society of Australia’s annual science meeting held in Adelaide.
The 10-year plan presents nine recommendations for the next decade, grouped into three themes: groundbreaking facilities, building Australian capacity, and a thriving Australian community.
Development of the new plan was coordinated by the Australian Academy of Science’s National Committee for Astronomy with input from 13 working groups, comprising more than 250 astronomers, and an extensive
survey of more than 550 members of the astronomy community including staff and students from more than 30 Australian institutions across all states and the ACT.
We have been involved in the plan’s development as members of working groups including those focused on infrastructure, instrumentation, research projects and education, and provided financial support to the Academy for their community engagement process.
Chair of the Academy’s National Committee for Astronomy, Professor Virginia Kilborn, said the plan highlights how Australia’s astronomy workforce is delivering value for the nation, from making fundamental scientific discoveries to developing technology and data science capability and growing a high-tech workforce.
“Australia’s astronomy instrumentation program is thriving and engagement with industry is expanding with astronomy applications in diverse areas including medicine, defence, mining and more.
“We hope this new plan inspires Australians, connects them to our collective endeavour to answer our deepest questions about the cosmos and empowers a new generation of STEM superstars.”
The artwork on the plan’s cover is Seven Sisters (2024) by Wajarri Yamaji artist Noeleen Hamlett. The artwork is part of the Cosmic Echoes: Shared Sky Indigenous Art Exhibition, which is an SKA Observatory initiative, in collaboration with SARAO, CSIRO and the Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation.
Read more about the plan and the plan itself on the Academy’s website.