From john.lattanzio at monash.edu Mon Aug 30 13:44:49 2021 From: john.lattanzio at monash.edu (John Lattanzio) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:44:49 +1000 Subject: [ASA] Fwd: Nominations open for STA Board positions In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear colleagues STA are seeking nominations for positions on their Board. Two of the positions are for specific disciplines (not including astronomy) but there is one general Board member vacancy. ASA Members are eligible to nominate and you may want to consider doing so. Best wishes - and stay safe John L ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Misha Schubert Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 at 09:03 Subject: Nominations open for STA Board positions To: john.lattanzio at monash.edu Dear STA Member, Science & Technology Australia invites candidates for several positions on our Board. To nominate, the nominee must be a member of an STA ordinary member (non-affiliate). You can find the full list of eligible organisations here . We seek outstanding candidates to make an active, thoughtful, skilled and principled contribution to STA. In line with our Reconciliation Action Plan commitments, we particularly welcome nominations from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We also seek nominations from candidates with experience or qualifications in law/governance, financial management, or HR. We encourage candidates from other traditionally under-represented groups including people with disability, members of the LGBTIQ+ community, and strong cultural diversity. Candidates from the historically under-represented States/Territories ? especially Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia ? are also encouraged to nominate. *Positions currently vacant * We are currently accepting nominations for the following Cluster Group representatives (you will find a position description for the roles here ) for two-year appointments to the STA Board: - Aquatic Sciences* - Medical and Cognitive Sciences* - General member representative (Non-disciplinary based. Must be a member of an ordinary member in any cluster and a member of or employed by a member in the General Cluster) **Must be a member of an ordinary member in the cluster for which you nominate.* Before nominating, please read the position description for STA Board Members. It outlines responsibilities and time commitments. Please also note that *nominees must sign a declaration that their cluster-aligned membership organisation is aware of their nomination*. Nominations can be made online here . *KEY DATES* - 30 August 2021 ? Applications open - 1 October 2021 ? Applications close - 4-15 October 2020 ? Cluster Elections - 28 October 2020 ? Announcement of new Cluster Representatives Any questions please contact the STA staff at info at sta.org.au. All the best, Misha -- *I am an LGBTIQ Ally** - Find out more at https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/g2VTCGv0oyC1mzjjyfQYGFG?domain=monash.edu * Professor John Lattanzio President, Astronomical Society of Australia School of Physics and Astronomy Monash University Victoria 3800 AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 (0)3 9905-4428 WWW: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/3JrGCK1DvKT2lR33AfGLIT3?domain=users.monash.edu.au https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/jO2VCMwGxOtqgnEEoHPtat0?domain=orcid.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...it?s a human story that builds to a climax and it?s personal from end to end. You start out wondering why you bought those blue pajamas and later you?re wondering why you were born. You go from the foolishly absurd to the deadly serious and you?ve passed through the gaudy and the nasty along the way. You get to the edge and you?re played out and you wonder where?s the good news? Isn?t there supposed to be good news?" - Bob Dylan ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stuart.ryder at astronomyaustralia.org.au Mon Aug 30 15:38:26 2021 From: stuart.ryder at astronomyaustralia.org.au (stuart.ryder at astronomyaustralia.org.au) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:38:26 +1000 Subject: [ASA] ESO Period 109 Call for Proposals & Data Privacy Notice Message-ID: <005601d79d61$4221aa10$c664fe30$@astronomyaustralia.org.au> ESO Period 109 Call for Proposals The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has released the Call for Proposals for Period 109 (for observations between 1 April 2022 - 30 September 2022). Under the terms of the Strategic Partnership between ESO and Australia, Australian-based astronomers have access to the facilities of the La Silla and Paranal Observatories, specifically the: * 3.6-m telescope ( 3.6); * New Technology Telescope ( NTT); * Very Large Telescope ( VLT); * Very Large Telescope Interferometer ( VLTI); and * Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy ( VISTA). Proposals for ESO time to use the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment ( APEX) antenna on Chajnantor will also be considered on the same basis as those from any ESO member state. The proposal deadline is Thursday 23 September 2021 at noon Central