Abstract Details

Name: Megha Rajoria
Affiliation: RAD@home India
Conference ID: ASI2021_347
Title : Opportunities amid pandemic in citizen science research via #RADatHomeIndia in Radio Astronomy
Authors and Co-Authors : Megha Rajoria (RAD@home), Preet Agnihotri (RAD@home), Akshat Mishra (RAD@home), Avinash Ck (RAD@home). Avinash Kumar (RAD@home), Arundhati Purohit (RAD@home), Ananda Hota (UGC, UM-DAE CEBS, RAD@home)
Abstract Type : Poster
Abstract Category : Extragalactic Astronomy
Abstract : When the world crumbled due to COVID 19, we all, including ASI, IAU, SKA promptly informed the public about online opportunity for astronomy learning while locked down at home ( #AstroAtHome ). As planetariums and auditorisms were closed, all talks were hosted in Youtube (Live) and student/public interactions happened mostly via Zoom, Google-Meet. Launched in 15th April 2013 RAD@home Collaboratory has been well-established by this time and SKA, IAU, ASI etc. advised the public to take opportunity of joining RAD@home the Nationwide Inter-University citizen science research collaboratory for every present/past University student and absolutely free of cost. The Collaboratory has been growing at a rate of nearly 2 new members every day and is now over 4500 members strong. Out of them over 3000 are “Active” in learning astronomy over the last one year (500-1000 active every month). Supported by 25 research and educational institutes it has trained 150 citizen-scientists (e-astronomers) in one week-long RAD@home Discovery Camps and nearly 1000 i-astronomers in One Day RAD@home Astronomy Workshops including short sessions (#DilSeDiscovery ) at SKA-weeks of DAE-DST-NCSM Vigyan Samagam @Mumbai, @Bangalore, @Kolkata and @Delhi. These e-astronomers guide new members and continue astronomy discussion during the weekly evening Live e-class every Thursday 8-9 pm. These e-classes, discussing specific astronomical targets as defined under #DailyGalaxyRGBC , attract nearly 200 text and UV-Optical-IR-radio RGB-contour #RGBviaNASAnRADatHomeIndia image comments. Our activity of this year includes 1000 separate posts, 8000 image/text comments and 18,000 reactions. This online activity, over the years, has nurtured and recommended over 35 MS/PhD students, mostly in USA/Europe. They have won, as Co-Investigators, GTAC-approved observation time in GMRT and co-authored journal publications. For a future pandemic-ready, SKA- and TMT-prepared India, there is need to strengthen citizen-science research in multi-wavelength astronomy.