Carolina Ödman

Astronomy has been explored as an instrument for development for over a decade now. Many lessons have been learnt. Using astronomy as a source of inspiration, education has been the most prolific means through which astronomy has contributed to development. But there have also been many innovations outside of education. It turns out that most such new ideas have emerged a the interface between astronomy and other fields, demonstrating the power of inter-disciplinarity and that progress does not take place in isolation.

Information technologies have become the connective tissue of today’s world, and even more so since COVID-19. We now travel a lot less. We have seen how misleading and false information spreads faster than knowledge. The algorithms that automate our social feeds have demonstrated their biases. Unfortunately these dont remain in the virtual world. Misinformation comes with very dire real world consequences, and structural bias is a very real barrier to inclusion. Looking to the future, what heritage are we building for the next generation? And what role does astronomy have to play in it?
In this talk, I will review some of the most innovative ideas that have come out of the «Astronomy for Development» movement, and explore the legacy of those projects. I will also discuss the meaning of the term heritage in a fully digital, interconnected and post-truth world, and the role astronomy and astronomers can take on to contribute to a better world.