By / par Michael Balogh (CATAC Chair)
(Cassiopeia – Summer / été 2019)
CATAC has submitted a committee report to the LRP2020 panel. This report summarizes the recent history of Canada’s involvement with TMT, including issues related to construction and funding. It is a useful overview of our position in this important project, and is available both from the LRP panel report directory, and on our own webpage.
While the TMT International Observatory (TIO) now has the legal right to begin construction on Maunakea, there is still preparation work to be done. This includes applying for various permits which have expired and, importantly, coordinating with stakeholders including other Observatory Directors, the local police force, politicians, and residents. We expect that construction will restart sometime this northern summer.
In April CATAC published a revised draft of its recommendations on TMT instrumentation after first light. This was presented during the ACURA lunch session on Wed June 19, at this year’s annual CASCA meeting at McGill. A discussion was started at that session, but it is not too late to send us your feedback. CATAC needs to hear your ideas and ambitions so we can help ensure Canadian interests are well represented at the Board and SAC.
The next TMT Science Forum will be November 4-6 2019, in Xiamen, China. Please consider attending! ACURA will again be providing some travel support for University-based researchers to attend this meeting. Requests can be directed to mbalogh@uwaterloo.ca.
CATAC membership:
Michael Balogh (University of Waterloo), Chair, mbalogh@uwaterloo.ca
Bob Abraham (University of Toronto; TIO SAC)
Stefi Baum (University of Manitoba)
Laura Ferrarese (NRC)
David Lafrenière (Université de Montréal)
Harvey Richer (UBC)
Kristine Spekkens (Royal Military College of Canada)
Luc Simard (Director General of NRC-HAA, non-voting, ex-officio)
Don Brooks (Executive Director of ACURA, non-voting, ex-officio)
Rob Thacker (CASCA President, non-voting, ex-officio)
Kim Venn (Science Governor for Canada on TIO Governing Board, non-voting, ex-officio)
Stan Metchev (TIO SAC, non-voting, ex-officio)
Tim Davidge (TIO SAC Canadian co-chair; NRC, observer)
Greg Fahlman (NRC, observer)