From itso at aao.gov.au Mon Aug 14 09:25:56 2017 From: itso at aao.gov.au (International Telescopes Support Office) Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2017 09:25:56 +1000 Subject: [ASA] Call for Australian Subaru Proposals in Semester 2018A Message-ID: <4a6d454a-f4e6-23fe-52e7-3ca998990387@aao.gov.au> 2018A Call for Australian Subaru proposals Proposals for Australian time on the Subaru 8.2m telescope on Mauna Kea in Semester 2018A (1 Feb - 31 July 2018) are due by *1:00pm AEST, Thursday 7 September 2017.* Separate calls for Magellan and Blanco proposals in Semester 2018A, as well as ESO access in Period 101 (Apr-Sep 2018) will be issued shortly. Background The Subaru 8.2 metre telescope located on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). In December 2016 Astronomy Australia Ltd negotiated a new collaborative program with NAOJ, providing 5 nights in Semester 2018A and 5 nights in Semester 2018B (possibly extending into 2019A) for the Australian community on the Subaru telescope. Australia will also make technical contributions to the Subaru program, and Japanese astronomers will get access to 4 nights on the AAT in 2018. Following the end of AAL's access to the Gemini and Keck telescopes after Semester 2017B, Subaru will be the only northern hemisphere facility available to the entire Australian community in 2018. Instruments The facility instruments currently available on Subaru are: * AO 188 , a 188 element natural or laser guide star adaptive optics system delivering diffraction-limited images in the near infrared to instruments including IRCS, SCExAO, and CHARIS. * COMICS, a mid-infrared camera and spectrograph covering wavelengths from 7.5-25 microns. * FOCAS provides optical imaging, longslit and multi-slit spectroscopy over a 6 arcmin field of view. * HDS , an optical high dispersion spectrograph with a resolution up to R=160,000. * HSC provides optical imaging over a 1.5 degree diameter field of view. * IRCS, a near-infrared (0.9-5.6 microns) camera with coronagraphic and polarimetric modes, as well as longslit spectroscopy with resolution up to R=20,000. IRCS is normally used in conjunction with natural or laser guide star adaptive optics fed by AO188. * MOIRCS provides imaging and low-resolution longslit or multi-object spectroscopy from 0.9-2.5 microns over a 4 x 7 arcmin field of view. In addition some visitor instruments are available by collaboration with the instrument PI: * SCExAO delivers high contrast images of the innermost surroundings of bright sources. * CHARIS provides near-infrared coronagraphic imaging and low-resolution spectroscopy of exoplanets, disks, and brown dwarfs with SCExAO+AO188. * VAMPIRES enables diffraction-limited imaging in the visible with polarimetric capabilities. Further information on Subaru instruments can be found on the Subaru Instrumentation page. Applying for time The policies and process for Australian access to Subaru time are as follows: 1. Researchers affiliated with a research institute in Australia can submit proposals as a PI. 2. Collaboration with Japanese astronomers is encouraged, but is not a requirement for submitting a proposal. 3. Full details on proposal submission can be found on the Subaru proposals page . Australian proposals should be submitted directly to Subaru using the Subaru ProMS (Proposal Management System ). You will need to register for a ProMS account if you do not already have one. 4. Applicants are required to explicitly specify *"[AUS Time]"* in the title of their proposals to distinguish these from regular proposals. 5. Australian time has the following restrictions: 1. Time exchange programs (proposals to use Gemini or Keck instruments) are not eligible. 2. Service mode programs, ToO programs, and HSC queue-mode programs are not eligible. This is because for these programs the execution is not guaranteed. Proposals using HSC will be executed in classical mode. 3. Subaru Intensive program proposals are not eligible. 6. Australian proposals for Subaru time will be assessed and ranked by the Subaru TAC. Proposals will be made available to ATAC for their consideration, and the ATAC Chair will be given the opportunity to convey ATAC's view of the relative merits of each proposal to the Subaru TAC. 7. The Subaru TAC will allocate observing time to the Australian proposals in the order of proposal score until the total number of nights allocated reaches five, even if their scores are below the threshold for normal proposals to be approved. 