Quarterly update: August 2008

Astronomy NCRIS Strategic Options Committee

The submissions to ANSOC are now publicly available via the AAL website at:
http://astronomyaustralia.org.au/ansoc.html

In addition to reviewing these submissions, ANSOC will meet with representatives from each strategic option on 2nd and 3rd September 2008. ANSOC's recommendations to the AAL Board will then be presented to the Members at the AGM on 30th September 2008.

Contracts

AAL has recently signed two contracts:

• ASKAP digital system: This contract with CSIRO is part of the Astronomy NCRIS programme.
• 8 nights in 2009A on Magellan: This contract with the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington includes the provision of the two Magellan fellows via the AAO.

Nominations Committee

The 2008 Nominations Committee will again be chaired by Elaine Sadler. The Member appointments to the committee are:

• John Lattanzio, Monash University
• Steven Tingay, Curtin University of Technology
• Andrew Walsh, James Cook University
• Rachel Webster, University of Melbourne
• Alex Zelinsky, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

The committee will meet on 27th August 2008 to consider applications for two vacancies on the AAL Board that must be filled by individuals who have conducted research in astronomy or a related field.