[ASA] ARC Centre of Excellence bids - update

[John O'Byrne]

Dear colleagues,

You may recall that Brian Schmidt sent an email to ASA members
on 28 September this year explaining that the ARC Centre of
Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) intends to submit
an expression of interest (EoI) for an ARC Centre with funding
commencing in 2017, in an area of Astronomy related to the Centre's
current activities.

Brian noted that it was not CAASTRO's intent to limit potential
bids in other areas of Astronomy, but rather to open up to the
entire community a CAASTRO-related bid that utilises the experience
and knowledge of CAASTRO. 

Brian's email also invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from
potential directors for this centre as well as potential CIs,
and explained that he would select a list of potential CIs and
directors to attend a planning meeting in Canberra on Monday
1 December.

That meeting has now taken place, and I am writing to let you
know that the CAASTRO Executive has endorsed Prof. Lisa Kewley
FAA to lead the bid for a new ARC Centre of Excellence to follow
CAASTRO. The CAASTRO Advisory Board has also endorsed this
decision.

Lisa will now take over the next stages of the CoE bid process,
and will liaise with the current CAASTRO Executive as needed.

I am very grateful to Lisa for taking on this important role,
and I hope that all of you who expressed an interest in this
new Centre will lend her your support as she assembles a team to
put the bid together.

I would like to thank all those who participated in this process,
and especially Brian Schmidt for acting as moderator and Denise
Sturgess and Kate Gunn for administrative support.

Best wishes,

Elaine Sadler (on behalf of the CAASTRO Executive)

____________________________________
   Professor Elaine M. Sadler FAA
   CAASTRO Director
   School of Physics A28
   University of Sydney
   NSW 2006, Australia

   email: ems at physics.usyd.edu.au
   phone: +61 2 9351 2622
   fax:   +61 2 9351 7726
____________________________________