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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">Dear All,</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"><br>
</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">At the ASA ASM earlier this month, Alex Cooke (Astronomy Australia Ltd), myself (National Committee for Astronomy), Karl Glazebrook (AAT Council) and Christian Wolf (Siding Spring Observatory
Director) held a Town Hall on the future of optical astronomy in Australia. During the meeting, Alex and I also <span lang="EN-GB">discussed these matters with the heads of astronomy departments, the NCA and the ECR Chapter. </span></font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-GB"><br>
</span></font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; font-size:14px">As a result of these discussions and the ensuing feedback around prioritisation and focus, we have a consolidated picture of the actions needed to secure Australian optical astronomy
into the next decade.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"> </font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">We are awaiting guidance on next steps from the Department, and are advocating that this decision be made soon, especially given that Commonwealth funding for the AAT runs out in June 2027.
Noting that:</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-18.0pt"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">·<span style="font-style:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-stretch:normal; line-height:normal; font-size-adjust:none; font-kerning:auto; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-feature-settings:normal"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>The
Strategic Partnership with ESO continues until the end of 2027 and ESO announced the P118 application round last week (noting that fast-track is also available), so I encourage people to put proposals together.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-18.0pt"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">·<span style="font-style:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-stretch:normal; line-height:normal; font-size-adjust:none; font-kerning:auto; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-feature-settings:normal"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>We
will still benefit from the constructive and positive relationship with ESO via the instruments being built e.g. 4MOST and MAVIS, including guaranteed time. </font></p>
<p class="x_MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-18.0pt"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">·<span style="font-style:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-stretch:normal; line-height:normal; font-size-adjust:none; font-kerning:auto; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-feature-settings:normal"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-GB">The
AAT Workshop is being held at Macquarie University later this week (23-24 July).</span></font></p>
<p class="x_MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-18.0pt"><br>
</p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">Below I include links to the recordings of the Town Hall sessions, attach a text form of the discussion and the </font><span style="font-size:14px">slide deck, updated following the discussions</span><span style="font-size:14px; font-family:Helvetica">,
and list 8 key points that will underpin our approach going forward.</span></p>
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</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">Cheers,</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">Sarah</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"> </font><font face="Helvetica"><span style="font-size:14px"></span></font></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">*Town Hall Recordings</font></b></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"><b>Part 1:</b> <span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/L4_vCoV1kpfBRRjMEI1fWfpnLpM?domain=anu.zoom.us"><span lang="EN-GB">https://anu.zoom.us/rec/share/Ft5FbjS_YaQLLWsDTF1kWx5e-pdbvYzjwwl0qBFxIjaneK39Ge9flj8q7QiUZvnw.PhiXJDve93_EtgOP?startTime=1783565177000</span></a></span></font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:14px"><font face="Helvetica">Passcode: $13h@GWS</font></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:14px"><font face="Helvetica"> </font></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"><b><span lang="FR">Part 2</span></b><span lang="FR">: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/948bCp81lrtvWW1GmIDhxfGQm6w?domain=anu.zoom.us"><span lang="FR">https://anu.zoom.us/rec/share/Kcl53oc-CKduqCLmcH7OGSy5QExeaLqP7Zynu3jy860pIwiRpvmZTiqyOla4z6XJ.Jm81pw2mOoX2WtZ3?startTime=1783576735000</span></a></span><span lang="FR"></span></font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">Passcode: hGj!Qy8?</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px"> </font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">*Underpinning Approach</font></b></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Maintain Australia’s sovereign optical astronomy capability to access the best astronomy facilities globally: the AAT, ATNF, SKA and its precursors, and decades of investments in instrumentation,
data and compute are foundational and will deliver value and impact regardless of the choices of international partners.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Frame the case around national value: Make the government-facing argument in terms of sovereign capability, onshore benefit, industry links, workforce, strategic partnerships, STEM capability
development and alignment with national priorities — not science excellence alone.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Build a strategic access package, not a stop-gap: Secure a coherent mix of facilities and capabilities, rather than simply buying small amounts of telescope time from overseas facilities.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Make southern hemisphere capability central: Ensure any model preserves strong southern access, with clear synergies with the AAT, SKA, LSST/Rubin, transient science and future 30-m-class
opportunities.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Enable ambitious science: Prioritise sustained, substantial access that supports large programmes and community-scale science, not fragmented allocations that force smaller proposals. These
big programs will retain Australian STEM capability inspired by the prospect of working on ambitious science proposals.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Balance international access with domestic investment: Plan 8-metre access, AAT renewal, instrumentation and data infrastructure together over a 5-, 10- and 20-year horizon.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Design fair, coordinated access mechanisms: Use transparent national coordination and trusted TAC-style processes that support the ECRs and the next generation of STEM talent, emerging
fields, international collaboration and cross-facility proposals.</font></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><font face="Helvetica" style="font-size:14px">· Keep future flexibility and resilience: Avoid relying on open calls, informal assumptions or long institutional memory; secure explicit, durable arrangements while retaining flexibility
for new opportunities.</font><font size="3"></font></p>
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<div>----------------------<br>
Professor Sarah Brough<br>
</div>
<div>Head of School | School of Physics</div>
<div>Chair | National Committee for Astronomy</div>
<div>Australian Observer | European Southern Observatory Council</div>
<div>AD: #G06, Old Main Building (K15) | UNSW Sydney | NSW 2052 | Australia</div>
<div>PH: +61 2 9065 2579<br>
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<p style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size:8pt;"><em>This email and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential information. If you believe you have received this email or any of its contents in error, please notify me immediately by return
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