Date/Time
Date(s) - 16/09/2026
10:30 am - 11:30 am

BSB 108

Dr. Robert Cockcroft
Associate Professor / Director, William J. McCallion Planetarium
McMaster University

Title: Beyond the land acknowledgement: Indigenous astronomy as practice in curricula and outreach

Abstract:

What does it mean to teach astronomy on Indigenous lands? Over the past several years, I have explored this question through collaborations that have expanded our public outreach programs in our planetariums and that have led to the development of an Indigenous astronomy course. These experiences have prompted me to think not only about Indigenous astronomy itself, but also about what happens when Indigenous perspectives are taken seriously as part of the practice of astronomy, science, and education.

In this colloquium, I will describe these initiatives and reflect on what I have learned from them – the successes, limitations, and unexpected challenges, as well as the ways in which my own understanding of astronomy and science education has changed. I will also consider some of the tensions and questions that arise from this work: Why focus specifically on Indigenous knowledge, and what distinguishes this work from broader efforts toward diversity and inclusion in science? What constitutes evidence, and how should we think about rigour, when working across different knowledge systems? And what does it mean to move beyond symbolic gestures such as land acknowledgements toward forms of land-based learning that are experiential, rigorous, and meaningful?

Along the way, I will offer some practical lessons from my own experiences, situate this work within broader national and international efforts, and consider both what astronomy can learn from Indigenous approaches to knowledge and what it means for astronomers to build relationships with the lands and communities in which we work. Ultimately, I will reflect on why I continue to do this work – and what I think it asks of us as scientists and educators.