8. If, when the total number of nights allocated to the Australian proposals reaches five, there are more Australian proposals above the threshold for normal proposals to be approved, the Subaru TAC will still allocate observation time to them as a part of open-use time. 9. Australian programs will be executed in classical mode, meaning the observer(s) should be present either at the Mauna Kea summit or NAOJ Mitaka HQ remote observing room. Australian PIs awarded Subaru time through this process will be eligible for travel support from ITSO . However funding to support observer travel in 2018A is limited, and observers may not be fully supported. Need help? Further information about Australian access to Subaru can be found at on the Subaru ITSO web pages . Please direct any questions to the International Telescopes Support Office (itso at aao.gov.au) at the AAO. Stuart Ryder Head of International Telescopes Support #ITSOaao -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au Mon Aug 14 23:04:25 2017 From: john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au (John O'Byrne) Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2017 13:04:25 +0000 Subject: [ASA] PhD and Postdoc position in Neutrinos Astronomy at Nikhef In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Ron Ekers has suggested that the job advertisement below be circulated to ASA members: PhD and Postdoc Positions in Neutrino Astronomy (KM3NeT) Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 175 physicists and 75 technical staff members perform excellent theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle- and astroparticle physics. Nikhef participates in the ATLAS, LHCb and ALICE experiments at CERN, the VIRGO interferometer in Pisa, the XENON Dark Matter detector in Gran Sasso and the Pierre Auger cosmic rays observatory in Argentina, and is a major contributor to the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean. The Research Group The Nikhef neutrino astronomy group is responsible for a large part of the detector design and construction of the KM3NeT detector and we have led the analysis of the data from the first detection lines. In the context of a recently awarded grant, a team will be established to study the sources of high energy cosmic neutrinos, which is now a key question in Astroparticle physics. The project will start while the KM3NeT detector is being constructed and successful candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to the performance studies and analysis of data of the first phase of the KM3NeT detector and with the goal of extracting the first neutrino science. Requirements Candidates are sought that have an interest in data analysis in the areas of detector commissioning, event reconstruction and classification, as well as the high-level data analysis for testing neutrino source hypotheses using advanced statistical methods. Candidates interested in incorporating other (multi-messenger) data and novel neutrino production models in the analysis also are encouraged to apply as the project will also require expertise on these topics. Knowledge of statistical data analysis with C++, Python and/or ROOT is advantageous. Offer The postdoc position is for 2 years with the possibility of a one-year extension. A PhD in (astro-)particle physics or related field is required. The PhD position is for 4 years and requires as master degree, or equivalent in in experimental (astro-) particle physics or other relevant field. It includes graduate schools for PhD students and a series of lectures on advanced topics in particle physics, as part of the educational program of the Dutch research school for subatomic physics. Multiple positions are available in the project, some of which will be filled in an additional hiring round next year. The successful candidates will be employed by NWO. The position is based in Amsterdam. You will receive a competitive salary. The conditions of employment are excellent and include extra months' salary payment in May and December and good travel facilities. Information and Application Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply at https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/2mpABDcpJaRTZ?domain=nikhef.nl. Select the link ?PhD position in Neutrino Astronomy (KM3NeT)? or ?Postdoc Position in Neutrino Astronomy (KM3NeT)? and apply by clicking the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of the page. The online system will require you to upload a CV and a cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests, both in PDF format. It will also ask you to provide the email addresses of at least three (two for PhD position) referees who are willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Please apply before September 18 2016. Later applications can be considered for a later hiring round in the same project. Further information on these positions can be obtained from Dr Aart Heijboer (aart.heijboer at nikhef.nl). Contact: Aart Heijboer Email: aart.heijboer at nikhef.nl More Information: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/Jb1WBnU4rgGuG?domain=nikhef.nl ????????????????????????? "The standard you walk past is the standard you accept? ????????????????????????? ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JOHN O?BYRNE Associate Dean (Student Life), Faculty of Science Secretary, Astronomical Society of Australia Inc. Sydney Institute for Astronomy School of Physics | Faculty of Science THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY Rm 205, Physics Building A28 Postal address: School of Physics | The University of Sydney | NSW | Australia | 2006 T +61 2 9351 3184 | F +61 2 9351 7726 E john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au | W http://sydney.edu.au/science/people/john.obyrne CRICOS 00026A This email plus any attachments to it are confidential. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please delete it and any attachments. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From aatts at aao.gov.au Tue Aug 15 11:59:01 2017 From: aatts at aao.gov.au (AAT Tech Secretary) Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 11:59:01 +1000 Subject: [ASA] AAT Call for Proposals - Semester 2018A - deadline 5PM, 15 September 2017 Message-ID: <9BB7CDF3-2A02-493C-B377-9CFF16E78B24@aao.gov.au> 2018A Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) Call for Proposals The main proposal deadline for AAT in Semester 2018A (February 2018 - July 2018) is: 15 September 2017, at 17:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time, i.e. UTC + 10 hrs Proposals to Australian Time Allocation Committee (ATAC) can be submitted until the deadline using the Lens proposal form (available at this page ) and are welcomed from all astronomers worldwide. Applying for AAT Telescope Time through ATAC Important information for applicants Time available for new proposals: because of existing Large Programs and other obligations, there are roughly 110 nights available for new proposals in Semester 18A (17 dark, 24 grey, 69 bright). The current Large AAT Programs, the SAMI and DEVILS surveys, have been allocated 38 dark or grey nights at certain RAs. New programs with targets outside of these RAs are more likely to be scheduled. The RA information for Large AAT Programs is available at this link . A separate call for Large AAT Programs has been made for programs starting in 2018A. These are programs requesting at least 50 nights. More information is available at this link . Proposals for Long Term AAT Programs are welcome in 2018A. These are programs that span multiple semesters. More information is available at this link . The AAO is planning maintenance on the 2dF fibre cable and on HERMES in Semester 18A. Both the 2dF-fed AAOmega and HERMES will be unavailable from February to May 2018. The estimated schedule for this work is: 5 February to 23 May for HERMES and 12 February to 6 May for the 2dF positioner. Other instruments that use AAOmega but not the 2dF fibre feed (e.g. SAMI, KOALA) will still be available during this period. >From May 2018, it is expected the Veloce spectrograph will be available for shared-risk observing. Details on the instrument are given below. A Target of Opportunity mode is now available with instruments using the 2dF positioner (AAOmega, HERMES) and KOALA. IRIS2 is still available in this mode. The Target of Opportunity policy is available at this link . The UCLES spectrograph has been decommissioned. To help address issues associated with unconscious bias (e.g. see study at this link ) the format of the proposals has been changed: (1) PI information will not be provided to ATAC, (2) investigator information will be provided at the end of the proposal, and (3) the list of investigators will be sorted alphabetically. Lead investigators should avoid disclosing their identity in the science or technical justification sections. Feedback on these changes are welcome and should be sent to AAT Technical Secretary (aatts at aao.gov.au) . Based upon historical weather trends, about 33% of time is lost to bad weather. Proposers are therefore required to multiply their request by a factor of 1.5 to allow for time lost to weather. Lens proposal submission system The AAO uses an online proposal submission system, known as Lens, which is available at this link . This system is a user account based system, which will allow for improved security and better tracking of past and current proposals. There is an FAQ available for Lens, available via the FAQ tab in Lens itself, or via the direct link https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/6eKdBDsagGMI0?domain=aao.gov.au . All new users must register with the system at https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/NX12BDUX2pxSJ?domain=aao.gov.au Note that users cannot be