National Institute of Science and Technology in Astrophysics (INCTA) Management committee João Evangelista Steiner (coordinator) Beatriz Leonor da Silveira Barbuy (vice-coordenator) Albert Bruch Daniela Lazzaro Hugo Vicente Capelato Thaisa Storchi Bergmann Main researchers João Evangelista Steiner Beatriz Leonor da Silveira Barbuy Albert Bruch Daniela Lazzaro Hugo Vicente Capelato Thaisa Storchi Bergmann Luís Raul Weber Abramo François Christophe Cuisinier Adriano Hoth Cerqueira Roberto Cid Fernandes Junior Jacques Raymond Daniel Lépine Laerte Sodré Junior Kepler de S. Oliveira Filho Ioav Waga Luiz Paulo Ribeiro Vaz Summary of achievements and perspectives In May 2009 the Scientific Committee of INCTA decided to adopt as a method of planning, the elaboration of “White Papers” for the different activities. This is the first step of planning INCTA and a total of 22 White Papers were produced and can be found in the site: www.astro.iag.usp. br /~incta Brazil’s participation in the Gemini and SOAR observatories has already shown significant return. In Gemini, the Brazilian participation in refereed publications is already about 10%, using only 2.3% of the time. Altogether 69 Brazilian authors have signed papers with data from Gemini to date. In SOAR, scientific production is still incipient. This telescope began its operation five years after the Gemini. Still, we can say that Brazil accounts for 54% of the papers published to date, having used only 30% of the time. Perhaps more important at this time is that the SOAR Telescope has enabled Brazilian Astronomy to establish a world class instrumentation program. Two instruments have been built and a third is under construction. In terms of human resource training, the INCTA allocated the first postgraduate scholarships for Masters, restricted to emerging groups. The discussions on ELTs (Extremely Large Telescopes) have taken much of the efforts of INCTA. Several contacts and meetings were held between the sub-group with special responsibility and the various projects. Trough INCTA, Brazil became a member of the IVOA (International Virtual Observatory Alliance). Brazilian researchers have participated in international events in the IVOA.
INCTA also formed a group on Education, with the goal of designing a course in astronomy for science teachers of primary and secondary schools throughout Brazil. Several study visits were made in order to understand the demand and propose partnerships. Contacts Rua do Matão, 1226 - Cidade Universitária - USP CEP 05508-900 - São Paulo - SP Brazil Phone: (5511) 3091 2800 - Fax: (5511) 3091 2860 E-mail: steiner@pq.cnpq.br;steiner@astro.iag.usp.br
Gemini North - Mauna Kea, Hawaii
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