After touching the edge of space with weather balloons, teacher’s astronomy club is now planning to launch a satellite – earning the plaudit: ‘her impact resonates far beyond the confines of her classroom’
A Croydon secondary school teacher has been named the winner of the 2024 Royal Astronomical Society Secondary and Further Education Award.
School star: prize-winner Arabi Karteepan
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School star: prize-winner Arabi Karteepan
Arabi Karteepan, the head of physics at Croydon High School, was recognised for “her outstanding contributions to promoting Astronomy and Space Science within the educational community”.
The Royal Astronomical Society was formed in 1820 to encourage and promote the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and related branches of science. Its 4,000 members include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.
Arabi Karteepan has been teaching at Croydon High for three years. Her passion for astronomy has “resulted in groundbreaking initiatives that have captured the imagination of her pupils and the wider public”, according to the school.
Karteepan’s achievements include leading one of the first successful launches from a British school of high-altitude meteorological balloons. Pupils aged from 10 to 16 took part, launching the balloons from the University of Bath campus last September, both soaring to the edge of space – almost 20 miles up – well into Earth’s stratosphere.
The “Mission Aspiration” weather balloons were named after world-leading astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell-Burnell and Britain’s first astronaut Helen Sharman. The balloons’ payload contained cameras, data loggers, GPS trackers and experiments that allowed the pupils to carry out tests to understand how different materials respond to the atmospheric conditions.
“This accomplishment demonstrated her commitment to hands-on, experiential learning, providing her pupils with a unique and engaging experience,” the school said.
Karteepan and the Astrogazers are now planning for a satellite launch…
Stratospheric achievement: one of the pictures from the edge of space taken by the Croydon High weather balloons
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Stratospheric achievement: one of the pictures taken from the edge of space by the Croydon High School’s weather balloons
The school’s Astrogazers Club has flourished under Karteepan’s leadership, becoming oversubscribed and inspiring pupils to pursue interests in science and astronomy. It has even taken its activities on to YouTube.
Croydon High’s head, Annabel Davies, said, “We are so proud of Mrs Karteepan for this prestigious recognition from The Royal Astronomical Society. Her extraordinary efforts in fostering a love for astronomy and science among our pupils and in the wider community are unparalleled.
“The award is a well-deserved recognition of her exemplary contributions, and we are confident that her influence will continue to inspire future generations of scientists and astronomers.”
In selecting Karteepan for its prestigious prize, the Royal Astronomical Society’s awards committee said: “So infectious is her passion, she is now being contacted by other communicators for advice and ideas on how to promote space and astronomy within their educational institutions.
“Her impact resonates far beyond the confines of her classroom, illustrating the transformative power of passionate and dedicated educators.”
Karteepan paid tribute to her late mother, “an inspiring teacher” who would have been “incredibly proud”.
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to Croydon High’s pupils, staff, and parents, as well as those who have inspired my teaching journey,” the award-winner said.
“The exceptional support from the school community has been instrumental in the success of Astrogazers missions. The past two years with Astrogazers, including a successful weather balloon launch and an upcoming satellite launch, have been filled with challenges and excitement. I’m grateful for the incredible pupils, supportive parents, and the valuable partnership with Professor Cathryn Mitchell and Dr Robert Watson.”
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