The JCMT Workshop 2015 was held at National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) on Jan 26-27,2015. Supported by the Pilot B Project Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the workshop aimed to assist the Chinese astronomical community to get familiar with the science and technology of the James Clerk Maxwell Submillimetre Telescope (JCMT). More than 80 scientists, post-docs and graduated students from 12 institutions, including NAOC, SHAO, PMO, JCMT, UCLA, University of Missouri, Peking University, and Nanjing University attended the workshop.
In the workshop, Prof. Suijian Xue, Deputy Director General of NAOC, delivered the opening speech and briefed the new management structure of the East Asian Observatory (EAO) who is responsible for the operation of the JCMT in partnership with UK and Canada. Dr. Jessica Dempsey, JCMT operation manager, presented the new operation model of the telescope. Dr. Per Friberg, head of JCMT instrumentation division, provided an overview of the JCMT instruments and observatory facilities. Dr. Harriet Parsons, JCMT support scientist, together with Dr. Dempsey gave a series demonstration on using the JCMT observing tools and data reduction pipeline. They also presented the highlights of research results from the JCMT.
Scientists from different research institutions of China presented talks on potential JCMT projects to exchange ideas in a variety of areas, from galactic star formation regions and nearby galaxies to hyper-luminous obscured AGNs, high redshift galaxies and quasars. A panel discussion was also conducted on China's role in the EAO and potential JCMT surveys.
JCMT is the largest single dish telescope designed to operate at sumillimeter wavelengths. The 15 meter telescope is located on the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea. The ownership of JCMT has been transferred from UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to the University of Hawaii from January 2015. From then on, the East Asian Observatory (EAO) operates JCMT on behalf of the University of Hawaii. As a member of EAO, China will have access to JCMT.
