Astronomy
By Ijeoma Olorunfemi
Abuja, June 7, 2024 (NAN) The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has urged blind and visually impaired students to embrace the study of astronomy.
Dr Bonaventure Okere, Director, Centre for Basic Space Science and Astronomy (CBSSA), an activity Centre of NASRDA, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
CBSSA is domiciled in the premises of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State.
Okere said that the education of disabled students, especially the blind, would ensure the government was working towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.
The director said that astronomy for the blind targeted the attainment of SDG-4 which was on inclusive and quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities.
“Astronomy and space science education are not limited to gender, race, or disability, but for all.
“We feel there is need to expose this vision impaired people to these careers.
“There is space media, space law, space tourism; especially now that we can achieve a lot using AI.’’
He recalled that the drive to draft blind and visually impaired students into studying astronomy prompted them to host a two-day hands-on workshop titled Astro-Tac on May 17 and 18.
Okere explained Astro-Tac as the study of astronomy that involved feeling.
“This is a project that captures education for all; giving everybody opportunity to learn.
“Under SDGs, there is inclusive education and this project captures that aspect, access to education because you can’t deny these people access to certain level of education.”
The director added that they got inspired by Dr Wanda Diaz-Merced, an Astronomer from Postorico, known for using sonification to turn large data sets into audible sound.
She said that in her quest to know about astronomy, she was able to collaborate with people and write a programme that could translate radiations from the stars into sound.
“This means that anybody in any field of study can do astronomy, and that is why we now have astro biology, astro chemistry, astro tourism, all incorporated.
“We are looking at spreading to other parts of the country where we have the visually impaired educated on careers in astronomy irrespective of your status,” Okere said.
He said that they were working on spreading the programme to other parts of the country, adding the it was the maiden edition.
He said they had no fewer than 120 undergraduate and postgraduate students drawn from different departments and Department of Students With Special Needs of UNN that participated in the programme.
The workshop lectures centred on pale blue dot, astronomy education for mental health and wellbeing, women in space science.
The tactile learning was on telescope types, the moon, the sun, galaxies, black holes, and the solar system planets, which included making solar system bracelets, among others.
The workshop was sponsored by the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU-OAD). (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
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