Watch - MAPPP NINE Presentation by Marion West - South African Radio Astronomy Observatory

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The Multi-wavelength Astronomy Public Participation Program (MAPPP), in collaboration with the National and International Non-Traditional Exchange (NINE) program, was an initiative co-designed by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). Launched in 2018, its primary goal was to enhance public engagement with astronomy in South Africa and SKA Africa partner countries by training high-potential individuals in project management and co-design methodologies.

Key Objectives of MAPPP NINE:

Capacity Building: Equip participants with skills in creative and critical thinking, proposal development, structured project management, and science engagement.
Co-Design Approach: Encourage collaboration among participants to develop innovative public engagement projects that integrate local community involvement, educational programs, and virtual reality exhibitions.
International Collaboration: Serve as the first international NINE hub, fostering partnerships within emerging radio astronomy communities to facilitate the exchange of trainers and co-mentoring of underrepresented groups.

Program Structure:

Phase 1: A four-week immersion program where participants co-designed public participation projects by interacting with various sectors, including arts, astronomy, corporates, digital creatives, and government. This phase included visits to key South African astronomy sites and culminated in participants pitching their projects to evaluators and potential funders.
Phase 2: Focused on implementing selected projects from Phase 1 and co-designing proposals for public participation programs in areas like citizen science and radio astronomy. Successful proposals were slated for funding in Phase 3.

Outcomes:

The program successfully trained twelve participants from esteemed science communication organizations in South Africa, including the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, UniZulu Science Centre, and the South African Astronomical Observatory. These participants, known as MAPPP NINEers, developed twelve innovative public engagement projects aimed at advancing astronomy outreach and education.