European Summer Time (8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time, 6pm Australian Western Standard Time). Complete details on how to apply can be found at the P109 Call for Proposals web page. All applicants should consult the Call for Proposals document for Period 109 , and are required to update their ESO User Portal accounts to submit or be on proposals. A wealth of information for Australian applicants can be found on AAL's Australian ESO Forum. Any questions about policies or the practical aspects of proposal preparation should be addressed to the ESO Observing Programmes Office, opo at eso.org. Applicants who may wish to seek advice on proposal or observing strategies, optimal choice of instrument, etc. are invited to contact AAL's ESO Program Manager at Stuart.Ryder at astronomyaustralia.org.au. Important Data Privacy Notice for all recent and intending Australian ESO applicants ESO supplies AAL with telescope/instrument demand and time allocation data relating to Australian astronomers only. Australian ESO applicant data is used only for statistical purposes, and will only be published or made available to other third parties such as AAL member institutions, in aggregated and anonymised form. ESO's data collection/use provisions are available on the AAL ESO Forum for reference. It may be necessary to use automated data matching from data provided to the Data Central Lens proposal database to confirm the identity of ESO applicants. Applicants may opt out of providing data for Australian statistical purposes (including those from P101-P108 inclusive) by contacting Stuart.Ryder at astronomyaustralia.org.au . What's new in Period 109? Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the expected changes in instrumentation offered and procedures for Period 109 given in Sec. 1.1 of the Call for Proposals. Among the items likely to be of most interest to the Australian community are: * Proposal anonymisation: The Dual-Anonymous Peer Review (DAPR) is now fully deployed, after being introduced successfully in Period 108. Applicants must formulate the scientific rationales of their proposals following these anonymisation rules and examples, which includes a detailed description of the DAPR paradigm. Failure to abide by the DAPR rules may lead to the disqualification of the proposal. * No Large Programme proposals accepted in P109: As a reminder, Large Programme proposals are only being accepted once per year during the Call for even-numbered Periods. * CRIRES availability: The upgraded CRIRES instrument has been successfully commissioned and is offered to the community with the spectroscopy mode covering the wavelength range 0.95-5.3 microns, with spectral resolving powers of 50,000 and 100,000, and in noAO and NGS modes. A set of two gas cells allows high-precision radial velocity measurements. Starting in P109, the following modes are available: classical spectroscopy, spectro-polarimetry, spectro-astrometry, differential tracking, and generic offsets. * MUSE + GALACSI guide stars: The extension of the limiting J-band magnitude for the GALACSI NFM Low Order Infrared Sensor reference star (tip-tilt star) to 18.5 mag was commissioned and is fully available . For a turbulence category of 10% and airmass less than 1.2 the limiting J-band magnitude is 19.0. * GRAVITY (astrometric measurements): ESO invites proposals with the goal of performing astrometric measurements, a capability which is still under development (see, e.g., 2017, A &A 602, A94 and The Messenger 170, 10 ). Proposers who wish to use the astrometric capability and contribute to its development are invited to consult the GRAVITY webpage and contact the astrometric team at least two weeks before the proposal submission deadline. * Survey Telescopes availability: Due to delays in the delivery of 4MOST, the end of VIRCAM operations has been further postponed, and VIRCAM is now offered for Period 109. A large fraction of VIRCAM time in P109 is devoted to allow the completion of the remaining ongoing ESO Public Surveys, as well as Large Programmes. However, a significant amount of VIRCAM observing time is available for normal programmes within the full range of atmospheric conditions. Particularly encouraged are open time proposals requesting any weather conditions (THIN and turbulence category 85% or 100%), and avoiding RA ranges RA=0-2h, 4h, 7h-10h, as those are allocated with remaining public survey and large programme OBs. ESO observing time on the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) with OmegaCAM is no longer offered. * Visitor Mode: Although requests for Visitor Mode may be submitted for P109, any scheduled runs may need to be executed in Designated Visitor Mode instead if travel restrictions are still in place. * APEX: The ARTEMIS (350 ?m and 450 ?m), CONCERTO (130-310 GHz R=1-300 spectrometer), LAsMA (345 GHz 7-pixel array), nFLASH (200-270 GHz and 385-500 GHz), and SEPIA (159-211 GHz, 272-376 GHz, and 578-738 GHz) instruments are all offered in P109. Note that ESO does not plan to offer APEX time after Dec. 31, 2022, corresponding to the end of the current APEX agreement. * SOFI: SOFI is expected to be decommissioned in Period 110 for