MNRF Program - International Astronomy Collaboration
Introduction
Astronomy is an international science. The MNRF program has supported some extraordinarily valuable "seed" projects through the MNRF International Astronomy Collaboration program. These projects are directed at increasing Australia's participation in major international astronomy facilities.
MNRF Funding for International Astronomy Collaboration:
The MNRF Program funding included $1.26 million to assist in increasing the level of international collaboration by Australian astronomers. The proposal filter, which was developed from the MNRF concepts, requires international participation in facilities which satisfy the MNRF guidelines.
Australian astronomers were asked in November 1996 to submit proposals for specific projects to improve international collaboration and, at a preliminary review meeting of the National Committee for Astronomy (NCA) held in December 1996, 16 proposals were reviewed. Further deliberations by an NCA-appointed sub-commitee consisting of Prof R Ekers (CSIRO), Prof J Mould (ANU) and Dr E Sadler (U Syd) resulted in the nine projects listed in Table 1 below being initially funded, or having funds set aside for future disbursement. For information on any of the projects funded, click on the appropriate link in Table 1.
In August 1997 two additional project proposals were received and funded at essentially the levels requested. These projects are outlined in Table 2 below.
As well as funding for individual projects, an amount of $70k was reserved for international travel grants; details of the bulk of this travel are contained in the 1997 MNRF Annual Report (200 kB PDF file) , the 1998 MNRF Annual Report (426 kB PDF file) and the 1999 MNRF Annual Report (543 kB PDF file) . After a recent NCA review of some of the projects funded initially, some money has been redirected from these projects to the funds reserved for international travel grants. This money has enabled the attendance by Australian astronomers at Gemini management meetings.
A Table indicating the International Collaboration funds that have been requested, committed and reserved is available here.
An overall financial statement for the International Astronomy Collaboration is given in the 1999 MNRF Annual Report (543 kB PDF file).
The National Committee for Astronomy, the group responsible for overseeing the MNRF International Astronomy Collaboration Project, considers that the program has been highly successful and the Australian astronomical community feel very strongly that the program should be continued in some form.
Table 1. International Collaboration Projects Funded Prior To July 1997.
For information on a particular project, click on the appropriate link in the Table. Information on particular topics comes from the 1998 MNRF Annual Report (426 kB PDF file) and has been edited.
|
Proposer |
Affiliation |
Proposal |
|
R Morganti, E Sadler |
ATNF, U. Sydney |
A Joint ESO/Australia Workshop: "Looking Deep in the Southern Sky" |
|
B McA Thomas |
ATNF |
|
|
R Clay |
U. Adelaide |
|
|
MCB Ashley, MJ Burton, JWV Storey/MA Dopita, JR Mould |
UNSW/ANU (MSSSO) |
SPIRIT: "The South Pole Imaging Telescope" (NOAO-CARA Collaboration) |
|
J Patterson |
U. Adelaide |
|
|
J Whiteoak |
ATNF |
Phase 2 Activities of European Large Southern Array (LSA) Project |
|
K Taylor, M Colless |
AAO, ANU (MSSSO) |
|
|
K Nugent, R Webster |
U. Melbourne |
|
|
M Bessell |
ANU (MSSSO) |
Table 2. International Collaboration Projects Approved Since July 1997
For information on a particular project, click on the appropriate link in the Table. Information on particular topics comes from the 1998 MNRF Annual Report (426 kB PDF file) and has been edited.
|
Proposer |
Affiliation |
Proposal |
|
M Brennan |
Australian Research Council |
|
|
J Davis |
U. Sydney |