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University of California, Berkeley Department of Astronomy B E R K E L E Y A S T R O N O M Y Hearst Field Annex MC 3411 Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 Upcoming Events: Science@Cal Monthly Lectures 3rd Saturday of each month 11:00 a.m. UC Berkeley Campus location changes each month Consult website for details http://scienceatcal. berkeley.edu/lectures UniversityUNIVERSITY of California OF CALIFORNIA | 2014 2014 Evening with the Stars TBA Fall 2014 From the Chair’s Desk… co-PI on the founding grant for the Berkeley the Friends of Astrophysics Postdoctoral Please see the Astronomy website for more Institute for Data Science (BIDS) to bring Fellowship and many other coveted prize information together scientists with diverse backgrounds, fellowships. http://astro.berkeley.edu The Astronomy Department is a yet all dealing with “Big Data” (see page In addition to the rigorous research they vibrant, evolving 2). He is also on the management council pursue, our students and postdocs also find 2015 Raymond and Beverly Sackler community. It’s hard that oversees the Large Synoptic Survey time to get involved in other interesting Distinguished Lecture in Astronomy to fully capture all Telescope. This past summer Bloom again career-building and public outreach activities. Carolyn Porco, Space Science Institute that is happening organized the annual Python Language Matt George, Adam Morgan, and Chris Klein Public lecture: Wednesday, Jan 28 here in a few brief Bootcamp, an immensely popular three-day joined the Insight Data Science Fellows Joint Astronomy/Earth Planetary Sciences paragraphs, but I’ll summer workshop with >200 attendees. His Program (http://insightdatascience.com). Colloquium: Thursday, Jan 29 attempt to provide semester-long graduate-level course “Python This is a 6-week program that brings together Please see the Astronomy website for more some highlights! Computing for Data Science” included more PhDs with science backgrounds to learn the information than 30 PhD-candidates from departments Our faculty methods and tools of Data Science. The main http://astro.berkeley.edu across campus, the largest graduate-level class objective of the program is to form smallish continue to receive taught by the astronomy department. recognition at the teams and work on an interested data science highest levels for their research and teaching. In this newsletter we also feature our most application. At the end of the program This is conveyed not only through prizes recently hired Assistant Professor, Mariska the teams present to local tech companies and awards, but also by the sheer number Kriek, a co-PI on a large survey of faint looking to hire data scientists. It has a very of invitations to conferences, workshops, galaxies, carried out with the revolutionary good placement rate, and it’s an invaluable and summer schools. This year I call out in multi-object near-infrared spectrograph networking opportunity. Astronomy T-Shirts particular the 2014 Distinguished Teaching MOSFIRE on the 10-m Keck telescope I’d like to conclude this letter by talking Award, the most prestigious teaching (page 3). about New Campbell Hall – our new home All-American Astros designs. Purchases can be made via award on our campus, which was To continue our theme of “flying that will have an enormous impact on PayPal using a credit or debit card. presented to Professor Eugene Chiang. astronomers” we write about the SOFIA virtually all we do, every day. Construction airborne observatory on page 3. The Annual Departmental T-Shirt Design The design contest for 2014-15 With numerous students commenting on of New Campbell Hall is on schedule and Contest continues to provide distraction will be announced in fall 2014, Eugene’s “passion” for teaching, “being an In October we hosted our annual Raymond proceeding as planned. We will start moving from the rigors of astrophysics and an with the winning design selected engaging lecturer, a captivating speaker, and Beverly Sackler Distinguished Lecture in into the new building on 22 September, 2014 passionate, persuasive”, and as “if telling a Astronomy, a public talk which featured Dr. opportunity to explore hidden artistic and printed in time for Cal Day Continued on page 2 and creative talents. in April 2015. All Astronomy story”, it’s clear the award is well-deserved David Spergel from Princeton University. In Last year’s winner “Baseball”, was Department students, staff, (see page 3). this free public lecture Dr. Spergel discussed submitted by graduate student, Adam faculty, postdocs, and researchers A paper authored by our graduate student the role of ongoing and future Cosmic Morgan. His All-American design, as well are welcome to submit their designs Erik Petigura, together with former postdoc Microwave Background (CMB) observations CONTENTS as limited numbers of previous designs, for consideration. Andrew Howard (now a Professor at and described how the combination of large- From the Chair ....................................1 scale structure, supernova and CMB data are available for purchase online: http:// The winning design is determined by University of Hawaii) and