added to proposals if they are not registered in Lens. Please make sure that all investigators on a proposal have registered well before the deadline! For any queries or comments, please email lens [@] aao.gov.au . Historical oversubscription rates The figure below shows the historical oversubscription rates at the AAT. Large program allocations are excluded from these calculations and error bars are from Poisson statistics. The fluctuations are largely dominated by whether Large programs were already scheduled when the call for proposals was made. Numbers indicate the number of nights that were available in each semester. The Veloce spectrograph Veloce will be a stabilized, high-resolution (R~80000) echelle spectrograph. Initially Veloce will have only one of its three possible 'arms', each covering a different wavelength region, the first arm 'Rosso' will cover ~580 - 930nm. Veloce will be fed by a 26 hexagonal fibre integral field unit (19 target, 2 calibration, 5 sky/background), with an on-sky target area 2.5" in diameter and with spatial scrambling through octagonal fibres. The optional simultaneous calibration will be a Menlo Systems laser comb for extremely precise wavelength calibration and/or a Thorium-Uranium-Xenon arc lamp. Veloce will be suitable for observing single targets brighter than i<14 magnitude and will be particularly good for red targets such as cool M dwarf stars. More information will shortly be available on this page . Questions about instrument performance should be directed to the Veloce instrument scientist, Duncan Wright ( duncan.wright at aao.gov.au ). SAMI status SAMI is the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral-field unit that feeds the AAOmega spectrograph. SAMI provides 13 fibre-based IFUs called 'hexabundles', each with a field of view of 15 arcseconds, that are deployed by plug-plate anywhere within a 1-degree diameter field of view using the AAT's Prime Focus top end. Constraints on observable targets with SAMI are given at this link . Before writing your proposal, potential SAMI observers must contact the SAMI instrument scientist Julia Bryant ( julia.bryant at aao.gov.au ) . Note, the SAMI 2dFDR data reduction pipeline has been tested using the AAOmega gratings that are used for the SAMI survey (580V and 1000R), but has not been tested with other AAOmega gratings. HERMES status HERMES is a four-channel, bench-mounted high-resolution spectrograph for use with the 2dF top end. The wavelength ranges of the four channels are fixed at 4715-4900 ?, 5649-5873 ?, 6478-6737 ? and 7585-7887 ?. The spectral resolution is nominally R~28,000, which can be raised to R~45,000. Questions about instrument performance should be directed to the HERMES instrument scientist, Gayandhi De Silva ( gayandhi.desilva at aao.gov.au ). More information about the instrument can be found at this link . KOALA status KOALA (Kilo-fibre Optical AAT Lenslet Array) provides integral-field capability to the AAOmega spectrograph. KOALA has a selectable spatial resolution of 0.7"or 1.25" and has good response at the extreme blue. Information on KOALA can be found in the instrumentation page at this link . Questions about performance should be directed to the KOALA instrument scientist, ?ngel L?pez-S?nchez ( angel.lopez-sanchez at aao.gov.au ). Remote observing Remote observing from the AAO's North Ryde headquarters is available as an option for all AAT facility instruments. Observers who wish to travel to Sydney to carry out remote observations can continue to access the existing Travel and Accommodation support offered to AAT observers. It is also possible to observe from the remote observing facilities at the ANU and ICRAR. Use of these latter two facilities will be restricted to experienced observers who have used the AAT in the past two years. Observers wishing to use these facilities will not be eligible for travel support from the AAO. Service time If projects require fewer than 6 hours of observing, they can be performed in service time. Applications for service time are made electronically direct to the AAO and are accepted year-round. See the AAT Service Observing page for more details. Acknowledgements The AAO requests all publications based upon data allocated through the AAO include the following acknowledgement: Based [in part] on data acquired through the Australian Astronomical Observatory, [via program XXX]. How to Apply for AAT Time - the Basic Steps Instrument status and policies All ATAC applicants should check the latest Instrument Availability and recent Policy Announcements . If you require further clarification on any issue, then please contact the AAT Technical Secretary Lee Spitler ( aatts at aao.gov.au ). See Special Override Rules for proposals seeking time as an