Survey Science Group

Survey Science Group (SSG)

The VLASS Survey Science Group (SSG) played a critical role in leading the scientific definition of the VLA Sky Survey proposal through to its acceptance by the NRAO Director. Since then, the SSG has provided a significant contribution to the preliminary and critical design reviews, the implementation of the survey, the delivery of the survey data products, the 3rd epoch review, and engagement with the astronomy community and the public. The SSG is expected to play an essential advisory role for the VLASS Project Office through to completion of the project. These Terms of Reference describe the way in which the SSG interfaces with the VLASS Project Office at NRAO, with the goal of optimizing and enhancing the value of the survey for the community. Specifically, the SSG will:

  1. Assist NRAO in the planning for pipelines, data products and archiving.

  2. Help develop community plans for extended data products to maximize the scientific return from VLASS.

  3. Assist NRAO in maintaining and developing both science community outreach and general education and public outreach activities for VLASS.

  4. Act as a point of contact for feedback from the science community to the VLASS project team on the nature and quality of VLASS data products.

  5. Review survey documentation prior to release to the community.

The SSG may also be requested to help with reviews of the VLASS project as needed, and participating in, and/or suggesting members of, scientific organizing committees for VLASS science meetings.

Current SSG membership:

  • Kristina Nyland – SSG chair, Chenoa Tremblay - SSG co-chair

  • Extragalactic and extragalactic time domain science:  Kate Alexander, Heinz Andernach, Yjan Gordon, Kristina Nyland, Dillon Dong, Charlotte Ward, Pallavi Patil. 

  • Galactic and galactic time domain science: Joe Callingham, Gregg Hallinan, Laurent Loinard and Greg Sivakoff.

  • Polarization science: Jennifer West and Lerato Sebokolodi.

    • Education and Public Outreach: Jacob Noel-Storr and Summer Ash.
      • Commensal projects: Wendy Peters and Chenoa Tremblay.
        • Enhanced Data Products: Erik Rosolowsky
          • Science communication: Brian Kent

            Expert Community Members at Large: Rick White, Tracy Clarke, Shami Chatterjee, Larry Rudnick, Kunal Mooley, Eric Murphy, Casey Law, Russ Taylor, Rachel Osten, Joseph Lazio

            Prior memberships:

            SSG Board 2018-2022

            SSG Board Co-Chairs: Shami Chatterjee (Cornell) and Tracy Clarke (NRL)

            Working Group co-chairs:

            Extragalactic Working Group: Kristina Nyland (NRC/NRL), Heinz Andernach (U. Guanajuato)

            Galactic Working Group: Laurent Loinard (UNAM), Adam Ginsburg (U. Florida)

            Transients & Variability  Working Group: Gregg Hallinan (Caltech), Greg Sivakoff (Alberta)

            Science Communication: Amy Kimball (NRAO), Eric Murphy (NRAO)

            Education/Outreach: Jacob Noel-Storr (Groningen), Summer Ash (NRAO)

            Polarization Working Group: Jennifer West (DRAO),

            Commensal Science Working Group: Casey Law (Caltech), Kunal Mooley (NRAO/Caltech)

            Data Products and Archiving Working Group: Shea Brown (Iowa), Erik Rosolowsky (Alberta)

            Expert Community Members at Large

            Russ Taylor (Cape Town), Rick White (STScI), Stefi Baum (Manitoba), Rachel Osten (STScI), Joseph Lazio (JPL)

             

            SSG Board, 2016-2018 (responsible for kicking off the survey):

            SSG Board Co-Chairs: Shami Chatterjee (Cornell) and Tracy Clarke (NRL)

            Working Group co-chairs: Extragalactic Working Group: Gordon Richards (Drexel) and Amy Kimball (NRAO); Galactic Working Group: Rachel Osten (STScI) and Joe Lazio (JPL); Transients & Variability  Working Group: Gregg Hallinan (Caltech), Greg Sivakoff (Alberta); Communication/Education/Outreach: Susana Deustua (STScI), Jayanne English (Manitoba, from 1/17); Polarization Working Group: Larry Rudnick (Minnesota), Bryan Gaensler (Toronto); Survey Implementation Working Group: Casey Law (Berkeley), Kunal Mooley (Oxford); Data Products and Archiving Working Group: Eric Murphy (NRAO), Erik Rosolowsky (Alberta)

            Expert Community Members at Large:

            Jim Condon (NRAO), Jim Cordes (Cornell), Nicole Gugliucci (Anselm), Russ Taylor (Cape Town), Rick White (STScI), Ashley Zauderer (NYU), Stefi Baum (Manitoba)

            Original SSG Governing Council, 2014-2016 (responsible for the survey proposal):

            SSG Co-Chairs: Stefi Baum (RIT) and Eric Murphy (IPAC)

            Working Group co-chairs:
            Programmatics Co-Chairs: Jim Condon (NRAO), Rick White (STSCI)
            Galactic Co-Chairs: Rachel Osten (STSCI), Joe Lazio (JPL), Ex-Co-Chair: Cornelia Lang (U Iowa, soon on sabbatical leave)
            Extragalactic Co-Chairs: Jackie Hodge (NRAO), Gordon Richards (Drexel)
            Transients & Variability Co-Chairs: Gregg Hallinan (Caltech), Ashley Zauderer (CfA)
            Communication/Education/Outreach Co-Chairs: Susana Deustua (STSCI), Nicole Gugliucci (CosmoQuest)
            Technical WG Co-Chairs: Casey Law (UC Berkeley), Steve Myers (NRAO)

            At-large councilors:
            Niel Brandt (Penn State), Jim Cordes (Cornell), Mark Dickinson (NOAO), Tracy Clarke (NRL), Joe Lazio (JPL), Sui Ann Mao (U Wisc), Michael Strauss (Princeton)

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