Giving to the Global Jet Watch Project

The Global Jet Watch project combines cutting-edge astrophysics research with unique and inspirational outreach work.

The premise of the project is simple enough – a network of round-the-world telescopes delivering round-the-clock spectroscopy as well as photometry to inform research into the causes and effects of accretion to and ejection from near a black hole. However, what sets this project apart is that these observatories aren’t located in research institutes or in the middle of nowhere, rather Professor Katherine Blundell chose to build four of the five in residential schools so that local school children get to take part in, and learn from, her research.

The schools were established so that children of rural families can receive a formal education, it has limited facilities and an ethnographically diverse school community and the project has been an enormous success for the school and surrounding community. Children in Indian, South Africa, Chile and Australia have access to research-grade instruments including the 0.5-metre telescopes and bespoke spectrographs; it engages young people, and girls in particular, with science.

Not only do the young students have the opportunity to carry out research activity and make observations, they also have access to talks about different aspects of science, engineering and being a scientist. More than 2,000 school girls have been introduced to astronomy through Global Jet Watch over 7 years with each academic year introducing a brand new cohort to the project.

By supporting Professor Blundell’s work, you can help train the next generation of scientists find their passion in astrophysics.