GeminiFocus January 2019 | Page 3

Jennifer Lotz Director’s Message Happy New Year! With the start of 2019, we are very happy to welcome Korea as a full Gemini participant. We anticipate an exciting year ahead as new projects are underway to develop Gemini’s adaptive optics and time-domain astronomy capabilities, commission the new visiting in- struments MAROON-X and Zorro, and begin new Large and Long Programs to study the Universe in high resolution. The Gemini Board and Science & Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) meetings were held at the La Serena Gemini South Base Facility in mid-November. The Board welcomed the full participation of the Republic of Korea, through the Korea Astronomy & Space Sci- ence Institute (KASI), in Gemini. I’d also like to thank departing Board Chair Rene Walterbos and STAC Chair Laura Parker for their leadership, and departing Board members Greg Fahlman, George Jacoby, Maria Victoria Alonso, and Lucianne Walkowicz for their service to the Gemini community. To fill some of these departures, I’m pleased to welcome new Board Chair Todd Boroson and new STAC Chair Elliott Horch. Gemini also welcomes new STAC members Jane Charlton, Ryan Foley, Jae-Joon Lee, Damian Mast, Henri Plana, and Lisa Poyneer, and new Board members Guillermo Bosch, Marcos Perez Diaz, Narae Hwang, and Greg Rudnick. We look forward to a productive and exciting collaboration. We are also pleased to announce that all Gemini member participants declared their intention to remain in the Partnership and participate in the renegotiation of a new international Partnership agreement starting in 2021. January 2019 GeminiFocus 1