override on another program's time and the Long Term Program page for those seeking long term status. Proposals requiring at most 6 hours of observing time should be submitted to the AAO's Service Observing program . If the PI and at least half the observing team are from European countries, they may apply for AAT time through the OPTICON program . Proposal content Full Technical Details, outlining how you derived your time estimates, observing constraints, and any special requests should be included in the scientific case (preferably under a separate section heading). Proposals should be written such that the content and significance is understandable by a wide range of astronomers. If your proposal seeks time on two instruments, outline carefully the relative requirements of the different instrument set-ups, including the split in observing time between the instruments. If the observations are essential to the completion of a student's PhD thesis, then a full explanation must be given in the science case. No special consideration is given to proposals involving PhD students, except when attempting to schedule proposals near the cut-off, when some priority may be given. After accounting for overheads (detector readout, calibrations and telescope slewing), observers are required to multiply their time request by 1.5 to account for bad weather. All applicants should be aware that it is the policy of the AAO that any backup project must use the same instrument as the main project. A list of the principal targets (field centres for AAOmega+2dF programs) should be prepared as a separate PDF document. The target list should contain target name, RA (h m s), Dec (d m s), target brightness, and priority. There is a 2-page limit for this target list PDF file. Other document formats will not be accepted. Proposal submission details Prepare your main proposal offline, including an abstract, target list, science case, and technical justification. The science case and technical justification together should be, in PDF format, no more than three pages total, with two pages for the science case and one page for technical justification. Those three pages should include all references and figures, use 11pt font (or larger), and have at least 10mm margins. Colour figures are accepted. Other document formats will not be accepted. Applicants seeking Long Term status may be allowed to submit up to five pages, provided prior permission is obtained well in advance from the ATAC Secretary, Helen Woods (helen.woods at aao.gov.au). Submitting your proposal When your proposal details are ready, submit your application to ATAC through Lens, the AAT's online proposal submission system. As noted above, this is a user-account-based system and all investigators on a proposal must be registered. Contacting the ATAC Secretariat The Secretary, ATAC Australian Astronomical Observatory PO Box 915 North Ryde NSW 1670 Australia Phone: +61 (0)2 9372 4800 Fax: +61 (0)2 9372 4880 Email enquiries: Helen Woods (helen.woods [@] aao.gov.au) --- Lee Spitler AAT Technical Secretary Senior Lecturer Australian Astronomical Observatory & Macquarie University Sydney, Australia P: +61 (2) 9372 4895 (AAO) P: +61 (2) 9850 4161 (Macquarie) www.physics.mq.edu.au www.aao.gov.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au Tue Aug 15 16:58:28 2017 From: john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au (John O'Byrne) Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 06:58:28 +0000 Subject: [ASA] IT Position Vacant at Mt Stromlo Message-ID: <26F98377-2C91-415F-BED0-D3258E1783C7@sydney.edu.au> The Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at ANU currently has an advertisement for an IT Systems Administrator: http://jobs.anu.edu.au/cw/en/job/516940/systems-administrator The position is based at Mt Stromlo Observatory in Canberra. We're looking for a Linux/Mac/Windows expert to provide high quality scientific-based client support. Please pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested in the job. For all enquiries please contact Mr Bill Roberts via email: bill.roberts at anu.edu.au or telephone: 02 6125 0200. ======================================================================= Regards, Bill Roberts -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bill Roberts IT Manager/Software Engineer Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics The Australian National University Canberra, Australia P: +61 2 6125 0200 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From joanne.dawson at mq.edu.au Wed Aug 16 08:42:29 2017 From: joanne.dawson at mq.edu.au (Joanne Dawson) Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:42:29 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Second announcement: 2017 ASA Diversity in Astronomy