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Director's Message

Published in the RSAA Lunations
Vol1 Issue34 1–30 November 2022

Culture Survey

Thanks to all those who attended the presentation by Dylan Forbes of Leaderskill on the results of the RSAA Culture Survey. If you were not able to be there, the recorded session is available and I recommend that you view it. That presentation provided an overview of the survey and made clear that there is considerable variation in the work environment issues that are important to different groups of staff and students within the School. Those different perspectives will be the focus of the workshop being held 11am to 2:30pm on Tuesday, 8 November in the CSO Common Room. The goal of the workshop is to enable us all to understand the views of each group within the School and begin to develop collective actions that will improve the environment for everyone. All RSAA staff and students are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop, either in person or by Zoom; lunch will be provided for in-person attendees. Before coming to the workshop, please review the Culture Survey report and the outline of the workshop plan.

ESO delegation visit

A delegation of senior ESO staff, including the Director General, will be visiting Australia at the end of the month. The visit is partly in celebration of ESO’s 60th anniversary, but is also an opportunity for the Australian astronomical community to press its case for full membership of ESO. The delegation will be visiting Perth, Canberra and Sydney over the course of the week 28 November to 2 December, and we expect they will be meeting with key Ministers and public servants as well as interacting with the National Committee for Astronomy, Astronomy Australia Limited, the Astronomical Society of Australia, and heads of astronomy departments from around the country. The delegation will be visiting Mount Stromlo on the morning of Wednesday, 30 November, when there will be a mini-workshop presenting both the science being done by Australians on ESO facilities and the instruments that Australia is building for ESO. I will shortly be asking relevant people to make brief presentations on their science/instrument projects! The workshop will be followed by a site tour, focussing on the AITC. More details of the visit and how to participate in the mini-workshop will follow soon.

New AITC Director

I have appointed Celine D'Orgeville as AITC Director for an initial 3-year term. Celine has been Deputy Director for over a year now, and in truth has been doing most of the work as Director, with relatively limited input from me. During that time the AITC has done well: it has plenty of funded projects and is increasing its workforce rapidly in response (a situation very different to much of the ANU!). It is also breaking even financially and improving its internal operating model and procedures. It therefore has a strong base to build on, and Celine is keen to make her Directorship a success for the AITC and for each and every AITC staff member. I’m sure everyone at RSAA will wish Celine well and support her strongly as she takes on this challenging role.

Events in November

  • Culture Survey workshop - CSO Common Room, 11am-2:30pm, 8 November
  • Stromlo Student Seminars 2022 - DLT, 14-15 November
  • College of Science Research Expo - Marie Reay Building, 4-6pm, 16 November
  • RSAA Executive meeting - 9:30-11am, 17 November
  • AAL Annual General Meeting - 11am-12:30pm, 17 November
  • National Committee for Astronomy meeting  - 12:30-2pm, 17 November
  • Women in Physics Gala - Birch Buliding, 11.30am-6pm, 18 November
  • Astralis Board meeting - 1-4pm, 21 November
  • ASTRO 3D retreat - Adelaide, 21-25 November
  • AAT Council meeting - 1-4pm, 28 November
  • ESO delegation visit - 30 November

Matthew Colless

Updated:  15 July 2025/ Responsible Officer:  Director, RSPE/ Page Contact:  Physics Webmaster