GeminiFocus July, 2015 | Page 3

Markus Kissler-Patig Director’s Message Gemini in 2015: An Eye to the Future Gemini is on a strong, focused path that will strengthen our current instrument capabilities, broaden our user possibilities, and solidify international partnership agreements well into the future. As I write these words, members of the Gemini community are gathering in Toronto, Canada, for the triennial Future and Science of Gemini Observatory users’ meeting. Input from this meeting will help shape Gemini’s future beyond the changes we’ve already made in operations over the last three years. These changes in operations, as well as the now available full four-instrument (plus adaptive optics) complement at each telescope, have set us on a strong, user-focused path for the next few years. Now priorities for the 2020’s are being discussed amongst all of our stakeholders in Toronto. Looking Ahead The 2016-2021 International Gemini Agreement provides the terms under which the Partnership currently operates. With the decade beginning in 2020 appearing on the horizon, the next Agreement is slated for preparation in 2018. This process began at the Gemini Board meeting in Hilo last May (see Board recommendations here), and continued in Toronto in June. Gemini’s long-range planning is happening in concert with other exciting developments in telescope facilities in both hemispheres, as well as in space: In the south, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) will be operating routinely; the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) plans to begin its 10-year deep survey of the entire visible sky in 2021; and the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), as well as the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) are expected to see first light in 2021 and 2024, respectively. July 2015 GeminiFocus 1