In this talk, Professor Warrick Couch details how the Australian Astronomical Observatory have risen to this challenge to ensure optical astronomy in Australia remains internationally relevant and competitive.
More specifically, he talks about an instrument technology development program, which has given the Anglo Australian Telescope capabilities that are unrivalled anywhere else in the world.
This telescope has enabled scientists to conduct world-leading research in the areas of cosmology, galaxy formation, and the search for ‘habitable’ planets around other stars.
Warrick Couch is the Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO). Prior to taking up this position, he was Director of the Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. Warrick is also a founding non-executive director of Astronomy Australia Limited, and was its Chair from 2010-2012.
He has also been Chair of the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, Chair of the AAO Advisory Committee, and is currently the Vice-President of the Australian Institute of Physics.
He has 35 years research experience in the fields of observational cosmology and galaxy evolution, and was a member of the Supernova Cosmology Project whose leader was a joint winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the accelerating universe.
Published: 19/08/2014