Workshop, 28-29 September, Macquarie University Message-ID: <812E637B-B346-4874-AAF3-E13E25920DFE@mq.edu.au> Dear Colleagues, Registration is now open for the next the next ASA Diversity in Astronomy Workshop, to be held September 28-29 on the campus of Macquarie University in Sydney. https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/e4MrBZUEN4OTJ?domain=tinyurl.com As always, registration for this event is free. Some student travel support is also available, so please do encourage students to attend! Programme highlights: - Veterans of the UK's flagship Athena SWAN Project will present practical and evidence-based lessons on what has worked (and what has not) in inspiring change in institutes and individuals. - Panel discussion on how we can reduce harassment in our workplaces, featuring experienced panellists who will share their learned techniques for managing bullying and harassment. - Cultural awareness training The LOC can be reached at astrodiversity2017 at gmail.com We look forward to welcoming you to Macquarie! Jo Dawson and Daniel Zucker, On behalf of the Organising Committee. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Joanne Dawson DECRA Fellow / Lecturer in Astronomy & Astrophysics MRes Advisor for Physics and Astronomy Macquarie University Dept of Physics & Astronomy, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 Phone: +61 2 9850 8901 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From celine.dorgeville at anu.edu.au Wed Aug 16 15:09:57 2017 From: celine.dorgeville at anu.edu.au (=?utf-8?Q?C=C3=A9line_d=27Orgeville?=) Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2017 15:09:57 +1000 Subject: [ASA] 2017/18 ANU AITC summer internship - applications open Message-ID: <19A842EF-E597-43F3-AD08-08CA1019DE04@anu.edu.au> The ANU Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC) located at Mount Stromlo Observatory near Canberra is offering a unique and exciting opportunity for undergraduate students in science, engineering, computer science, or mathematics to participate in challenging instrumentation research projects over the summer break. *** ANU ? AITC Internship/Northrop Grumman Externship Program *** *** Mt Stromlo Observatory - 2017/18 *** Applications are now open for the 2017/18 ANU AITC Internship/Northrop Grumman Externship program. This year, the program will be run as part of the ANU Summer Research Scholarships at the Australian National University's Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics (RSAA). There are up to five places available for undergraduate students studying science, engineering, computer science or mathematics. The closing date for applications is 31st August 2017. The ANU AITC Internship/Northrop Grumman Externship program provides an exceptional opportunity for students looking to work on instrumentation projects for astronomy and space. Interns will be supervised and mentored by AITC scientists and engineers to complete a defined research project and participate in activities that develop technical skills and help prepare them for professional employment. The program will last for approximately eight weeks from: Monday 20 November 2017 through to Friday 19 January 2018. As the Internship is now part of the ANU Summer Research Scholarship at RSAA, the internship includes full accommodation and board on the ANU campus, a weekly allowance, and return travel to Canberra. There will be a lecture series on contemporary topics in astrophysics and instrumentation, and scholars will also also be given the opportunity to visit the telescopes and facilities at Siding Spring Observatory, Parkes, Narrabri and Tidbinbilla. The program is open to suitably qualified undergraduate students in the third or final year of their degrees who are currently enrolled at an Australian or New Zealand university. Outstanding second-year students and postgraduate students considering future enrolment in a PhD program at the ANU RSAA Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC) may also be considered. For more details, including a list of available research projects, please visit: http://rsaa.anu.edu.au/study/undergraduate-research#tabs-0-middle-2 To apply, follow the instructions at: http://www.anu.edu.au/study/apply/summer-research-program-applications Enquiries are welcome and may be directed to: * Associate Professor Celine D?Orgeville (celine.dorgeville at anu.edu.au) ? AITC Student convenor * Dr Brent Groves (brent.groves at anu.edu.au ) - RSAA summer scholar coordinator * Ms Astrid Bardelang (rsaa.sa at anu.edu.au ) - RSAA student administration officer ******************************* Associate Prof. C?line d'Orgeville Adaptive Optics Group Manager & Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre Student Convenor Phone: +61 2 6125 6374 E-mail: celine.dorgeville at anu.edu.au https://researchers.anu.edu.au/researchers/d-orgeville-c Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, ACT 2611, Australia http://www.rsaa.anu.edu.au https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources/respect-inclusion/anu-ally-network-and-lgbtiq-inclusion https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/EM1LB5UrNqJTR?domain=facebook.