The Westar Program is a new and revamped version of its predecessor, the CASCA-Westar Lectureship. This new program aims to connect astronomers and under-served Canadian communities, to support reciprocal and long-term relationships between astronomers and communities through meetings, visits, workshops, activities, and other means, and to foster a welcoming and communal environment of mutual sharing of astronomy knowledge. As we launch this program, we keep in mind the historical and present systemic and societal barriers the members of these communities face. We will provide educational resources to any astronomer visiting to ensure the customs and practices of the communities are respected and honoured at all times. We aim to connect astronomers and communities starting in mid-2024.
Call for Astronomers!
We are looking for astronomers at any career stage and other qualified personnel who have a strong interest in astronomy outreach and working with under-served communities, as well as those who have previous experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). This call is open to students (undergraduate and graduate), postdoctoral fellows, faculty, outreach officers, and scientists.
Please fill out this form if you are interested in being involved in the Westar Program.
In this form, we will be collecting contact information, professional and optional personal information, as well as information to best pair you with a community. This includes your preferences and expectations for being involved in this program, EDI and outreach statements and experiences, and any funding options you have from your institute/organization or from grants. Please ensure you have prepared your EDI and Outreach statements prior to filling out this form; both statements must be <250 words and submitted in one PDF document. We will contact you to follow up on your responses.
Who are we?
The Westar Program is being organized by the Westar Coordinator and CASCA’s Westar Subcommittee.
Westar Coordinator: Daniella Morrone.
Westar Subcommittee: Terry Bridges, Robert Cockcroft, Frédérique Baron, Christa Van Laerhoven.
Contact information
We invite outreach organizations and community representatives to contact us if you are interested in participating in this program.
If you have any questions and/or feedback or if you are part of a community interested in interacting with an astronomer, please contact the Westar Subcommittee Chair Terry Bridges (tbridges@okanagan.bc.ca) or the Westar Coordinator Daniella Morrone (westar-coordinator@casca.ca).
You may also be interested in looking at our report which was sent to the CASCA membership in the spring of 2023.