Live From Copenhagen: SGAC European summit Day 1: Discussions
Today's day will (and perhaps some of Day 2) will consist of the following agenda:
Activity in National Area - updates
Poland, Belgium, UK, Denmark
- Belgium: Not much going on. Missed an opportunity last year when the government bundled all the space organization. There is already a good push from the government which is pro-space and have a good space education in the form of space packages. We do not know if the packages get to the school.
The NPoC needs to contact the government in the coming months and get in touch with EuroSpace consortium. In Belgium, science policy is federal - hence dutch, german and french in language terms.
Action: SGAC Exec/Office should send out standard presentation and materials for introduction to NPoCs so they have it when they need it.
- Poland: Presentation to be posted here (Action Bee/Mateusz Wolski)
Through various organizations, there are 30000 members, but only 1% members are active and run independent projects with not much coherence - NPoC aims to talk to all of these organization - mars society. planetary society chapters, etc to get coordination
Mars festiwal was one of the main events with 2000 members in two days. 'Space for Humans' featured 3 astronauts, industry as well as political parties took part and there was a lot of interest. Satellite technology Days - organized by volunteers from several organisation in which NPoC advised and helped manage drew a lot of interest too.
Warsaw University participating in University Rover Challenge, which takes place in Utah in June. Rover prototype underwent PDR yesterday. Funded by a bank loan, sponsorship from student council organization and aerospace companies.
NPoC plans to organise Mars festiwal 2008 with Mars Society Poland, an NGO (potentially in Autumn 2008)
www.skarabeusz.marssociety.pl (available in English soon)
- could World Space Week be a good event to coordinate and bring in all the organizations from poland and to introduce SGAC as an umbrella organisation? - There are several local activities and its hard to expect direct reporting, but Agnieszka will contact the local contact in Poland to encourage dialogue and involvement of SGAC.
- Events are often advertised in polish and info is not available readily in English so the international world does not hear about it.
- It would be nice to have a robo competition to make Mars Festiwal 2008 more exciting, however there is a need for advertisement and perhaps a general sponsor. The idea is to have a small amount of sponsorship. We need volunteers as NPoC may have a lot to manage during the organisation of Mars festiwal - so if you are interested in helping out please contact Mateusz Wolski
- Would like contact with ESA education office - RC would help out on the matter
UK:
- Presentation to be posted here (Action: Bee/Angela)
- starts with introduction about Angela, who is new, so would like to meet more UK space people and would like to work in the space sector in the future
- Good educational resources within higher education (university) especially in astronomy. Recent drastic cut in funding in research for space physics and history of lack of interest in Human spaceflight area. Recently a petition against this was signed by 18 million people.
Private schools have more of astronomy and astro physics offered to pre-university (A level) studies.
- not having a big role in ESA hampers student involvement in space competition.
BNSC - need contact
BIS - involved in the recent conference, but low turn out in the student level. Activities and participation need to be broadcasted at the university level more.
SGC coming to glasgow - is a great opportunity. BIS may have UK student funding opportunities - useful to draw in bigger interest from UK student. Angela and Rishi are involved with Kevin Stube for organization of SGC.
SGAC has a resident column in Spaceflight magazine - which is a great opportunity
Qs: Perhaps a workshop for investors and interested parties to address the lack of interest
Denmark:
- Yuri's night at the Copenhagen Film Festival
- NPoC to write the curriculum for the textbook for Nursing courses on space medicine.
- Not many plans for space week - mainly because it is difficult to get buy in from local planetaria and other industries
(Agnieszka offers that perhaps the management of world space week could help by writing a letter of support )
NPoC has to struggle to get buy-in from local government and organization.
RC has requested that NPOCS CONTACT RCs RATHER THAN THEM CONTACTING NPOCS ALL THE TIME.
NPOCS are strongly encouraged to submit quarterly reports. This years quarterly report would fall in middle of June
(A discussion here deems that reports from NPoCs should come in during the year on 15 March, 15 June, 15 Sept and 15 Dec. The last report due on 15 Dec is a condensed summary that gives a wholesome view of all of the year's activities in the nation, following the guidelines prescribed under here):
- Give a short summary of the space activites in your country
- youth activities and perspectives of these activities
- an explanation of YOUR activities within the country.
Session 1 end with a 10 Minute Break
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Poland-report_opt.pdf | 372.17 KB |
| SCAGCOPENHAGEN_opt.pdf | 172.44 KB |
Discussion Session Part 3:How can interested people get involved
PROECT LEADS and VOLUNTEER POSITIONS HOLDERS SHOULD HAVE A PICTURE PAGE TOO.