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 5854 bytes Desc: not available URL: From lister.staveley-smith at uwa.edu.au Thu Aug 17 11:24:04 2017 From: lister.staveley-smith at uwa.edu.au (Lister Staveley-Smith) Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2017 01:24:04 +0000 Subject: [ASA] New Academic positions at UWA Message-ID: <6928E529-FBB8-46F9-8D17-5B5184E555B5@uwa.edu.au> Dear ASA members, The University of Western Australia (UWA) is seeking to hire 50 new academics as part of its Renewal process. Priority fields include Astronomy, Data Mining and Machine Learning, and Data Science and Statistics. The School of Physics and Astrophysics hosts the UWA node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, a Joint Venture with Curtin University, employing over 90 academics, postdocs and HDR students, and also hosts UWA nodes for the ASTRO 3D, CAASTRO, OzGrav and EQUS ARC Centres of Excellence. UWA is a member of the prestigious Group of Eight research-intensive universities, is ranked amongst the top Australian universities and is consistently amongst the top 100 universities in the world. The UWA campus is renowned for its location alongside the Swan river, its heritage, and its beautiful grounds. As well as access to top international and national radio and optical facilities, UWA runs several research and teaching telescopes and, through ICRAR, is closely connected with the SKA project. UWA researchers are well connected with other national and international research groups. Expressions of interest can be registered at www.web.uwa.edu.au/beinspired but it is preferred if potential applicants in fields related to radio astronomy and astrophysics could contact me or other members of UWA academic staff in the first instance. Regards, Lister -- Professor Lister Staveley-Smith Science Director (ICRAR/UWA) Ph: +61 8 6488 4550 Mobile: +61 425 212 592 ICRAR: Discovering the hidden Universe through radio astronomy [https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/44GqB7U2dVZig?domain=icrar.org] www.icrar.org | Subscribe to ICRAR's eNewsletter | ICRAR on Twitter | ICRAR on Facebook -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From swyithe at unimelb.edu.au Thu Aug 17 16:05:27 2017 From: swyithe at unimelb.edu.au (Stuart Wyithe) Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2017 06:05:27 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Optical Astronomy in Australia - Communication #4 In-Reply-To: <8ed6f6a545e71ff832ce3e1af.75415243a7.20170817050448.30ce896f06.4acf3597@mail90.atl51.rsgsv.net> References: <8ed6f6a545e71ff832ce3e1af.75415243a7.20170817050448.30ce896f06.4acf3597@mail90.atl51.rsgsv.net> Message-ID: <29AEA308-9D9B-4CC9-A2C1-F3631C9F2B2B@unimelb.edu.au> Optical Astronomy in Australia - Communication #4 View this email in your browser [https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/M41aBLUDRn2Ur?domain=gallery.mailchimp.com] Optical Astronomy in Australia - Communication #4 Welcome to the latest regular update on the implementation of the 2017-18 Budget measure on optical astronomy. In this update, there is information on the processes for participation in European Southern Observatory (ESO) observing times, the nomination of Australian representatives in ESO governance bodies, and progress on the domestic arrangements in optical astronomy. The Australia-ESO Strategic Partnership ESO Community Days Under the strategic partnership with ESO, Australian-based astronomers will be eligible to apply for observing time on the facilities of the La Silla and Paranal Observatories in Chile commencing with Period 101 (1 April - 30 September 2018). ESO will issue a Call for Proposals at the end of August and the proposal deadline will be Thursday 28 September 2017. In the lead up to this proposal round, the International Telescopes Support Office (ITSO) at the Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) is coordinating a series of "ESO Community Days" around Australia, on behalf of ESO, the department, and Astronomy Australia Limited (AAL). The ESO Director for Science, Dr Rob Ivison, and the Head of the Observing Programs Office at ESO, Dr Ferdinando Patat, will provide a comprehensive overview of the current and future observing facilities available, and outline the process for preparation, submission, and assessment of proposals. The