by Doug Simons Director, Gemini Observatory
Director’s Message In October 2008, the world watched in amazement as the New York Stock Exchange entered what appeared to be a free fall, with other markets around the globe following suit. The news was filled with terms like “too big to fail” and “government bailout,” as the global economy seemed to take on a life of its own — a life that was nearly out of control as governments and investors scrambled to reign in this juggernaut. At Gemini’s overseas sites, thousands of kilometers from the world’s financial centers, there was a sense of tacit isolation from these catastrophic economic events. I knew that, through the many government agencies that provide our funding, Gemini would be affected, but exactly how and when was less clear. Like the rest of the world, I was mainly looking for the stock market crash to bottom out; at least I would know the magnitude of the problem and could begin to assess its impact on Gemini Observatory and our international community. With the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) already planning a major review of its program in 2009 –– as well as recent budget challenges within the STFC, and the anticipated 2012 renegotiation of Gemini’s International Agreement — it was no secret that our UK partner was in a precarious position when the 2008 global economic crisis struck. In a sense, the economic turmoil in late 2008 behaved like a tsunami with waves that propagated around the world repeatedly before they eventually damped out. For Gemini Observatory, the tsunami, which started in New York, was felt in the UK and ultimately washed upon Gemini’s “shores” in Hawai‘i and Chile with the announced withdrawal of the UK from the Gemini partnership at the end of 2012, resulting in an unprecedented budget reduction for the observatory. While daunting, Gemini’s budget challenges are certainly not unique. This newsletter article is being read by hundreds within our community who are facing similar budget shortfalls; astronomers, engineers, and administrators are now forced to absorb pay and benefit cuts, adapt to furloughs, or cope with work-force reductions. Though Gemini’s budget challenges are unique in our brief history, it is important to place them in the context of similar circumstances across our international community. Despite this setback, Gemini Observatory remains committed to providing its community with advanced tools to support their research ambitions. The question is “how?”
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