AURA MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

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1 December 2013

2 who we are

3 AURA Basics Non-profit established in 1957 Business model : consortium of universities established to manage public observatories Representative of the broader astronomical community Membership currently includes 37 US institutions and 7 international institutions AURA manages major observatories National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) National Solar Observatory (NSO) Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) Gemini Observatory Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

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5 AURA Growth AURA MEMBER INSTITUTIONS Increased International Linkages Solar Institutions 35 Gemini era Beginnings, have not universities AURA becomes Policy voice AURA takes on Hubble Space Telescope LSST/Big Data Era? 5 0

6 AURA s mission To promote excellence in astronomical research by providing access to state of the art facilities

7 What does AURA Do? AURA acts as a managing organization for major observatories AURA provides academic-based governance (not merely advice) AURA advances the science by bringing together these two worlds to provide access to world class facilities

8 AURA Governance AURA Board Elected by Member Representatives each Member Institution designates one Member Representative Observatory Council (Oversees NOAO) Solar Observatory Council (Oversees NSO) Space Telescope Institute Council (Oversees STScI) AURA Oversight Committee for Gemini (Oversees Gemini) AURA Management Council for LSST (Oversees LSST Project) Workforce and Diversity Committee NOAO Visiting Committee NSO Visiting Committee Institute Visiting Committee

9 AURA Management AURA Board AURA President Central Administrative Services, and Human Relations AURA Head of Mission in Chile National Optical Astronomy Observatory National Solar Observatory Space Telescope Science Institute Gemini Large Synoptic Survey Telescope

10 Member Representatives Elect Board, elect Management Council slates. Act as candidates for various governance bodies Maintain strong linkage to academia Broaden AURA s role and viewpoint Forum for raising major concerns and discussing policy issues (Note: Being an AURA member does not automatically earn time on telescopes, or special access all access is merit based)

11 AURA Board Legal entity All authority flows from the AURA Board 12 elected members At least 4 Member Representatives 4 not Member Representatives 2 from non-us institutions Management Council Chairs President

12 Management Councils Dual role of advocating the mission of the AURA Center and conducting oversight Subsidiary body of AURA Board with delegated responsibilities for selecting staff, approving tenure, reviewing program plans, reviewing proposals, etc. Acquires in depth knowledge of the program Mix of AURA and non-aura related members Acts as a conduit for bringing new ideas to the program

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14 National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Major change in mission from running NOAO telescopes on Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo To providing community access to all US telescopes e.g. the system Evolving towards high impact science through wide-field survey programs such as DES and DESI Taking on a role of facilitating community involvement in big data

15 Optimize Open Access Nights, Transition to New Capabilities OC, La Serena, Mar 2012 (D3) 15

16 Future of NOAO s Facilities CTIO Blanco: Dark Energy Survey will be operating KPNO Mayall: Two Possible Paths Divestment, or Big Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey LSST will be operating 2022

17 NOAO Transition Budget and New Cooperative Agreement $27 Transition Plan Guidelines $25 $23 $21 Transformation Funding New CA $19 Cooperative Agreement Solicitation $17 Increase TBD $15 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25

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19 Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Constraining Dark Energy and Dark Matter Taking an Inventory of the Solar System Exploring the Transient Optical Sky Mapping the Milky Way 2014 new start

20 LSST Org Chart

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22 Gemini Strengths Actual GeMS/GMOS

23 Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager: GSAOI Offered for regular science since 2013A First paper appeared Davidge et al., PASP 2013: Haffner 16: A Young Moving Group in the Making

24 Gemini Contributions out to 2015 (when a new International Agreement will be in place) $45,000,000 $40,000,000 $35,000,000 $30,000,000 $25,000,000 $20,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000 $5,000,000 Instrumentation UK Brazil Argentina Australia Canada US $

25 Hubble Space Telescope Science Operations James Webb Space Telescope Science Operations Future Space Observatories

26 Space Telescope Science Institute Established: 1981

27 HST Publications

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29 James Webb Space Telescope Deployable infrared telescope with 6.5 meter diameter segmented adjustable primary mirror Cryogenic temperature telescope and instruments for infrared performance Launch October 2018 on an ESAsupplied Ariane 5 rocket to Sun-Earth L2 5-year science mission (10-year goal) First light The assembly of galaxies Birth of stars and planets Planets and the origins of life

30 A new AURA Initiative

31 Timing of an AURA-led Beyond JWST study HST ERA Direct link between HST&B and new start for JWST

32 Timing of an AURA-led Beyond JWST study HST ERA JWST ERA Direct link between HST&B and new start for JWST

33 Beyond JWST Charter and Focus Charter. Study possible missions and programs for UVOIR astronomy in space in the first decades following the JWST era in order to significantly advance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the cosmos and the life within it Focus. Primarily on science opportunities with particular attention to breakthroughs requiring a space-based facility, in the context of a decade of JWST data as well as data from meter class ground-based telescopes and large ground-based radio arrays

34 Advanced Technology Solar Telescope Synoptic Observations

35 Advanced Technology Solar Telescope A Microscope on the Sun How are cosmic magnetic fields generated and how are they destroyed? What role do cosmic magnetic fields play in the organization of plasma structures and the impulsive releases of energy seen ubiquitously in the universe? What are the mechanisms responsible for solar variability (that ultimately affects the Earth)?

36 NSO Strategic Roadmap Over the next year, begin the phase out of operations support on Kitt Peak and Sac Peak in order to generate operational support for ATST and for the consolidation and transfer of NSO staff Work with NSF to maintain some access to NSO facilities for the community Complete shutdown with ATST operational start

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38 Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope(s)

39 Major Future Challenges for AURA Positioning ourselves to enable the community to effectively use Big Data and wide field surveys from LSST, DEC, BigBOSS, etc. Transitioning Gemini to better meet community needs (within a very constrained budget) Re-establishing a robust ground-based solar community that can effectively use Advanced Technology Solar Telescope Establishing a role in Extremely Large Telescopes Defining the post-jwst era in space astronomy

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41 Comparable Organizations Organization Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Associated Universities Inc. (AUI) University Space Research Associates (USRA) Business Diversity Five major business units Two major business units One major business unit 13 Institutes and Programs Member Institutions Governing Board 16 Board Members 19 Trustees 22 Trustees 14 Trustees Staff ~1030 ~1660 ~692 ~496 Revenues $199 M $238 M $138 M $66 M

42 Membership Guidelines We emphasize links at the university level, (common need to influence government funding agencies) Faculty of 5, generate at least a PhD per year Involvement in AURA programs and mission, e.g. Service on councils, Board Publications based on use of AURA facilities

43 Why Be An AURA Member Role=Voice Direct role in management of AURA centers through the AURA Board and Management Councils. Part of a very active network for communication and interaction and discussion of major policy issues. Role in guiding AURA and hence whatever AURA does to affect future directions in astronomy.

44 Other Committees Nominating Committee Elected by the Member Representatives at the Annual Meeting. Consists of five individuals from Member Institutions. Prepares slate of candidates Membership Committee (at the discretion of the Board): Identifies potential new Member Institutions

45 AURA Members: International (normally three 3-year terms for 9 years total) Universidad de Chile 1992 Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile 1997 University of Toronto 2004 Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias 2005 Kiepenheuer-Institut fur Sonnenphysik 2005 Swinburne University of Technology 2008 Tohoku University Former International Members Australian National University Leiden University National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic

46 AURA President