Gemini Board Chair Rene Walterbos ( left ) and KASI
President Hyung Mok Lee sign the agreement making Korea a full Participant in Gemini .
Credit : Shari Lifson
Mok Lee , KASI President . “ We are more than happy to share this opportunity with the entire Gemini community .”
Matt Mountain , President of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy ( AURA ) that manages Gemini through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation commented , “ We welcome KASI as a full Participant in Gemini Observatory . KASI ’ s collaboration with Gemini has already yielded new scientific discoveries , and we anticipate exciting new projects to come from Korea ’ s full participation .”
“ We know that this will be the start of a wonderful friendship , as well as a fruitful and long-lasting scientific collaboration ,” added Anne Kinney , Head of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of the U . S . National Science Foundation ( NSF ). The NSF funds approximately 70 % of the the Gemini Observatory along with Participants Canada , Chile , Brazil , and Argentina . “ With Korea joining Gemini we will see a fresh new perspective which I ’ m certain will result in a flood of great ideas and insights ,” said Kinney .
“ In the four years since Korea entered into a Limited-term Partnership with Gemini , we have developed a very strong bond with our Korean colleagues ,” said Gemini Interim Director Laura Ferrarese . “ I could not be more pleased to see that bond cemented today .” Ferrarese continued , “ Gemini is only as strong as its user-base , and we are deeply grateful for Korea ’ s willingness to join our long-standing partners and help us define the vision and future of the Observatory .”
Rene Walterbos , Chair of the Gemini Board commented , “ It is a testimony to the remarkable staff at Gemini that Korea decided to become a full Participant in the twin telescopes .” Walterbos adds that Korea is a rising star in astronomy and rapidly establishing a leadership position in many areas of astronomical research . “ I ’ m looking forward to watching as Korea ’ s scientists find new and exciting ways to use Gemini , contribute to its capabilities , and further advance Korea to the forefront of modern astronomy .”
“ Another exciting aspect of Korea joining Gemini is the instrumentation experience they will bring to our community ,” said Scot Kleinman , Gemini ’ s Associate Director for Development . “ IGRINS , developed in part by a team in Korea , has proven to be one of Gemini ’ s most popular visitor instruments and we look forward to them bringing a similar instrument specifically for Gemini as part of their initial contribution to the Observatory .”
KASI started its Limited-term Collaboration with the Gemini Observatory in October 2014 , which has enabled Korean researchers to access the twin Gemini telescopes in Hawai ‘ i and Chile starting in 2015 . Since then , and up to 2018 , the Korean community has carried out about 100 science programs and published over 10 papers based on Gemini data , two of which were featured on the Gemini website . KASI is also a major partner in the team that operates the state-of-the-art near-infrared spectrometer IGRINS jointly developed by the University of Texas Austin and KASI . IGRINS was deployed at Gemini South from March to July 2018 as a visitor instrument , and established an historically high scientific demand from the community , rendering it the most popular science instrument at Gemini South for that semester .
4 GeminiFocus July 2018
for Korea’s willingness to join our long-stand-
ing partners and help us define the vision
and future of the Observatory.”
Gemini Board Chair Rene
Walterbos (left) and KASI
President Hyung Mok
Lee sign the agreement
making Korea a full
Participant in Gemini.
Credit: Shari Lifson
Mok Lee, KASI President. “We are more than
happy to share this opportunity with the en-
tire Gemini community.”
Matt Mountain, President of the Association
of Universities for Research in Astronomy
(AURA) that manages Gemini through a co-
operative agreement with the National Sci-
ence Foundation commented, “We welcome
KASI as a full Participant in Gemini Observa-
tory. KASI’s collaboration with Gemini has al-
ready yielded new scientific discoveries, and
we anticipate exciting new projects to come
from Korea’s full participation.”
“We know that this will be the start of a won-
derful friendship, as well as a fruitful and
long-lasting scientific collaboration,” added
Anne Kinney, Head of the Mathematical and
Physical Sciences Division of the U.S. National
Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF funds ap-
proximately 70% of the the Gemini Observa-
tory along with Participants Canada, Chile,
Brazil, and Argentina. “With Korea joining
Gemini we will see a fresh new perspective
which I’m certain will result in a flood of great
ideas and insights,” said Kinney.
“In the four years since Korea entered into
a Limited-term Partnership with Gemini, we
have developed a very strong bond with our
Korean colleagues,” said Gemini Interim Di-
rector Laura Ferrarese. “I could not be more
pleased to see that bond cemented today.”
Ferrarese continued, “Gemini is only as strong
as its user-base, and we are deeply grateful
4
GeminiFocus
Rene Walterbos, Chair of the Gemini Board
commented, “It is a testimony to the remark-
able staff at Gemini that Korea decided to be-
come a full Participant in the twin telescopes.”
Walterbos adds that Korea is a rising star in
astronomy and rapidly establishing a leader-
ship position in many areas of astronomical
research. “I’m looking forward to watching as
Korea’s scientists find new and exciting ways
to use Gemini, contribute to its capabilities,
and further advance Korea to the forefront of
modern astronomy.”
“Another exciting aspect of Korea joining
Gemini is the instrumentation experience
they will bring to our community,” said Scot
Kleinman, Gemini’s Associate Director for De-
velopment. “IGRINS, developed in part by a
team in Korea, has proven to be one of Gem-
ini’s most popular visitor instruments and we
look forward to them bringing a similar instru-
ment specifically for Gemini as part of their
initial contribution to the Observatory.”
KASI started its Limited-term Collaboration
with the Gemini Observatory in October
2014, which has enabled Korean research-
ers to access the twin Gemini telescopes in
Hawai‘i and Chile starting in 2015. Since then,
and up to 2018, the Korean community has
carried out about 100 science programs and
published over 10 papers based on Gem-
ini data, two of which were featured on the
Gemini website. KASI is also a major partner
in the team that operates the state-of-the-art
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