1. Italian ARC-node/Bologna Host institute: INAF – Istituto di Radioastronomia (IRA), Bologna, Italy ARC-node: 2 staff, 5 postdocs (1 Co-Fin with Dept. Astron. & Physics, UniBo) + Dedicated computer cluster, high-speed links ARC node representative: Jan Brand (staff IRA; 0.25 FTE; planning, formation) ARC node Expertise: Polarimetry; (mm-)VLBI Star formation (gal & extra-gal); astrochemistry; AGN; high-z universe NameStatusFTEExpertise/task Marcella MassardiStaff1.0User support; formation Viviana Casasola (until 31 Jan. 2015)Post-doc0.5User support; formation Arturo MignanoPost-doc0.5User support; QA2; software; formation Rosita PaladinoPost-doc (Co-fin)0.5User support; QA2; polarimetry; formation Elisabetta LiuzzoPost-doc0.5User support; QA2; mm-vlbi Nuria MarcelinoPost-doc0.5Data reduction; EOC expert (Long Baseline; calibrator database) Kazi Rygl (from 1 Feb. 2015, iALMA)Post-doc0.5mm-vlbi

2. Major current activities: User support (f2f, CS, seminars, proposal preparation days, workshops) Participation in EOC (long baseline campaign; polarimetry) and QA2 Education: lab course interferometry/ALMA data reduction at Univ. Bologna; Lecture series at SISSA (Trieste); lectures Univ. Catania, Bologna; Training Schools; ALMA-related undergraduate and PhD theses (supervision, collaboration) Funding: Directly by INAF, on year-to-year basis; amount variable Additional and external funding: Node participates in merit ( ‘premiale’ ) project “iALMA” (2014-2015 +?) [1 postdoc, 1 PhD] 1 postdoc co-financed by Dept. Physics & Astronomy, Univ. Bologna 2010-2013: post-doc on the ESO ALMA COFUND Fellowship program Future perspectives: Maintain present staffing levels, but try to convert 1 or 2 in permanent staff Shift emphasis from practical/technical to scientific support, hire staff accordingly Be (even more) involved in EOC-activities Play role in development and use of ALMA as part of global VLBI-array Set up fully-recognized university-level course in mm-astrophysics and: Attract more (under-)graduate students See http://www.inaf.alma.it for complete overview of activitieshttp://www.inaf.alma.it Italian ARC-node/Bologna

3. Issues/concerns: Italian law prevents hiring post-docs on “ Assegni di ricerca ” contracts for more than 4 yrs, and No permanent positions available: Leads to loss of talented & experienced people. No long-term financing makes planning more difficult and foreign post- docs reluctant to apply. Additional comments: In Italy there is a growing interest in using ALMA from researchers who work in other spectral bands, and their students. We therefore put much effort in the formation, especially of young astronomers. It’s essential that INAF/iALMA stimulate this by continuing their efforts in funding PhDs, postdocs and research grants on scientific and instrumental/technical topics related to ALMA and mm-astronomy in general. Exchange programs, where postdocs (and staff!) spend time at another node or in Chile should be stimulated. Italian ARC-node/Bologna