the installation and commissioning of SoXS, while EFOSC2 will be decommissioned once SoXS enters regular operations on the NTT, which is expected for Period 111. * Visitor Instruments: In P109, visitor instruments can be mounted at the VLT, NTT, and APEX telescopes, in order to permit innovative observations by teams with their stand-alone instruments, or to test new instrumental concepts for the development of new facility instruments. ESO also offers two foci in the VLTI laboratory to house interferometric instruments. At the VLT, the Nasmyth A focus of UT1 is available during Period 109. Proposers should keep in mind that the start of preparatory work for the arrival of MOONS limits the availability of the visitor focus during Period 110 and beyond. Interested users should contact paranal at eso.org . ______________________________ Dr. Stuart Ryder Program Manager (Mon, Wed, Fri) Astronomy Australia Ltd. T: +61 (02) 9372 4843 M: +61 (0419) 970834 E: stuart.ryder at astronomyaustralia.org.au W: www.astronomyaustralia.org.au O: c/o AAO, 105 Delhi Rd, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia AAL endeavours to be an environmentally sustainable organisation built upon equity, diversity and mutual respect for its staff and stakeholders. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1036 bytes Desc: not available URL: From andrew.hopkins at mq.edu.au Mon Aug 30 16:39:28 2021 From: andrew.hopkins at mq.edu.au (Andrew Hopkins) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 06:39:28 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Macquarie AAO and MQAAAstro Vacation Scholarship Program In-Reply-To: <1B3824E5-1EB3-4F9A-9C36-EFFB0B965D99@mq.edu.au> References: <1B3824E5-1EB3-4F9A-9C36-EFFB0B965D99@mq.edu.au> Message-ID: <0F9161B5-8E10-4291-B237-C175E4FFC72A@mq.edu.au> Dear Colleagues, We would like to notify you of the extension of the due date for the AAO-MQ and MQAAAstro Research Centre Student Fellowships. The updated due date for applications is *** 7 September 2021 *** Please encourage your students to apply. See full details in original announcement below. Andrew Hopkins ? Prof. Andrew Hopkins, Professor of Astronomy Australian Astronomical Optics, Macquarie University 105 Delhi Rd, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia +61 2 9372 4849 On 9 Aug 2021, at 9:38 am, Andrew Hopkins > wrote: Dear Colleagues, Macquarie University through AAO-MQ and the MQAAAstro Research Centre provides opportunities for undergraduate students completing their 2nd or 3rd year in 2021 to participate in research projects in the areas of: - Astronomy research both in theory and observations - Technology research - Instrumentation control software - Data processing and analysis software and algorithms - Instrumentation simulations and computing - Data services development Students will spend 8-12 weeks (flexibly agreed between supervisor and student) in the period Dec 2021 - Feb 2022 working at Macquarie University in Sydney on research projects under the supervision of AAO-MQ and MQAAAstro staff astronomers, data and software scientists, and engineers. In the event that NSW Health restrictions limit in-person interaction, arrangements may be made for projects to be conducted remotely. Please encourage your undergraduate students to apply. The deadline for applications is: *** 31 August 2021 *** The scholarship is A$700 per week. How to Apply Applications are to be sent by e-mail to the Vacation Scholarship coordinator Prof. Andrew Hopkins at andrew.hopkins at mq.edu.au. Please send your application as a single Word or PDF document. The application should include the following: - Full name and contact address (it is essential to include an e-mail address). - Full details of university studies, including a transcript of academic record. - Names and e-mail addresses of TWO academic referees who have been asked to e-mail letters to Prof. Hopkins by the application deadline, outlining the applicant's suitability for this scholarship program. We do not chase up late referees, and missing references can hinder your chances of selection. - A one page statement giving the applicant's reasons for applying and their interests in Astronomy/Data Science/Instrumentation. If you have prior research experience, computing skills, or other skills associated with astronomy or research, please emphasise these. - A short resume (2-3 pages). The above details are also available here: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/v6hVCJyBrGfq7m9kpuVdcKZ?domain=goto.mq.edu.au Please contact Andrew Hopkins with any queries about the program or the application process. Andrew Hopkins ? Prof. Andrew Hopkins, Professor of Astronomy Australian Astronomical Optics, Macquarie University 105 Delhi Rd, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia +61 2 9372 4849 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ska at industry.gov.au Mon Aug 30 23:03:51 2021 From: ska at industry.gov.au (Australian SKA Office) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:03:51 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Project: Job vacancies at CSIRO [SEC=OFFICIAL] Message-ID: <176aee564e8d4b3a8240a187a6bc156d@PPAC01EXC027.PROD.PROTECTED.IND> Dear Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project stakeholders, We would like to draw your attention to the following vacancies at the CSIRO: Position: Station Manager/Landcare Facilitator - Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) Description: * First contact for land maintenance-related matters * Represent CSIRO at stakeholder meetings * Facilitate and support long-term land rehabilitation strategy and site remediation * Implement land management plan for Boolardy Station * Oversee land management activities by service providers * Facilitate mustering activities and maintenance of pastoral infrastructure * Manage onsite contractors and assist MRO Site Entity leader in coordinating Boolardy and MRO users * Determine priorities between maintenance activities and budget allocation * Assist with implementation of Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA). Location: Boolardy Station, Murchison Region, or Geraldton, WA (with regular travel to Boolardy) Closing date: Monday 6 September, 2021 Full details: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/Oh0QCgZ0N1iALlm5zfN2z3K?domain=jobs.csiro.au Position: SKA-Low Deputy Telescope Director Description: * Manage operations & construction support team, including recruitment. * Work alongside the SKA-Low Telescope Director & the SKA-Low management team. * Work closely with the SKA-Low Site Construction Director during the SKA Construction Phase. * Support the SKA-Low Telescope Director & the Site Construction Director. * Be the key conduit between CSIRO and SKAO. * Foster a collaborative relationship between local staff & relevant function leads at SKAO HQ. * Work alongside the SKA-Low Telescope Director to carry out budget &financial reporting. Location: Perth or Geraldton, WA Closing date: Wednesday 8 September, 2021 Full details: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/Aa2gCjZ1N7in7j31xuRIut_?domain=jobs.csiro.au Position: SKA-Low Communications and Engagement Manager Description: * Develop and execute a communications and stakeholder engagement strategy * Build relationships with stakeholders and media * Oversee SKAO media activities in Australia * Develop an outreach and education strategy * Develop an approach towards local heritage preservation * Ensure SKAO's presence in policy, science, engineering and communication activities * Seek funding and partnership opportunities for the SKAO visitor program * Monitor reporting and budgeting of communication activities * Maintain communication with SKAO headquarters * Support the Telescope Director as required Location: Perth, WA Closing date: Sunday 12 September, 2021 Full details: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/8QK2Ck81N9tOMnr3JCQaq7W?domain=jobs.csiro.au Regards, Australian SKA Office International and Astronomy Branch ska at industry.gov.au [cid:image012.png at 01D67B94.6F9D3BC0] [cid:image003.png at 01D67AE6.46207F90] [cid:image016.png at 01D67D34.60F504D0] _____________________________________________________________________ Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources | www.industry.gov.au [cid:image001.png at 01D36398.6668F650]The department acknowledges the traditional owners of the country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to them and their cultures and to the elders past and present. OFFICIAL -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 2130 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 1828 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 2509 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.png Type: image/png Size: 1284 bytes Desc: image004.png URL: From caroline.foster at astralis.org.au Tue Aug 31 09:23:49 2021 From: caroline.foster at astralis.org.au (Caroline Foster) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 19:23:49 -0400 Subject: [ASA] Introducing the Astralis Instrumentation Consortium Message-ID: <1630365728361.89116629-082d-44b6-8486-0296397919cf@bf02.hubspotfree.net> We are delighted to introduce the Astralis Instrumentation consortium: Australia's Instrument Capability for Optical Astronomy. Dear ASA colleagues, We are delighted to introduce the Astralis Instrumentation Consortium: Australia's Instrumentation Capability for Optical Astronomy Astralis (https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/vH4TC0YKPviGRkLyJcwd2Gn?domain=d2phrf04.na1.hubspotlinksfree.com ) * provides end-to-end instrumentation solutions for optical astronomy and associated applications, seamlessly coordinated across its 3 technical nodes: The Australian National University (ANU), through the Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre (AITC) within the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Macquarie University, through the Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) group within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The University of Sydney (USyd), through elements of the Sydney Astrophotonic Instrumentation Laboratory (SAIL) within the School of Physics. 