Jennifer Lotz
Director’s Message
Change is on the Horizon
Big changes are afoot for the Gemini Observatory Director, and Gemini Observatory as a whole.
In preparation for the official start of the new joint venture between Gemini, the National Opti-
cal Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) — cur-
rently known as the National Center for Optical-infrared Astronomy (NCOA) — I’ve recently
relocated to Tucson, Arizona. In October, the first phase of NCOA will launch, and by October
2020, all of Gemini Observatory’s staff will be part of the new center for National Science Foun-
dation-funded ground-based optical/IR astronomy.
By being based in Tucson, I can work more closely with the NCOA leadership team to help de-
velop this new organization and better advocate for the needs of Gemini’s partners, users, and
staff. If all goes well, Gemini’s users should not notice any significant changes this October. But
longer term, the new organization will improve Gemini Observatory’s ability to respond to the
rapidly changing astronomical landscape by pooling resources from across all of the astrono-
my centers, allowing better execution of “big new ideas,” and better retention and recruitment
of our highly-talented staff.
While unpacking my belongings in the “dry heat” of Tucson in late June, I couldn’t help wishing
I were in Chile enjoying the eclipse celebrations on the top of wintry Cerro Tololo and Cerro
Pachón! The path of totality for the July 2nd total solar eclipse passed right over these moun-
taintops. Working with the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy and NOAO
staff, Gemini Observatory helped to host a number of dignitaries for the eclipse events, includ-
ing the Korean Ambassador to Chile In-gyun Chung, Korea’s National Research Council of Sci-
ence and Technology (NST) Chairman Kwangyun Wohn, Korea Astronomy and Space Science
Institute (KASI) President Hyung Mok Lee, and several members of the US Senate Appropria-
tions Committee. While the main festivities on the day of the eclipse were held at the Cerro
Tololo International Observatory site, Gemini staff led tours of the Gemini-South telescope on
the days before and after the eclipse.
July 2019
GeminiFocus
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