[Geo4All] Update on Open Letter requesting the UK Government, UKRI and UK universities to work together on a UK Space Science Education Plan

Sat Jan 27 11:58:22 PST 2024

Dear colleagues

I can confirm that the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has  emailed me informing that they will be responding in due course to my open letters. I am informed that the part of my emails DSIT will be responding to is the following: "I request the UK Government, UKRI and UK universities to work together on a UK Space Science Education Plan to rapidly expand Space Science research and education in the UK. I request UK universities to provide full scholarships for UK students from economically poor families and first generation students (first in family to go to University) studying Earth Observation, geospatial science, data science, geography, environmental science, climate science and space science courses in all UK universities. This is key to build Space Sector Skills for delivering a skilled, diverse, and sustainable space sector workforce."

Open Letter details at

https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=ind2401&L=OER-DISCUSS&O=D&P=5447

https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=OER-DISCUSS;54a04f3a.2401

I have been working and championing over a decade for providing more full scholarships in UK universities for UK students from economically poor families and first-generation students (first in family to go to university) in the UK. I thank UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology for looking into this important topic . I am looking forward to receiving UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) response to my open letter . The UK has huge ambitions in science and technology. UK will need to collaborate more deeply with other leading nations to tackle the urgent global challenges facing our planet through science and technology.

I request all UK Political parties, MPs, Universities, parents and teachers to kindly support my open letter. Let us work together to help achieve  UK’s aim of becoming a science and technology  superpower by 2030 by providing full scholarships for UK students from economically poor families and first generation students (first in family to go to University) studying Earth Observation, geospatial science, data science, geography, environmental science, climate science and space science courses in all UK universities.  This is key to build Space Sector Skills for delivering a skilled, diverse, and sustainable space sector workforce.

Access to quality education opportunities is key for getting rid of poverty and enabling broadly shared prosperity for all.

Best wishes

Suchith

________________________________
From: Suchith Anand
Sent: 25 January 2024 13:41
Subject: Open Letter requesting the UK Government, UKRI and UK universities to work together on a UK Space Science Education Plan

Dear colleagues,

Congratulations to Japan on becoming the fifth country to soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon. Japan’s successful Moon landing was the most precise ever. Details at https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00151-3

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and  Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are partnering for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), which aims to explore the lunar polar region for potential sustainable activities and water-ice resources. The mission will involve a rover developed by JAXA and a lander developed by ISRO, along with instruments from NASA and ESA. The LUPEX mission is scheduled for launch in 2025 and will include instruments proposed by India's Physical Research Laboratory to measure the lunar surface and subsurface.

Details at

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/isros-next-moon-mission-in-collaboration-with-japanese-space-agency-gathers-steam/articleshow/102943227.cms

https://www.space.com/japan-india-2025-moon-mission-lunar-south-pole

I request the UK Government, UKRI and UK universities to work together on a UK Space Science Education Plan to rapidly expand Space Science research and education in the UK. I request UK universities to provide full scholarships for UK students from economically poor families and first generation students (first in family to go to University) studying  Earth Observation, geospatial science, data science, geography, environmental science, climate science and space science courses in all UK universities. This is key to build Space Sector Skills for delivering a skilled, diverse, and sustainable space sector workforce.

This article in the Guardian on “Disadvantaged parents in England and Wales rule out Stem jobs for children, charity says” might be of interest

Disadvantaged parents rule out careers in science, technology, engineering and maths for their children because they think those jobs are “already stitched up”, according to a leading education charity. More than half of parents (51%) from a lower socioeconomic background, who took part in a survey by Teach First, said they believed their children were unlikely to go on to a career in Stem.

Details at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jan/23/disadvantaged-parents-england-wales-rule-out-stem-jobs-for-children-charity-says<https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jan/23/disadvantaged-parents-england-wales-rule-out-stem-jobs-for-children-charity-says#:~:text=Disadvantaged%20parents%20rule%20out%20careers,to%20a%20leading%20education%20charity.>

My Open Letter requesting the UK Government, UKRI and UK universities to work together on a UK Space Science Education Plan is at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=OPENEDSIG;70379317.2401

Best wishes

Suchith

________________________________
From: Suchith Anand
Sent: 17 January 2024 12:02
Subject: Water on the Moon: international prize launches for purifying lunar water

Dear colleagues,

An Indian space mission Chandrayaan-1  in 2009  found evidence of water on the moon concentrated at the poles , raising hopes that a manned base could be established there within the next two decades.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/24/water-moon-space-exploration-india

Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed near the lunar South Pole in 2023 and India became the first country to land near the lunar south pole.  This is paving the way for future crewed missions and even bases on the Moon's surface.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-66594520

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-66654775

>From humble beginnings in sheds (the equipments were carried in a bicycle and a bullock cart!) to becoming the first country to land near the South Pole on the Moon, to missions to Mars , India's space journey is an epic tale of ingenuity and resourcefulness.  Story of India’s amazing space journey at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL94XhNbwQ4

India’s space mission will inspire millions of students from all over the world (including students from economically poor backgrounds in the Global South) to STEM education and space science education.

India’s idea of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ is resonating across the world. This human-centric approach has been welcomed by all. India’s space mission is also based on this principle. India’s success belongs to all of humanity.

It is good to see many countries now working on space missions to Moon.

Water on the Moon: international prize launches for purifying lunar water

The joint UK-Canada £1.2 million Aqualunar Challenge is launching to support development of water-purifying technologies for the Moon.

Details of the competition at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/water-on-the-moon-international-prize-launches-for-purifying-lunar-water

I request the UK Government, UKRI and UK universities to work together on a UK Space Science Education Plan to rapidly expand Space Science research and education in the UK. I request UK universities to provide full scholarships for UK students from economically poor families and first generation students (first in family to go to University) studying  Earth Observation, geospatial science, data science, geography, environmental science, climate science and space science courses in all UK universities. This is key to build Space Sector Skills for delivering a skilled, diverse, and sustainable space sector workforce.

Details at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa-jisc.exe?A2=GIS-UK;9d210162.2401

Best wishes

Suchith

Dr Suchith Anand

Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | AI Ethics | AI Governance | Policy | Consultant in Data and AI Ethics | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate

https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/

https://www.rd-alliance.org/users/suchith-anand

https://ethicaldatainitiative.org<https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/>

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