sessions will run from 10.00 am until lunchtime as follows: * Monday 18 Sep 2017: AAO, Sydney * Tuesday 19 Sep 2017: RSAA Mt Stromlo, Canberra * Wednesday 20 Sep 2017: Swinburne University, Melbourne * Thursday 21 Sep 2017: University of Western Australia, Perth * Friday 22 Sep 2017: University of Queensland, Brisbane Further details on venues will be provided closer to the date. Attendance is free and pre-registration will not be required. For those unable to attend any of these events in person, the AAO-based session will include an option for video-conference participation, and a recording will be made available. The ITSO has updated its website with information about applying for time with ESO. For further information about the ESO Community Days please contact the ITSO. Don?t forget that Australians are now eligible to apply for ESO jobs (provided, of course, you meet all the other criteria!) Domestic arrangements In the last newsletter I neglected to attach the slides from my presentation on the first day of the ASA annual meeting on 10 July 2017. So here they are! My presentation was part of a larger panel discussion on the future of our domestic optical astronomy capability, convened by Professor Rachel Webster, Chair of AAL. The panel members were Professor Lisa Kewley (ANU / NCA), Professor Matthew Colless (ANU), Professor Warrick Couch (AAO), and Mark McAuley (AAL). Click here to view a copy of the ASA slides AAO staff consultation Last Thursday 10 August 2017, AAO General Manager Neville Legg and I provided a briefing to the CSIRO Staff Association, which represents AAO staff, on the progress of the optical astronomy measure, and invited the association?s questions and views. Deputy Secretary Sue Weston and Head of the Science and Commercialisation Policy Division Jane Urquhart will meet with AAO staff at Siding Spring Observatory via videoconference on Friday 18 August 2017. Sue and Jane will also visit AAO staff at North Ryde on Friday 25 August 2017. There will be an opportunity at both events for staff to ask questions. AAT consortium led by the Australian National University Following a good deal of discussion and organisation between the ANU, AAO, AAL, and the department, the outgoing Director of Gemini, Dr Markus Kissler-Patig, will provide the ANU and its consortium partners with advice about effective operating models to consider for the AAT under its new operational management. Dr Kissler-Patig will visit Australia for a two-week consultancy commencing on 25 September 2017. His report is expected by the end of October. National optical instrumentation capability The department has been working with the newly formed Reference Group for Optical Astronomy (below) on an expression of interest (EOI) process which will provide a framework within which interested parties can formally register their interest in building a new national, industry focused capability in optical astronomy instrumentation. The EOI will take place over coming months with a view to agreeing new arrangements by the end of December 2017. Reference Group for Optical Astronomy My last update mentioned our plans for a Reference Group for Optical Astronomy. The group met for the first time last Thursday 10 August in Canberra and via teleconference. The purpose of the group is to provide advice to the department on the establishment of the optical instrumentation capability specifically, and the implementation of the optical astronomy measure more broadly. Chaired by Prof. Peter Quinn, who is also the chair of the AAO Advisory Committee, the group comprises key astronomy stakeholders from universities, government, and the research sector. The inaugural meeting was productive and collegiate, and consensus was achieved on the principles and frameworks for the establishment of the optical instrumentation capability, a key element of the EOI process. The group is expected to meet again in the first weeks of September to discuss the EOI. I will continue to provide you with regular updates over the coming months. Make sure you sign up at the link below to get on our mailing list. And remember, if you have specific questions, you can email us directly ? details below. Clare McLaughlin General Manager Science Agencies Governance Branch Science and Commercialisation Policy Division Department of Industry, Innovation and Science www.industry.gov.au | www.science.gov.au [https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/m4kKB9U6xLmSb?domain=cdn-images.mailchimp.com] [https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/pLG0B1fM9WxFD?domain=cdn-images.mailchimp.com] [https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/GN1YBofXN3rhd?domain=cdn-images.mailchimp.com] Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: