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2012 Annual Progress Report Guideline

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2012 Annual Progress Report Guideline BAS AL FINANCING PROGRAM FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE 200 8 – 201 2 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT GUIDELINES The report should be written following the format specified hereafter . Once i t is completed , it sh ould be sent in printed and in electronic version to the following address: Programa Financiamiento Basal Para Centros Científicos y Tecnológicos de Excelencia CONICYT Mailing address: Bernarda Morín 551 , Providencia, Santiago E - mail: Phone: (56 - 2) 4354312 For further inquiries contact : 1 PR O GRESS REPORT N°: TIME PERIOD: 04/2008 To 12/2008 I. PRESENTATION NAME OF THE CENTER COD E Centro de Astrofisica y Tecnologias Afines P F B - 06 DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER E - MAIL Maria Teresa Ruiz EXECUTIVE / DEPUTY / CO - DIRECTOR Guido Garay MANAGER OF TECHNOLOG Y TRANSFER (if appl icable) SPONSOR ING INSTITUTION Universidad de Chile ASSOCIATED INSTITUTION ( S ) Pontificia Universidad Catolica and Universidad de Concepcion PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS N ame E - MAIL 1. - Bronfman Aguiló Leonardo 2. - Clocchiatti Alejandro 3. - Garay Brignardello Guido 4. - Geisler Douglas 5. - Gieren Waiblinger Wolfgang 6. - Hamuy Wackenhut Mario 7. - Infante Lira Leopoldo 8. - Maza Sancho José 2 9. - Minniti Del Barco Dante 3 OTHER INVESTIGATORS Name E - MAIL 1. - Andrés Escala 2. - Andrés Jordan 3. - Patricio Mena 4. - Leonardo Vanzi 5. - Felipe Barrientos 6. - Marcio Catelan 7. - Gaspar Galaz 8. - Nelson Padilla 9. - Hernán Quintana 10. - Andreas Reise negger 11. - Manuela Zoccali 12. - Luis Campusano 13. - Simón Casassus 14. - Edgardo Costa 15. - Paulina Lira 16. - Sebastian López 17. - Diego Mardones 18. - Jorge May 19. - René Méndez 20. - Patricio Rojo 4 21. - Mónica Rubio 22. - R onald Mennickent 23. - Neil Nagar 24. - Tom Richtler 5 Research Lines N° Title Objectives Principal Investigator Other Investigators 1. - Area 1 Birth and evolution of structures in the Universe Leopoldo Infante Area 2 Stellar Populations in th e Local Universe Douglas Geisler Area 3 Distance Scale Wolfgang Gieren Area 4 Star Formation Guido Garay Area 5 Extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs Dante Minniti Area 6 Supernovae and Dark Matter Mario Hamuy 2. - Area 7 Astronomical Instrument ation Leonardo Bronfman Area 8 High Performance Astronomical Computing Alejandro Clocchiatti Area 9 Outreach Jose Maza 6 Changes in research personnel Indicate any changes in the staff of Principal Investigators as compared to the original pro ject. No changes in the staff of Principal Investigators Advisory Committee Name its members and date of constitution, d escribe its task, frequency of meeting s , decisions taken and/or recommendations made. T he Advisory Committee of t he CATA was recently created . The Committee is constituted by four distinguished scie ntists with experience in the direction and/or scientific operation of International Institutes or Observatories: Dr. Mark Phillips, Associate Director, Carnegie Observatories Dr. Michael West, Head of Science, European Southern Observatory Dr. Lars Nym an, Head of Science Operations, ALMA Dr. Rainer Mauersberger, Commissioning Scientist, Joint ALMA Office. During July of this year they will made on site visits to the three Institutions of the Center a nd reviewed its operation of the Center since its cre ation. They are expected to provide a document with a critical view of the Center and recommendations . 7 II. EXECUTIVE S UMMARY This section should be written in no more than one pa ge ( Arial 10 or equivalent ) and must be in relation to the progress made in the reporting period . Its contents are public and may be published on CONICYT’s web site. We therefore request the use of relatively simple language or explanations when technical terms are required. The Centro de Astrofisica y Tecnologia Afines (CATA) is hosted by the Universidad de Chile at its Astronomy Department in Cerro Calán, and has as associated organizations the Astronomy Department of the Pontificia Universidad Católica and the newly created Astronomy Department of the Universidad de Concepción. The main goals of the CATA are to produce a significant increase in the astronomical community working in Chile: researchers, students and specialized engineers, in order to meet, in the best possible way, the challenges posed by the newly available facilities and take advantage of the opportunity for technological developments associated with these foreign investments . The actions taken by the CATA during its first year of ope rati on have been very successful in the pursue of these goals. The CATA has brought forth a substantial increase in the number of new researchers at the three associated inst itutions . During its first