Thirty Meter Telescope Science Forum

The Thirty Meter Telescope Observatory and NOAO will host the second TMT Science Forum on 17 to 19 July 2014 in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The Forum is an annual gathering of astronomers, educators, and observatory staff, who meet to explore TMT science, instrumentation, observatory operations, archiving and data processing, and education, outreach and workforce development issues. It is an opportunity to learn about the observatory status, to discuss and plan cutting-edge science, to establish collaborations, and to help shape the future of TMT.

The theme of this year’s Forum is “TMT in the Astronomical Landscape of the 2020s”. The meeting will explore the synergy between TMT and other facilities in the post-2020 astronomical landscape, including space- and ground-based observatories operating at all wavelengths. There will be plenary sessions with invited speakers and panel discussions, as well as topical science sessions with opportunities for contributed talks, and a poster session.

In parallel with the topical sessions, there will be an all-day TMT Instrumentation Workshop, which will present information on all aspects of the TMT instrumentation program to interested scientists and instrument builders, to facilitate planning of specific contributions to the design, development, fabrication, assembly, integration, and testing of first- and second-generation TMT instruments. The Forum will also be an opportunity for members of the TMT International Science Development Teams (ISDTs) to meet in working breakout sessions.

The TMT Science Forum will be held at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, a breathtaking desert sanctuary located in a lush, 100-acre desert garden at the foothills of the magnificent Santa Catalina Mountains. The deadline for registration and hotel reservations is 10 June 2014.

Preliminary meeting agenda:

Thursday 17 July: plenary sessions

TMT observatory status, instrumentation and AO systems 
The astronomical landscape in the 2020s 
TMT synergy with other facilities and capabilities:

  • Space observatories
  • The radio/millimeter telescope network
  • LSST and other large survey facilities, time domain science, etc.
  • TMT and other ground-based O/IR facilities in the 2020s

Friday 18 July: parallel sessions

TMT Instrumentation Workshop 
Parallel science sessions and ISDT working meetings:

  • Fundamental physics and cosmology
  • Early universe, galaxy formation and the intergalactic medium
  • The Milky Way and nearby galaxies
  • Supermassive black holes
  • Formation of stars and planets
  • Exoplanets
  • Our solar system
  • Time domain science

Saturday 19 July: plenary sessions and panel discussions

Talks on major areas of TMT science 
ISDT reports and the TMT Detailed Science Case update 
Future directions for TMT planning:

  • TMT key programs
  • TMT operations, time allocation, and data management
  • TMT in the US/NSF astronomical landscape
  • Future instrumentation and scientific priorities

Scientific Organizing Committee: Nobuo Arimoto (Subaru) * Stefi Baum (Rochester Institute of Technology) * Mike Bolte [co-chair] (UC Santa Cruz) * Mark Dickinson [chair] (NOAO) * Paul Hickson (University of British Columbia) * Garth Illingworth (UC Santa Cruz) * Jennifer Lotz (STScI) * Shude Mao (NAOC) * Constance Rockosi (UC Santa Cruz/UCO) * Luc Simard (TMT/CNRC) * Warren Skidmore (TMT) * Gordon Squires (TMT/Caltech/IPAC) * Charles Steidel (Caltech) * Annapurni Subramaniam (IIA) * Tony Travouillon (TMT) * Tomonori Usuda (NAOJ)

When

17 – 19 July 2014

Where

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Arizona, USA