Help Ian Tasker Present at IAU Conference in Cape Town

This is the story of a disabled historian, Ian Tasker, who loves nothing better than telling original stories about politicians, bureaucrats and astronomers that have modern-day applications in aviation, aerospace and astronomy collaborations. He was involved in a near-fatal car accident in 2012 and sustained head injuries that interrupted his university studies. However, he returned, and though it took him four and a half years to finish a two-year Master's, he finally submitted his thesis six weeks ago. At the heart of Ian's research is a phenomenon: Are we allowing politicians to dismiss or ignore the valuable advice of expert scientists that impacts science funding? He examined this in the context of “Australian Colonial Astronomy and the Impact of World Wars, the Great Depression and Constitutional Deliberations (1912-1945)”. So, while Ian's thesis is being examined, which is usually a four to six-month-long process, he is technically not enrolled with the university, though he remains formally affiliated with it.

Last year, Ian was funded to present at a History of Astronomy workshop at Notre Dame University in Idaho, America, that resulted in networking with fellow international historians and an introduction to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Commission 3 (C3): History of Astronomy, whereby he became an Associate Member. This makes him the only Australian of four associate members in C3, comprised of 282 members. Ian is now Australia’s 7th Associate Member of 97 worldwide; Australia has 326 professionals in the IAU, out of this peak body of just over 13,000 professional astronomers and astrophysicists, representing 400 countries. The IAU will host a triannual General Assembly in August, and this year, it will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, for the first time. Out of a record-breaking 3,000 abstracts, Ian has been chosen to present in person in front of several thousand professionals during that fortnight, extravaganza 5-15 August, when he will turn 65, on “Economic considerations, including direct collaboration between the Union Observatory in Johannesburg and Sydney Observatory in Australia during the First World War”.

The dilemma is that though Ian is on a Disability Support Pension, he cannot apply for university assistance towards his tickets until he has undergone his Confirmation of Candidature for a PhD usually doesn't happen until you're six months. Into a three-doctorate program. Ian has applied to the IAU for a grant to reimburse his registration fees and $1,000 for his airline tickets.

Ian is asking that you assist him in flying from Sydney to Cape Town and returning for $2,913, plus travel insurance, accommodation, $3,203, food & formal dinner, and a $980 conference registration fee with organised excursions.