= Need structure to each project page- for example, name and picture of lead.
= Should have a form on the page/individual profile so that people can fill project details so that NPoCs can find out who in their country is working on what
NEED TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDE: we cannot demand, but we should set standards and we can arrange incentives and rewards. look at the legacy of teh UN internships - candidates are not paid, but they love to work there and they work hard for it.
We can offer reference letters on request. - this could be an incentive?
Action: Alex - project leads should be on the website. He will coordinate with Chris. Form for the national/project (see above) how/if this can be done as an integrated feature on national pages.etc
Should have an answer on the website to this question: How do you get to be a project lead?
Let's make Space Happen!
Discussion Session Part 4:SGC update
Please see website www.explorerswanted.com; for dates/how to get involved
Talk of having SEDSIC overlapping
- Angela visited Glasgow with Kevin. Great city, should be a great place to have young people meet at SGC
- Recruitment on delegates is based on effort and contribution to the projects.
- We work on project leads and project forums until May
- In May people can 'register' which will be shorter application than past years
- Later we evaluate if we have more places, which get offered as 'late offers' - open to ALL, new people can get interested and apply to come. application will be larger than just registering active members from project leads
- 9 projects have sent abstracts to IAC. If selected these have more weightage to get funding to come
Need more project activity.
Q. Has there been a PR or communication about this to everyone on exec? or to SG Talk?
- Kevin send an email. Alex did another call for project leads. Still unclear if the final DECISION was declared and the process was explained to everyone - all members, etc. the incentive scheme is very good, it probably just needs better explanation - because the NPoCs and advocates who are interested and ARE HERE are not aware of it.
Q: I am already overwhelmed with organising on local and national level, i do not have time for taking extra responsiblity on the projects. Whats the motivation for me?
- there are scholarships for most active members (like the Peter Diamandis leadership award) and show exceptional activity as a volunteer, npoc, etc. We need a new means of motivation
- there is another opportunity of funding: our ability to give regional coordinators a budget to allow the most active npocs to come to SGC depends on fund raising. NPoCs can help in increasing funds that are available to us to fund NPoCs.
- Perhaps NPoC from Poland can contact SGC Manager and see the details on website.
This year, additional info on other scholarship schemes can be put with an advice note to applicatant - cannot just ask ESA/etc to sponsor additionally on individual basis, but see if the applicant can arrive few days early and get reimbursed.
- this will educate the applicant more on possibilities for the daunting task of getting funds.
- if people are contacting industry partners etc - should contact the SGC fundraising team to let them know so that we dont have too many people speaking to the same people
- how can people be an 'official' representative? THIS REMAINS AS A OPEN ISSUE. There is an element for a mandate to NPoC so we are confident in the NPoCs we select. But as in any responsible organization we expect NPoCs will communicate to see if they can approach external parties on our behalf. They should communicate to us so that RCs or Exec council/officers can know of teh consequences or opportunities that this brings for the organisation - as WE ALL HAVE A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES to each other and to the SPACE YOUTH in totality. THIS SHOULD BE STATED IN THE RULES AND ROLES OF THE NPOC
Receive the lastest announcements, discuss space-related topics with other members.
Discussion Session Part 2: NPOC Duties/ Roles/ Clarification
We need a standard document that states roles - can do/ cant dos; mandate
Angela: when she started, looked at forums - lot of enthusiasm, but it didnot clearly state what the role could bring her, or if she had the confidence for it.
Discussion on what we already have on the forum: http://www.spacegeneration.org/node/268
'expectations'
- do research: needs rephrasing. suggesition 'do research regarding...' or 'familiarise yourself'
- establish communication
language is incorrect
official letter - should state 'you will be sent of an official letter'
Another section should read:
Once you are NPoC... DELIVERABLES
- aims and goals for SGAC involvement in the space activities/youth space activities
- Quarterly reports (once again, should include the following information) due to 15 March, 15 June, 15 Sept and 15 Dec. The last report due on 15 Dec is a condensed summary that gives a wholesome view of all of the year's activities in the nation, following the guidelines prescribed under here):
- Give a short summary of the space activites in your country
- youth activities and perspectives of these activities
- an explanation of YOUR activities within the country.
TO HELP YOU promote space to youth in your country
We recommend:
- communicate to us the events, specially to RCs - this help to get excitement
We are running short on time: so things to include: National pages, education directory, projects page and RESOURCES for NPoC
IF you have any additional Questions during your term: please email your Regional Coordinators. An up-to-date list of council members can be found at www.spacegeneration.org/council
Action to Marc - to recommend a 'sample' of the above said
Let's make Space Happen!