48640277182_98dedb60b6_k_cropped (https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/JtpOCgZ0N1iALq7BPuob4s8?domain=d2phrf04.na1.hubspotlinksfree.com ) Our Staff We have over 100 instrument scientists and skilled engineers across our nodes. Many in our workforce boast decades of experience in effectively delivering cutting-edge astronomical technologies worldwide. Our team of experts have access to advanced laboratories, testing and engineering facilities to develop, build and test state-of-the-art bespoke solutions that are ?fit for purpose? and ?right first time?. Our capabilities Spectrographs and imagers We have deep experience in design and construction of complex spectrographs and imagers for both Australian domestic and international telescopes. Optical Fibres and Photonics Technologies We are world-leaders in designing innovative optical fibre and photonics technology solutions. Adaptive Optics We design and build adaptive optics systems for instruments on the world's largest telescopes. Astronomy Software We are experts in developing and designing bespoke software solutions for astronomy and research teams. Technical Systems Management Our staff include expert instrument scientists, systems engineers and project managers who oversee our outstanding end-to-end services. Our Vision & Values Our Vision is to be a leading international astronomical instrument designer and builder, serving Australian astronomy by proposing and delivering innovative and effective solutions to the most significant observational challenges in optical and near infrared astronomy. We are guided by our Core Values of collaboration, trust, mentorship, innovation, integrity and equity. Find out more: astralis.org.au (https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/cE0ECjZ1N7in7YvOlC5yo2N?domain=d2phrf04.na1.hubspotlinksfree.com ) info at astralis.org.au (mailto:info at astralis.org.au) Astronomy Australia Limited (AAL) is the fourth partner within the Astralis Instrumentation Consortium. Astralis is supported by AAL through the Australian Government National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). * Formerly Australian Astronomical Optics Consortium With best regards, Dr Caroline Foster (on behalf of the Astralis Management Committee) ? Astralis Deputy Chief Operating Officer Australian Astronomical Optics | Faculty of Science and Engineering Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia E: caroline.foster at astralis.org.au (mailto:caroline.foster at astralis.org.au) Astralis Instrumentation Consortium, 105 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia Manage preferences (https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/_PwzCk81N9tOMkpwYc973so?domain=hs-20420242.s.hubspotfree.net ) Send free email today (https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/iEGtClx1Nji2B1vMOs1X7hK?domain=d2phrf04.na1.hubspotlinksfree.com ) HubSpot (https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/rwXPCmO5glujmprM1cDJky9?domain=d2phrf04.na1.hubspotlinksfree.com ) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nikolenielsen at swin.edu.au Tue Aug 31 18:12:30 2021 From: nikolenielsen at swin.edu.au (Nikole Nielsen) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 08:12:30 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Swinburne Vacation Studentship Program 2021 Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, Please circulate to potentially interested students: The Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing (CAS) is currently accepting applications for Vacation Studentships from enthusiastic university students with excellent scholastic records who are in the last, or second last, year of their undergraduate or Honours/Masters degree. With 23 research faculty and more than 40 postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, CAS is a vibrant, friendly environment for studying most fields of astronomy. Swinburne astronomers have guaranteed access to the twin Keck 10-m Telescopes in Hawaii - the world's premier optical observatory - and CAS owns and operates one of Australia's most powerful supercomputers - Ozstar. We also develop advanced, immersive 3D data visualization facilities and create 3-D animations and movies promoting and explaining astronomy to the broader community. In 2021 this programme will run remotely (unless on-campus activities are permitted in line with government directives) and will be available to students currently enrolled at Australian universities. Students from Victorian Universities are particularly encouraged to apply. Projects are expected to run over 8 weeks, between November and February, with the timing to be negotiated between the student and their nominated supervisor. Vacation students are paid a tax-free stipend of $500 per week. Further information and a list of projects on offer can be found at: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/rso1CyojxQTrl2DmlSZa5AK?domain=astronomy.swin.edu.au Applications should include the following: - A cover letter (indicating at least two projects of interest from the list); - A copy of your official academic record, including an explanation of the grading system used; - Your Curriculum Vitae; - Proof of enrolment at an Australian University; - Any supporting documentation of previous research. - Applicants should also ask a lecturer or supervisor at their current university to send a letter of recommendation by the due date. This should be sent by the lecturer/supervisor directly; applicants should not include reference letters in their own application. Applications are now being accepted and should be received before September 17. Applications and reference letters should be emailed to Dr Nikki Nielsen (nikolenielsen at swin.edu.au) with the above information attached (preferably as PDF documents). Best regards, Nikki ------- Dr. Nikole M. Nielsen ASTRO 3D Postdoctoral Research Fellow Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing Swinburne University of Technology https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/IjOPCzvkyVCM0wDN0iXkErq?domain=astronomy.swin.