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ATUC meeting Director’s Report

This report highlights recruitment successes, delays in projects like CABB, and future operation plans for CSIRO's radio astronomy facilities. It discusses upcoming staff engagement activities, user input, and the vital role of environmental assessments and prioritization. The report stresses the importance of maximizing science impact and adapting to changes to secure the future of Australian radio astronomy.

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ATUC meeting Director’s Report

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  1. ATUC meetingDirector’s Report Brian Boyle May 2008

  2. Successes and Issues • Recruitment (including Fed Fellow offer) • ASKAP Testbed Antenna + antenna tender • Pathfinder science & SKA Forum • Record number of proposals • Community science highlights • Pulsar DFB • IDEA award • CABB delayed to Jan/Feb 09 • Parkes 13mm delayed

  3. CABB Compact Array Broadband Backend • Delayed again • Full system installation in Jan/Feb 09 (slipped from Oct 08) • Equal highest priority development project • With ASKAP [although ‘knock-on’ effect] • Further increases in resource allocation • Translation of outputs from existing front ends • Cross correlation within the next couple of weeks

  4. Issues Parkes 13mm receiver • Lower priority than CABB/ASKAP • Will be delayed as resources redirected to CABB • Will not be ready for installation before October 08 • May slip further

  5. Future Operations Users • Extensive engagement with users • Australian roadshow, web forum, Marsfield forum • Constructive input from users greatly appreciated • Focus shifted to staff engagement from end of March • Timeline: • End May: ATNF/ATUC summary of feedback • Mid June: ATNF response to feedback on web forum • 11 June: ATCA science day • End July: v2 Future ATNF Operations

  6. Future Operations Staff • Focus shifted to staff engagement from end of March • Project leaders and group membership now defined • ATNF ops staff gathering in Narrabri for 29/30 April • Overwhelming sense of eagerness to “get on with it”

  7. Future Operations CSIRO • Submission to Executive Team on Future Operations • September 08 • Operations Theme Constant in Actual $$ • > 5% increase in staff costs • Priority in New Infrastructure

  8. “Environmental assessment” • Incredibly positive time for Australian radio astronomy • Unprecedented Government visibility & support • Increasing real cost of operations vs constant dollar funding • Change is essential • Demanded by Decadal Plan [September 2005]

  9. “Environmental assessment” • ATNF has to prioritise and choose not to do some things • Maximise science impact not necessarily output • With ASKAP: • Increased competition for limited resources • Greatly increased science possible with ATNF facilities • Without ASKAP: • Much less certain future for ATNF/Australian radio astronomy • Greater likelihood of fewer dollars for operations & development

  10. Science Planning Key Science Planning Papers: 1. Focussed Science with Parkes in 2010-2015(drawing on the Science with Parkes workshop 5 Nov 2007) 2. Looking Out: The role of the ATCA/Mopra in the ALMA era(drawing on the ATCA Science workshop 11 June 2008+ mm white paper) 3. ASKAP Operations and Functional Requirements Document (drawing on ASKAP Science Case) Drafts to be developed by ATNF in tandem with v2 of Operations Plan Key background documents for submission to CSIRO Executive Team User input critical

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