The University of California Observatories Advisory Committee (UCOAC) advises the UCO Director on the full range of policy issues related to University of California use of Lick Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, and the Thirty-Meter Telescope International Observatory. The UCOAC evaluates University of California (UC) system-wide initiatives relevant to optical and infrared observational capabilities.
Please see our UCOAC Meeting Resources for more information about specific meetings.
Tucker Jones, UCD, Keck SSC
Michael P. Fitzgerald, UCLA, Keck SSC
Quinn Konopacky UCSD, TMT SAC
Jessica Lu, UCB, Keck SCC
Bruce Macintosh, UCO Director
Connie Rockosi, UCSC, UCO Associate Director of Technical Laboratory
Matthew Shetrone, UCO Deputy Director
Tommaso Treu, UCLA, TMT SAC
Andrea Ghez, UCLA, UCO Chief Scientist
Mike Bolte, UCSC, UCO Associate Director TMT
Phil Hinz, UCSC, Director Laboratory for Adaptive Optics
Natasha Pedroza, UCSC, UCO Chief Development Officer
The University of California Observatories Advisory Committee (UCOAC) was established in 2012 and advises the UCO Director on the full range of policy issues related to University of California use of Lick Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, and the Thirty-Meter Telescope International Observatory. The UCOAC evaluates new UC astronomy initiatives relevant to optical and infrared observational capabilities. The committee meets four times per year (March, June, September, November) and holds additional telecons meetings that may require further deliberation. The November meeting agenda is primarily review of the UCOAC Mini-Grant and other UCO proposals. The UCOAC will establish ad hoc or standing subcommittees to address specific issues. In addition to providing advice to the Director, the UCOAC is the representative body charged with keeping astronomers throughout the system apprised of UCO activities and with gathering system-wide input on important issues related to UCO facilities and science priorities. The UCOAC Chair submits an annual report to the UCO Director that may be included in UCOP reports.
The membership consists of the following:
- One member each from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego, and UC Merced.
- UC members of the Keck Observatory Science Steering Committee.
- UC members of the Thirty-Meter Telescope Science Advisory Committee.
- UCO Director and UCO Deputy Director
All of the above are voting members and allowed during committee executive sessions.
Appointments to the UCOAC will be made by the UCO Director with concurrence of the relevant Department Chair. Campus members should arrange an alternate if they cannot attend a meeting, and inform the UCOAC chair and UCO Director of the change.
Terms of campus members will be three years. In some cases, membership may be renewed for a second term. The UCOAC Chair, chosen from one of the above members, will serve for a two-year term with an option for renewal.
The following UCO faculty and staff will also attend UCOAC meetings:
- UCO Associate Director for Instrumentation
- UCO Associate Director for the UCLA IR Lab
- UCO Associate Director for the Thirty-Meter Telescope
- UCO Assistant Director for Administration
- UCSC, Director Laboratory for Adaptive Optics
- UCO Chief Development Officer
Each year UCO provides funding for Faculty and Researchers with the primary goal to provide funding for instrumentation design, technology development, workshops, or other significant service activities that directly address the strategic and functional goals of UCO. The UCOAC evaluates the proposals and makes recommendations to the Director’s office for funding.
The call for proposals for the UCO Mini-Grant Program is made each August with deadlines in the end of October or early November. Please see the UCO Mini-grant Page.