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From christia at ipac.caltech.edu Wed Sep 1 05:44:44 2021 From: christia at ipac.caltech.edu (Christiansen, Jessie L.) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 19:44:44 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Call for ExoExplorers and ExoGuides - Australians welcome Message-ID: <0AACEC78-0DF2-4D00-8EE0-AA260BBCFC88@ipac.caltech.edu> Hi everyone NASA?s Exoplanet Exploration Program Office and the ExoPAG Executive Committee are soliciting applications for the second cohort of ExoExplorers and ExoGuides. This coming round is open to Australians (and other international applicants), so I am forwarding on the announcement in the hopes that some of you will apply! Please let me know if you have any questions. Cheers, Jessie -------- The ExoExplorers program, sponsored by NASA?s Exoplanet Exploration Program Office and the ExoPAG Executive Committee, will focus on the professional development of ~12 graduate student and/or postdoc researchers (?ExoExplorers?) by raising their visibility in the exoplanet community via a series of open webinars, helping them build internal and external research networks, and providing them with an opportunity to learn from the experiences of senior exoplanet astronomers, or ?ExoGuides.? For more details on the program, see: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/8Gz9CL7EwMfRJX3NAtBICLS?domain=exoplanets.nasa.gov Questions on either call? Please see our FAQ page: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/E4FGCMwGxOtqQ9Jxgsk0vBU?domain=exoplanets.nasa.gov (1) Call for ExoGuide nominations Additional details for the ExoGuides call can be found at:https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/fEeLCNLJyQU0296VAcjqHsj?domain=exoplanets.nasa.gov As an ExoGuide, we ask that you present one hour-long seminar directly to the cohort that speaks to your experiences as a scientist, and that you participate in one hour-long informal discussion with the cohort. The ExoExplorer organizers are eager to showcase broad, diverse perspectives and therefore encourage you to suggest any topic you might find engaging to the exoplanet community. ExoGuides should be faculty, staff, or equivalent career stage. We welcome both exoplanet and exoplanet-adjacent scientists (e.g., disks, stars) from any institution (US and international). Nominations should be submitted via this form by September 10, 2021: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/i-u6COMKzVTp6wO5Jsr0H7H?domain=forms.gle. Self-nominations are welcome. The organizers will review nominations and reach out to potential ExoGuides in October and November. (2) Call for ExoExplorer applications Additional details for the ExoExplorers call can be found at:https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/gqM0CP7LAXfK7Z6vOF6DMLY?domain=exoplanets.nasa.gov Postdocs and graduate students at US and international1 institutions are invited to participate in the second Exoplanet Explorers (ExoExplorers) Science Series. Members of this cohort, which will run from January 2022 to June 2022, will each present a seminar on their research to the larger exoplanet community. Each of the ExoExplorers will receive $1,000 for the purchase of one presentation of their research results, presented as a part of the Science Series2. In addition, the ExoExplorers will be invited to participate in: 1. Weekly interactions between members of the cohort 2. Monthly informal group discussions with prominent scientists (?ExoGuides?) in the fields of exoplanet science and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), and individual conversations with other researchers 3. One to two professional development training sessions on topics to be decided by the cohort, such as proposal writing, building inclusive collaborations, and public speaking 4. The development and/or execution of cohort-driven activities pertaining to DEIA. The activities described above will largely be shaped by the unique interests and needs of the cohort. Therefore, we seek applicants who are actively seeking to enrich and enhance their exoplanet science and DEIA in the broader exoplanet community via engaging with each other, as well as with the mentors. Application instructions can be found on the ExoExplorer page, linked above. Applications are due September 23, 2021. -- The ExoExplorer steering and organizing committees 1 NASA places restrictions on interactions with several countries: Iran, Syria, North Korea, and China. If you are a citizen of one of these countries or are currently employed by an institution in one of these countries, please contact exoexplorers_questions at jpl.nasa.gov for guidance. 