year of operation the Center allowed the hiring of four new members on a full - time basis: Andres Escala (Theoretician) and Patricio Mena ( Electrical Engineer) at the Universidad de Chile, and Andres Jordan (Astrophysicist) and Leonardo Vanzi ( Engineer) at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica. Also during 2008, CATA incorporated into the research and academic activities of the Center twenty new scientists at the different institutions on a partial time - basis. The CATA is strongly promoting and fostering collaborations among astronomers working in related topics across the country, as well as internationally. In particular, CATA is encouraging scientists from the three Chilean institutions to work together in large collaborative projects that are beyond the scope of small research groups. Key programs have been a lready implemented and granted considerable amounts of observing time in several telescopes at the International Observatories in Chile. These large, as well as small more individual, projects are providing a strong start to fulfill one of the goals of the Center, that is to broaden the research base in each astronomy site within the country. The scientific work performed in all six research areas of the CATA during the first year of operation has been considerable. During the period April 08 - December 0 8, CATA members published 71 papers in refereed journals. Collaborative work among Cente r members is rapidly building up , ensuring the fulfillment of one of the scientific goals of the Center which is to boost strong scientific collaborations between membe rs of the different participant institutions. The CATA is rapidly playing a key role in the development of high technology in Chile. During 2008, the initiatives in astronomical instrumentation, high performance astronomical computing and robotics have s tarted at full pace in order to achieve their final goals. All these projects are involving professors of electrical engineering and engineering students from the associated institutions. We expect that at the end of the ten year period, CATA will not onl y be responsible for the production of high technology astronomical products, but also the seed for the development of engineering and industry in the country. In summary, activities in both the research and development of high technology areas have sta rted in - full. 8 III. HIGHLIGHTS In no more than t hree pages describe the most important activities and /or result s during the reporting period . Place them in relation to the expected results mentioned in the original Development Plan, the Annual Operati on Plan ( May 2008 to December 2009 (*) ) and the goals established in Appendix 5 of the agreement signed with CONICYT . 1. Human resources The CATA has made possible a substantial increase in the number of new researchers at the three institutions associated to the Center. During its first year of operation the Center allowed the hiring of four new members on a full - time basis: Andres Escala (Theoretician) and Patricio Mena ( Electrical Engineer) at the Universidad de Chile, and Andres Jordan (Astrophysicist) and Leonardo Vanzi ( Engineer) at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica. Also during 2008, CATA incorporated into the research and academic activities of the Center twenty new scientists at the different institutions on a partial time - basis. 2. Research T he CATA has brought scientists from the three Chilean institutions to work together, particularly in large collaborative projects that are beyond the scope of small research groups. Key Projects have been implemented to foster multi - institutional collabor ations within the country and abroad. These programs are successfully developing and producing important results. They have been granted considerable amounts of observing time in several telescopes at the International Observatories in Chile. The scientif ic work performed in all research areas of the CATA during the first year of operation has been considerable and fully in accord with the science goals as formulated in the proposal. A quantification of this assertion is provided by the seventy one (71) p apers published, during the April 2008 - December 2008 period, in refereed journals by Center members. In summary, research activities in all areas are proceeding intensely in - line with the initial science objectives and broadening their scope. The large an d small projects carried out by Center members are fulfilling one of the Center goals, that is to broaden the research base in each astronomy site within the country, as well as to establish strong collaborations between the member institutions. 3. Format ion of human resources CATA is support ing the formation of human resources in astrophysics in all of the Astronomy programs in the country, which were created due to the efforts of Center members. The number of graduate
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