Director's Report
Published in the RSAA Lunations
Vol1 Issue3 1–30 April 2020
Folks,
In difficult times like these we all see how the ties that bind us also support us and lift us up. I have been very proud of the way RSAA staff and students have come together to support each other over the past few weeks and, indeed, months. Times are tough, and may get worse before they get better. But we are not alone - along with our families and friends, we also have our colleagues and peers to help us. Humans are social animals, and even the more introverted among us need social interaction and support, so please make use of all your networks, including those provided by RSAA. I hope everyone is Zooming/Teaming/Facetiming or in some other way keeping in close touch with their groups, supervisors, students, and/or managers. Open and regular communication is key to running teams and work groups, and to maintaining collaboration of all sorts while working in physical isolation (see this article) - so set up a rhythm of contacts and meetings that works for you and your teams!
Elsewhere in this edition of Lunations is a list of online resources that you might find helpful in dealing with the situation. But please do not hesitate to reach out to your supervisor, to the School Manager, or to me if there’s anything we might be able to do to assist you. We are particularly mindful of the challenges faced by students and postdocs, who will be concerned that a potentially significant period of their precious time at RSAA may be less productive or perhaps that vital observing programs are being cancelled or postponed. The School always aims to help all our people be as successful as possible in their studies and research, and that principle won’t waver now - we will do all in our power to help you finish your PhD or research program, to find a new job, and to bridge any gaps that might open up between your current position and your next position. Having just participated in an ANU Council meeting, I can assure you that the whole University, from the Vice Chancellor down, is working hard to ensure that ANU staff and students are well-supported through the current crisis.
Finally, I offer encouragement from the ever-perceptive and entertaining xkcd webcomic.
Best wishes, Matthew.