2 At this time, we are uncertain whether payment to participants from non-US institutions will be possible. We are investigating payment options, and will post updates to the website and the announcements list as available. Jessie Christiansen (she/hers) | Scientist | Caltech/IPAC Mail Code MR-100 | Pasadena CA 91125 She/her/hers -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lucyna.chudczer at astronomyaustralia.org.au Fri Sep 3 11:13:57 2021 From: lucyna.chudczer at astronomyaustralia.org.au (lucyna.chudczer at astronomyaustralia.org.au) Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2021 11:13:57 +1000 Subject: [ASA] Semester 2022A Call for Gemini GSAOI proposals **Opportunity for Australian astronomers** Message-ID: <00cd01d7a060$f908d850$eb1a88f0$@astronomyaustralia.org.au> 2022A Call for Gemini GSAOI Proposals Proposals for GSAOI observations on the Gemini South telescope in Semester 2022A (1 February 2022 - 31 July 2022) are due by *5:00pm AEDT, Tuesday 5 October 2021.* In Semester 2022A the Australian astronomical community will have access to the remaining 2 nights of observing time with the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI). This opportunity is a result of the agreement between AURA and the ANU team that constructed the NGS2 enhancement to the Gemini South multi conjugate adaptive optics system. The NGS2 system was commissioned in October 2019 (see attached the article published in Gemini Focus). The new NGS2 system allows the use of fainter guide stars - the previous limit with the old system was R=15.5 in good conditions. During commissioning the loop was closed on a R=18 star in average conditions. This results in a huge improvement of the sky coverage for GeMS (2.5 magnitude is approximately equivalent to a gain of 8 times in sky coverage). Acquisition times have also been reduced by almost tenfold. The ANU team was awarded a total of 7 nights of guaranteed time, which they have kindly offered to the Australian community via this open call for proposals process. This allocation was split between the 2020B and 2021A semesters. However, due to the COVID pandemic and challenges associated with it, the Gemini Observatory allowed some flexibility and will offer the remaining observing time in 2022A. The expectation is to have two or three laser runs of 7 nights each during the semester, the actual schedule will be based on the demand from the community. All new proposals will be reviewed and assessed by ATAC. The observing time will be allocated in 'classical' mode, which means that observations will be scheduled for specific nights. The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions prohibit international travel from Australia and it is most likely that this situation will not change in the 2022A Semester. The classical mode observations will be taken by the Gemini Observatory staff, with remote assistance (control) from PI teams. The Observatory has a good experience with such operations and will work with the individual teams to ensure the best strategy for their observations and the quick access to the raw data. How to apply Gemini proposals must be submitted using the 2022A release of the Phase I Tool (PIT) that can be downloaded from: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/yEZhCXLW2mUXxZJy5f6PR0b?domain=software.gemini.edu/ Please use the following page for a step-by-step guide and tutorials for submission of proposals using the Phase I Tool: Help Page for the Gemini Phase I Tool (PIT) | Gemini Observatory Note that you need to select the "Guaranteed Time" option to submit you proposal. See the image below. For information about GSAOI and full details on instrument status, please see: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/C1aUCZY1Nqi53YGV4uKEhp_?domain=gemini.edu as well as the official Gemini Observatory Call for Proposals at: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/HlzfC2xMQzipNQjJls9SyDg?domain=gemini.edu l-proposals For updates about the COVID-19 measures at the NOIRLab and Gemini South, please see: Coronavirus COVID-19 Measures at NOIRLab | Gemini Observatory For more information contact the ATAC Secretariat: Street Address: AAO - Macquarie University 105 Delhi Rd, North Ryde NSW 2113 Australia E-mail: aat at astronomyaustralia.org.au Web: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/frQIC4QOPEiBpxoQ0tj8gcy?domain=astronomyaustralia.org.au Dr Lucyna Kedziora-Chudczer | Program Manager ATAC Technical Secretary Astronomy Australia Ltd (Sydney Office) P: +61 2 9372 4842 E: lucyna.chudczer at astronomyaustralia.org.au https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/yB7JC5QPXJiZV1vQjilMdvb?domain=astronomyaustralia.org.au/ AAL is committed to equity and diversity and endeavours to create an environment in which every individual is treated with dignity and respect. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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