Was at STScI for the past two days...

.. for a science meeting and a job interview, working on a big Spitzer program for 30 Dor. Was interesting being at the hub of science operations for HST (and JWST), but have to admit, I was expecting a more glamorous location for STScI instead of possibly the most non-descript office building stuck on a back lot at Johns Hopkins! Blink, and you'd miss it! The parking garage was more impressive!

Still, would be a nice place to work if it pans out

Oh, and heard interesting stories re. the UK and the fall out from the decision to pull out of Gemini..... let's just say, DO NOT shaft the American scientific community, vengeance comes pretty quickly :lol:

How'd the interview go?
I have an interview on Monday, supposed to be in Dublin but I'm doing it over the telephone. At least I don't have to dress up in business attire.

I doubt that it's just the American scientific community. Academics in all of the participating nations put blood, sweat and tears into getting the funding for Gemini. They probably consider the failure of the Brits to keep their end up a betrayal because any withdrawal of funding threatens the completion of future instrument packages.

There are a number of 'spending reviews' going on in Britain at the moment that seem to be controlled by MBAs and accountants rather than the people who understand the field that the money will be spent in. This is just the latest in a list of controversies that have been sparked off by bean counters with tunnel vision.

let's just say, DO NOT shaft the American scientific community, vengeance comes pretty quickly :lol:

Australians not too happy either.

Any UK folks here might want to visit www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_cont...id=1376&Itemid=1
Massive hole in the budget apparently since PPARC merged into the new science quango or whatever its called.

The Americans are pretty good at shafting the Europeans:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_probe

How'd the interview go?
I have an interview on Monday, supposed to be in Dublin but I'm doing it over the telephone. At least I don't have to dress up in business attire.

Went pretty well. Should find out by the weekend. Best of luck for yours.

I doubt that it's just the American scientific community. Academics in all of the participating nations put blood, sweat and tears into getting the funding for Gemini. They probably consider the failure of the Brits to keep their end up a betrayal because any withdrawal of funding threatens the completion of future instrument packages.

The Gemini consortium were very understandably hacked off with the UK for their sudden pull out - money had been committed for ops and development, and the UK pullout had put a huge hole in the finances. The immediate consequence was an immediate cessation of UK access to Gemini - all scheduled UK observers had their time pulled. Even the UK flag was pulled down at HQ (that seemed to irritate STFC more than the actual loss of time, by all accounts). Cue a hasty retreat by the UK, and they are back on board for the moment - seems likely that they will drop out of Gemini North, but keep their time on Gemini South.