Astronomy NCRIS Strategic Options Committee (ANSOC)

Background

Australia has a long and distinguished history of significant contributions to optical astronomy. Maintaining and building on that tradition will involve some strategic choices over the next few years as well as a significant investment in new facilities and capabilities. New Horizons: A Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2006 - 2015, summarised the priorities of the Australian astronomical community for the next decade. This plan formed the basis of the Astronomy NCRIS Investment Plan that was submitted to DEST in September 2006. The Astronomy NCRIS funding was approved by the Minister in November 2006. Astronomy Australia Ltd signed the Astronomy NCRIS Funding Agreement with DEST in June 2007. The majority of the Astronomy NCRIS funds were allocated to specific projects in the Investment Plan and Funding Agreement. Several million dollars were held in a Strategic Options fund to be allocated during 2008. The options to be considered are:
  • Increased access to 8m class telescopes;
  • Investment in the GMT DDP;
  • Construction of PILOT.
Even with this allocation, the NCRIS funding is only an initial step towards the funding that will be required to maintain the strength of Australian optical astronomy over the next decade. ANSOC has been formed to assist the Astronomy Australia Ltd (AAL) Board develop a foundation for a future landmark proposal to the Commonwealth to implement the Decadal Plan in optical astronomy. In addition to the three options anticipated in the NCRIS Investment Plan, such a proposal needs to take account of the future of the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO). The AAL Board will consider the ANSOC advice within the Australian context and make its recommendation on the use of the Strategic Options funds to the NCRIS Committee. The NCRIS Committee will then decide upon the use of the funds. The ANSOC advice and the Board recommendation will be made available on the AAL Website.

Terms of Reference

  • To assess the options for optical astronomy - additional 8m time, GMT and PILOT - incorporated in the Astronomy NCRIS Investment Plan. For each option this assessment should specifically include:
    • The potential for novel scientific returns and for contribution to the resolution of the key scientific and technical challenges in 21st Century astronomy;
    • The potential to develop Australian astronomy and enhance its world position;
    • The feasibility and robustness of the proposed design and costing (for both construction and operation);
    • The risks associated with the option and the quality of the proposed mitigation strategies;
    • The feasibility that the international support necessary to deliver the option will be forthcoming on a timescale relevant to Australian decision making.
  • To comment on any synergies between the options that might allow more than one to advance; and
  • To similarly assess the scientific return from continued operation of the 4m Anglo-Australian Telescope;
  • In light of these assessments to recommend possible uses of the available Astronomy NCRIS Strategic Options funds to develop Australia's optical astronomy infrastructure and advance implementation of the Decadal Plan;
  • To offer guidance on developing a future landmark proposal for implementing the Decadal Plan in optical astronomy.

Appointment

  • ANSOC is a special-purpose committee that will meet once, report to the AAL Board, and then disband. The members of the committee will need to be approved by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and will be appointed by the AAL Board after consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Composition

  • Prof. Michael Barber (Chair), AAL;
  • Mr David Warren, AAL;
  • Prof. Garth Illingworth, University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory;
  • Dr. Robert Williams, Space Telescope Science Institute;
  • Prof. Malcolm Longair, University of Cambridge.

Documentation

ANSOC will be provided with the following documents:
  • New Horizons: A Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2006 - 2015;
  • Astronomy NCRIS Investment Plan;
  • Astronomy NCRIS Funding Agreement;
  • Report from the PILOT Project Office, including the PILOT Design Study, and any advice from the Australian Antarctic Astronomy Advisory Committee (AAAAC);
  • Report from the Australian Gemini Steering Committee (AGSC);
  • Report from the Australian GMT Project Office (AGMTPO) and any advice from the Australian GMT Advisory Committee (AGMTAC); and
  • Report of the 2006 DEST-commissioned external review of the AAO.

