Astronomy Education: An International Perspective

Education is important to astronomers because it affects the recruitment and training of future astronomers, and because it affects the awareness, understanding and appreciation of astronomy by taxpayers and politicians. Indeed, astronomers have an obligation to share the excitement and the significance of their work with the general public. Unfortunately, education is often neglected by the scientific and professional community, and by many research universities. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific plays an important role by bridging education and research