Advances in astrophysics are often data driven. Yet, large observing facilities capable of collecting the most sensitive data are expensive. Telescope time therefore constitutes a precious resource, part of which is allocated via an open and competitive process. In this session, I will share reflections on observing proposal writing, aimed primarily at junior scientists (PhDs, postdocs) who are new to this aspect of the astronomer's profession, but I equally welcome questions and thoughts from those who have acted on the proposing or reviewing end before. My own experience draws in part from service on review panels for a handful of major observatories. My reflections won't be specific to one observatory, and in many cases insights may be transferable to other proposals and applications as well.
BIO
Prof Stijn Wuyts holds the Hiroko-Sherwin Chair in Extragalactic Astronomy at the University of Bath. He obtained his PhD from Leiden University on the topic of "Red Galaxies at High Redshift", worked on the interface between galaxy observations and simulations as a Keck Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and observationally explored galaxy growth as a Junior Scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. At the University of Bath, he combines tracers of stars, dust, ionised and cold gas to reveal the physics governing the build-up of stars within galaxies near and far, and the evolution of their structure through cosmic time.
Host: Cheng Li
