1. ATUC meeting Director’s Report Lewis Ball May 2009 GASS Image McClure-Griffiths & the GASS team

2. Welcome Sarah Maddison (Chair) Andrew Walsh George Hobbs Stuart Ryder Tara Murphy Hayley Bignall James Urquhart Indra Bains Daniel Yardley – student Clancy James – student Stacy Mader - Secretary

3. Successes and Issues CABB science!!! ASKAP 18 external reviews and counting Response to call for survey science EoI Astronomy highlights GASS, 6GHz MMB survey, … Brian Boyle now CSIRO SKA Director Dave McConnell to step down as Assistant Director: Operations Recruitment of new AD: Ops and other key operations roles underway Resource pressures will slow L/S upgrade

4. CABB Installation completed exceptionally smoothly Scientific operations started 22 April 2009 160GB/s per antenna As ambitious as the mm upgrade, more far-reaching Zoom modes, 20cm, 13cm still to come

5. ASKAP Survey Expressions of Interest

6. ASKAP Full steam ahead

7. CSIRO SKA Director New CSIRO role – Brian Boyle Leads SKA activities, including delivery of ASKAP Works closely with ATNF Director Formal secondment into DIISR SKA team ~40% Acting ATNF Director – Lewis Ball CSIRO will conduct an open competitive recruitment of a Director later in 2009

8. CSIRO SKA Director / ATNF Acting Director Understanding the Universe SKAASKAPATNFOperationsTechnologiesAstrophysics

9. LSCX Upgrade Stage 1: L/S Interface boxes on track for installation August 09 Existing L or S band into CABB Stage 2: L/S LNA upgrade underway, expected completion 18 months after Stage 1 Stage 3: C/X LNA upgrade unlikely to proceed unless additional resources are identified

10. ATSC status Proposal to broaden ATSC remit and create ANRAC has been set aside by Minister Carr ATSC role to provide advice to CSIRO on the operation of the ATNF has been reaffirmed Minister expected to confirm membership within the next couple of weeks Tentative meeting dates 27-28 July, Marsfield

11. Astronomy and 802.11 CSIRO has reached agreement with 14 companies to license its IP underpinning the 802.11 a&g standard Keen to license to more suppliers Value is confidential Significant revenue (for strategic initiatives) Antecedents in radio astronomy John O’Sullivan FFT chip inspired by search for transient emission from evaporating black holes Phase corrections from redundant spacing interferometry Twofold value of astronomy to CSIRO Understanding the Universe Linkages and generation of intellectual property

12. Environmental assessment Outstanding year of achievement Major ‘projects’ CABB ✓ ASKAP Operations restructure We are within a period of significant change CSIRO perspective “Golden age of radio astronomy” Continuing tremendous support for strategic direction of radio astronomy in CSIRO and government

13. 2009 Budget: Super Science Three Super Science areas identified Space science and astronomy $160.5M Marine and climate science $387.7M Future industries (nanotech and biotech) $504M 100 new PD fellowships in Super Science $27.5M 50 to start in 2010

14. 2009 Budget: Space and Astronomy This initiative will target key space science and astronomy priorities identified in the Review of the National Innovation System and the 2008 Strategic Roadmap for Australian Research Infrastructure. $80M for a National Centre for SKA Science in Perth $20.9M additional funding for AAO (matches request) $10M for national infrastructure funding by AAL $40M to establish Australian Space Research Program $8.6M to establish Space Policy Unit in DIISR Over four years

15. National Centre for SKA Science in Perth $80M infrastructure To host high-performance computing facilities and expertise to support SKA research and other high-end science At iVEC: the hub of advanced computing in WA iVEC partners: CSIRO UWA, Curtin, WA Govt, other WA universities Aim: to increase the chance of Australia hosting the world’s most powerful telescope, the $3B SKA

16. CSIRO response Provides CSIRO with a valuable opportunity to accelerate the deployment of its own capability in WA CSIRO's contributions to the centre will focus on the development and operations of ASKAP, positioning it to grow into an SKA science operations centre CSIRO will collaborate with partners to further build capability in the scientific exploitation of the huge volumes of data produced by ASKAP and ultimately the SKA, and in the technological innovation required to analyse, store and access those data.

17. Key current issues for ATUC Feedback on CABB operations Proposed changes to TAC processes Comment on proposed priorities for Parkes receiver rationalisation.