TAMBO includes both physicists and social scientists, because where an observatory goes is a question about people before it is a question about rock.
By including social scientists, the collaboration seeks to go beyond just physics and engage and contribute to local communities while also working on sustainable practices. How can we be more than just a science collaboration and add value to society?
This approach is inspired by a responsible siting framework, which aims to go beyond traditional ways in which Western science projects have been planned and deployed. It guides every stage of the project, from site selection to construction and operation.
TAMBO has built a Responsible Siting team of anthropologists, historians, geographers and philosophers to think about community relations, consent, and issues of social and environmental justice. The effort is led by Jaco de Swart at the University of Cambridge, working with an international network of collaborators in anthropology, history, geography, philosophy and sociology.
Working with social scientists, local universities and residents of the Arequipa region, TAMBO integrates community engagement into every stage of the project. That includes evaluating the environmental and social impact of construction, strengthening STEM education in local schools, and creating pathways for Peruvian students into higher education and research.
TAMBO needs a valley that is deep, wide and long, and the Colca Valley — one of the deepest canyons in the world — is a strong candidate. Peru also brings a vibrant scientific community: nearly half of TAMBO's institutions are Peruvian, and the project aims to help develop a major scientific facility in the country.
With support from the John Templeton Foundation, TAMBO is rethinking how astronomers and local communities work together — aiming to set a precedent for how large scientific facilities can be built ethically and collaboratively. The project is supported by Grant 63651 from the John Templeton Foundation, the Harvard-UTEC fund, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, and Harvard University.
