GeminiFocus 2014 Year in Review | Page 36

Contributions by Gemini staff News for Users The following compilation includes “New for Users” updates from all 2014 issues of GeminiFocus. Stories are presented here in reverse chronological order, with the most recent issue first. (Some of the stories were updated in a subsequent issues; this is indicated at the end of each story.) January 2015 Science User Support Department Figure 1. The FLAMINGOS-2 gate valve mechanism, situated in the tunnel between the two halves of the cryostat. The front, temperature-cyclable part houses the MOS wheel, and the rear includes the camera optics and detector. Formed in mid-2014, the Science User Support Department (SUSD) is intended to provide sustained attention to post-observing support. The new department is largely a reorganization and will consolidate effort that has been distributed around Gemini, including data reduction software development, National Gemini Office interactions, helpdesk, data-reduction-forum stewardship, and archive coordination. Joanna Thomas-Osip manages the new department, having transitioned from a Science Operations Specialist to the post on September 15th. Joanna has a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Florida, as well as postdoctoral research and project management experience at both MIT and Las Campanas Observatory/Giant Magellan Telescope. Joanna’s vision for SUSD is to create a collaborative community of users and staff by “encouraging interactions that induce constructive interference in our feedback cycle.”  In other words, feedback and solutions should flow back-and-forth between users in a cycle that fosters constant improvements. For issues relating to user support, please feel free to contact Joanna at [email protected], or look for her at the January Gemini Users Meeting in Toronto (Ontario, Canada). Update on FLAMINGOS-2 As reported in the October 2014 issue of GeminiFocus, FLAMINGOS-2 is back on sky with image quality now good over the entire 34 GeminiFocus 2014 Year in Review January 2015