Gemini, AURA, and NSF Staff Participate in Korean Astronomy Meeting

The Korea-Giant Magellan Telescope (K-GMT) Science Group held their second annual users meeting in Feb 26-27 at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) in Daejeon Republic of Korea. The goal of the K-GMT Science Program is to increase the Korean Astronomical Society’s access to observing capabilities in preparation for the upcoming era of the Giant Magellan Telescope. Sustainable access to a major 8-10 meter-class observatory (like Gemini) is critical to the realization of this goal.

Participants at the 2018 K-GMT Users Meeting which attracted 110 participants.

For this year’s meeting, seven guests from Gemini Observatory, AURA and the NSF were invited to present the current status and future plan of Gemini Observatory, and to communicate directly with K-GMT Science Program users. Laura Ferrarese, Henry Roe, and John Blakeslee presented a review of the Korean participation at Gemini, the Gemini strategic plan, instrumentation program and several science highlights. Heidi Hammel from the AURA corporate office explained the Gemini situation within the AURA and NCOA context, and Chris Davis detailed how the NSF supports research facilities such as Gemini. Hwihyun Kim and André-Nicolas Chené presented practical talks on career and research opportunities, as well as details on the workflow for a full-partner user (i.e., the program life cycle: Phase I, Phase II, observing phase, and Data Reduction).
 
During the Korea visit, Gemini staff enjoyed warm welcomes at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS), Seoul National University (SNU), and Yonsei University.