Timeline

  • AAAAC, AGMTAC and AGSC to seek input from the Australian astronomical community by 30th June 2008.
  • AGMTPO, PILOT Project Office, AGSC and AATB to submit their reports to AAL by 31st July 2008.
  • AGMTAC to comment on the GMT report, and AAAAC to comment on the PILOT report, by 15th August 2008.
  • ANSOC to meet in Australia from 2nd - 5th September 2008 to review documentation, interview relevant stakeholders and write its report.
  • ANSOC to submit its recommendation to AAL by 15th September 2008.
  • AAL Board's recommendations and ANSOC report to be simultaneously submitted to the NCRIS Secretariat and made public by 30th September 2008.

Biographies

Prof. Michael Barber

Professor Michael Barber has been Vice-Chancellor and President of Flinders University since January 1, 2008. From 2002 to 2007 he was a senior executive in CSIRO; until July 1, 2006 as Executive Director, Science Planning and subsequently as Group Executive, Information, Manufacturing and Minerals. Prior to joining CSIRO he was Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at The University of Western Australia from 1994 to 2002 and Dean, Faculty of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the Australian National University. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, serving as Secretary, Science Policy from 2001 to 2005. He is a director of AAL.

Mr David Warren

David Warren graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1979 majoring in physics. He went on to complete an honours year in x-ray astronomy in 1980. During the course of the next few years he worked and studied variously in science, gaining valuable experience in software and electronic design. He then went on to create or assist a string of electronic design and software related companies during the decade 1984-1994. The most significant of these early involvements is Altium Ltd (formerly Protel International Pty Ltd) which David joined as part of the management team in 1987. David was president of Altium's USA operation during 1994 and 1995 during which period he resided in California. He has served on the board of Altium Ltd since 1991, and has worked in the areas of mergers, acquisitions, sales and corporate development, and has served on remuneration and audit committees. As a then Executive Director, he was instrumental in the process of listing Altium Ltd. on the ASX in 1999, before becoming a Non-Executive board member in 2004. David now serves on a number of company boards both public and private. He is currently involved in the search for exo-planets, and is an active promoter of physics and mathematics. He resides in Tasmania with his family.

Prof. Garth Illingworth

Professor Garth Illingworth is Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory. His primary research interests are understanding when and how galaxies formed. He chairs the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC) that advises Congress and NSF, NASA and DOE on the implementation of the science programme developed by the astronomy science community through studies carried out by the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Robert Williams

Dr. Robert Williams is currently Distinguished Research Scholar of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, MD, having served as Director of the Institute from 1993-98. The Institute, together with Goddard Space Flight Center, operates the Hubble Space Telescope for NASA. Before assuming his present position Williams spent 8 years in Chile as Director of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the national observatory of the U.S. in the southern hemisphere. Previous to that time he was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona-Tucson for 18 years. Dr. Williams' research specialties are nebulae, novae, and emission-line spectroscopy and analysis. Williams received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1962, and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. He was a Senior Fulbright Professor at University College London from 1971-72, and received the Alexander von Humboldt Award from the German government in 1991. In 1998 he was awarded the Beatrice Tinsley Prize of the American Astronomical Society for his leadership of the Hubble Deep Field project, which revealed the early universe with Hubble Telescope. For this project he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal in 1999. He is currently President-elect of the International Astronomical Union.

Prof. Malcolm Longair

Prof. Malcolm Longair is the Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy at the Cavendish Laboratory of the University of Cambridge. From 1997 to 2005, he was Head of the Laboratory and is currently its Director of Development. Professor Longair has held many highly respected positions within the field of astronomy. He was appointed the ninth Astronomer Royal of Scotland in 1980, as well as the Regius Professor of Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, and the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. He has served on and chaired many international committees, boards and panels, working with NASA, the European Space Agency, the Anglo-Australian Telescope and the Australia Telescope National Facility. His research interests are in high energy astrophysics and astrophysical cosmology. He has written over 250 scientific papers. His most recent books include "Theoretical Concepts in Physics" (2003), "The Cosmic Century: A History of Astrophysics and Cosmology" (2006) and "Galaxy Formation" (2008).