[ASA] Gemini partnership beyond 2015

[Stuart Wyithe]

Dear Colleagues,

You may have seen the recent announcement on Gemini Board resolutions regarding the Gemini partnership beyond 2015 (http://www.gemini.edu/node/11912). The purpose of this email is to provide some brief background for this development.

In short, Australia is a member of the Gemini partnership whose current agreement concludes at the end of 2015. An assessment point was conducted during the most recent Gemini Board meeting in November, where partner countries were asked to commit to a continued Gemini partnership covering the years 2016-2018. Australia was unable to do so.

Australia's position on continued involvement in Gemini beyond the current agreement is influenced by two primary factors. Firstly, the Mid-Term Review of the Australian Astronomy Decadal plan specifies membership of ESO as the highest priority for gaining access to large optical telescopes.  Secondly, investment in Australian national access to research infrastructure in the near future will be via the Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme (CRIS), which is only available for funding of infrastructure operations up until the end of 2014. Thus there is currently no identifiable funding for continuing in a post 2015 Gemini partnership.

Australian participation in the Gemini partnership is managed through Astronomy Australia Ltd. (AAL), and the Gemini assessment point was discussed during the most recent AAL AGM on November 2 (with input from AAL's Optical Telescopes Advisory Committee). The AAL member representatives endorsed the Australian Gemini Board member to declare that at this time Australia is unable to commit to continued membership of the Gemini partnership post-2015. This declaration by Australia at the Gemini partnership assessment point has triggered the announcement published on the Gemini website today.

Over the last decade Australian astronomers have made great contributions to Gemini, both technically and scientifically, and the current situation is regrettable. It should be noted that Australia has not withdrawn from Gemini, and that AAL will continue to explore ways of facilitating the option for continued Australian involvement with Gemini in the future.


- Stuart Wyithe

(AAL non-executive director and Australian representative to the Gemini Board)


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Professor Stuart Wyithe
Australian Laureate Fellow
School of Physics
University of Melbourne
Vic, Australia  3010

Phone:  +61 3 8344 5083
Fax:  +61 3 9347 4783
Email: swyithe at unimelb.edu.au<https://evserver2.unimelb.edu.au/EnterpriseVault/swyithe@unimelb.edu.au>
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