From Dublin City University, School of Physical Sciences:
We are pleased to announce a talk by Prof. Tim de Zeeuw, Director General European Southern Observatory:
ESO and the E ELT*
The talk will take place on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 9:30 am in room HG19 of the DCU School of Nursing
(campus map at http://www.dcu.ie/info/campus.shtml)
* (European Extremely Large Telescope)
Abstract:
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental organization for astronomy. Its mission is to enable scientific discoveries by constructing and operating powerful observational facilities and to organize collaborations in astronomy. ESO operates mediumбsized optical telescopes on Cerro La Silla, the Very Large Telescope and Interferometer on Cerro Paranal, widely considered to be the most advanced optical/infrared observatory in the world to which the survey telescopes VISTA and VST will be added soon, and the subбmillimeter observatory APEX on Llano Chajnantor, all located in Northern Chile. ESO represents Europe in a partnership with North America and East Asia that is constructing the Atacama Large Millimeter/subб millimeter Array on Chajnantor, to be completed in 2013. ESO is designing the European Extremely Large Telescope (EбELT) with a 42m primary mirror and adaptive optics builtбin, to be constructed in the next decade. The talk will summarize the current program, will discuss the status of the EбELT design and briefly touch on the science it will enable.
Summary CV Prof. de Zeeuw
Tim de Zeeuw received his PhD degree from Leiden University. He worked at the Institute for Advanced Study and Caltech before returning to Leiden as professor of astronomy. His research focuses on the formation, structure and dynamics of galaxies. He directed the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy and Leiden Observatory, and served on oversight committees for AURA, ESA, ESO and NASA. He led the development of the European Science Vision for Astronomy. He holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of Lyon and Chicago and is currently Director General of ESO.