Professor Geoff Institute for Data Science .....................2 could be used to address questions such as: qmorgan.dyndns.org/tshirts/ departmental vote. More information Marcy, has won the Cozzarelli Prize from the What happened during the first moments of Marc Davis Retires ...............................2 Cost is $16 plus shipping for the most can be found on the department National Academy of Sciences. Their paper, the big bang? What is the dark energy? What SOFIA Flight .......................................3 recent design and $14 for previous year’s website, http://astro.berkeley.edu. titled The prevalence of Earth-size planets orbiting Sun-like stars, was judged the top were the properties of the first stars? MOSFIRE Deep Evolution ...................3 physical and mathematical sciences paper Our undergraduate, graduate, and Eugene Chiang Receives Award ...........3 published in the Proceedings of the National postdoctoral programs continue to thrive. Habitable Planets? ...............................4 Academy of Sciences in 2013. (see page 4 for In 2013 and 2014 we conferred 26 and 29 New Campbell Hall .............................5 Astronomy News 2014 Banner photographs, L-R: 1. Sather Gate, University of California, Berkeley, 2. Keck a featured article) Bachelors degrees in Astonomy, respectively. Ph.D.s in 2013 /14 ...............................5 University of California, Berkeley Telescopes, Laser Guide Star, 3. Graduate student Ryan Foley and Professor Alex Four students were awarded their Ph.D. in Filippenko in Keck II Control Room, 4. Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT), With the numerous astronomical observations Awards .................................................6 Newsletter Contributors: Imke de Pater, Rayna Helgens, Lochland Trotter, Barbara 2013, and five in 2014 (see page 5). Several Hoversten, Mariska Kriek, Josh Bloom, Geoff Marcy, Marc Davis. Lick Observatory, 5. The full moon above one of the CARMA antennae. and surveys, whether from space or the Giving Opportunities ..........................7 Banner photography provided by Laurie Hatch (www.lauriehatch.com), Keck ground, the sheer volume of data is growing new students from across the country joined Newsletter photography and graphics: Steve Croft, Laurie Hatch (www.lauriehatch.com), Coming Events ...................................8 Observatory, and Steve Croft. at an ever increasing rate – perhaps to be our graduate program both years. Over STUDIOS Architectural Design, Lochland Trotter, Rayna Helgens, Michael Masahiro Astronomy T-Shirts .............................8 Yano, PNAS Editorial ([email protected]). Design: Lisa Krieshok, [email protected] compared to the accelerated expansion of two dozen postdoctoral fellows worked in our universe? Professor Josh Bloom was a the department, including those holding 2 B E R K E L E Y A S T R O N O M Y B E R K E L E Y A S T R O N O M Y 7 Chair’s Desk from page 1 room will serve both as boardroom and as report writing, presentation, and teamwork. an intimate space for small lectures. This However, to maintain and upgrade these (see page 5 for recent photos and progress). enclosed space will open up on another facilities, we seek donors for our Student DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY It’s exciting to see the new building take space with floor to ceiling windows, offering Observatory Fund, an endowed fund that will WE WELCOME YOUR GIFT! sweeping views of the Bay. The outside enable our students, the astronomers of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA shape. We most eagerly await a piece of o Enclosed is my tax-deductible gift of: art for the dome in the lobby of the new upper deck will house one of the building’s future, to have full observational capabilities BERKELEY o $5,000 o $2,500 o $1,000 o $500 o $250 o $100 o Other $___________ building (see page 5). We are happy to report highlights – a new state-of-the-art rooftop covering the entire visible-to-radio that all the design features that promise to observatory to be used for teaching and wavelength range. Your gifts are welcome Please direct my gift to: public outreach events. – and essential – to realize our vision. We facilitate research collaboration, enhance The Department of Astronomy wishes o The New Campbell Hall Student Observatory Fund The Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory, gratefully acknowledge the commitment of all teaching and learning, and engage the public to thank the alumni, parents, students, o The Friends of Astronomy (Chair’s Discretionary) Fund where students get hands-on experience in those who demonstrate their support with a are incorporated in the building. There faculty, staff and friends who so optical, infrared and radio astronomy, add contribution or a pledge. o Designate my gift to (other) ________________________________________________ will be numerous open interaction spaces generously support us! for informal meetings and discussions to tremendous value to a student’s education. If you would like to learn more about how Please make your check for the Department of Astronomy payable to UC Regents.
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