Annual Report 2011 Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

Klaus Meisenheimer: Member of der AGN/Galactic Center
working group
Reinhard Mundt: Member of the carmeneS Core
Managment Team as Representative of the MPIA;
Ombudsman of the MPIA
Markus Nielbock: Member of the herScheL pacS
Instrument Control Centre (ICC); Member of the
herScheL Calibration Steering Group as a Representative
of the pacS ICC; Member of der herScheL Pointing
Working Group
Hans-Walter Rix: Member of the PS1 Science Consortium;
Member of the nirSpec Science Team; Member of
the DFG boards; Member of the Emmy-Noether Panel;
Member of the Visiting Committees STScI; Member of
the eucLid Mission Board
Eva Schinnerer: Member of the NRAO Users Committee
Amelia Stutz: Member of the MPIA Stac; Member of the
Eso TAC
Roy van Boekel: Member of the belgium VLTI TAC
Glenn van de Ven: Member of the Linc-nirvana Science
Team
Remco van den Bosch: Member of the MPIA computer
committee
Tessel van der Laan: Member of the WBK
Fabian Walter: Member of the NRAO Panel to Advise on
Science and EVLA Operations (Paseo)
Further Activities
The MPIA released 12 press releases. Several radio and
television interviews have been given (Klaus Jäger,
Markus Pössel, Axel M. Quetz, and others).
The eight lectures of the lecture series “Astronomie
am Sonntag Vormittag” in June and July have been
organized by Markus Pössel, Klaus Jäger, and Axel
M. Quetz.
Markus Feldt organized the “Miniforschung” for undergraduates.
For the Girls’ Day on April 14 th at the institute Vianak
Naranjo was responsible, with participation of Klaus
Jäger, Markus Pössel, Lisa Kaltenegger, Natalie
Raettig, Aurora Sicilia, and others.
The Board of Trustees hold a meeting on November
29 th which was organized by Klaus Jäger, Thomas
Henning, and Hans-Walter Rix.
The pupil practical “Astronomie” on October 24. – 28.
was organized and led by Klaus Meisenheimer and
Michael Biermann (ZAH/ LSW) with participation of
Silvia Scheithauer, and Klaus Jäger.
During the year a total of 440 visitors in 19 groups have
been given guided tours through the institute (Axel
M. Quetz, Markus Pössel, Vesselina Kalinova, Silvia
Scheithauer, and others).
Service in Committees / Further Activities 103
The new newsletter of the MPIA was elaborated by
Klaus Jäger (conception and editing work), Mathias
Voss, Thomas Henning, and Hans-Walter Rix.
In honor of Jakob Staude on November 15 a scientific
celebratory colloquium was held, organized by Klaus
Jäger, Markus Pössel, Axel M. Quetz, and Hans-
Walter Rix.
Vianak Naranjo held the office of the equal opportunities
officer at the MPIA.
Tessel van der Laan (until Sept. 29), Karsten Dittrich
(since Sept. 29) and Maren Mohler have been student
representatives at the MPIA during 2011.
Axel M. Quetz was member of the editorial team which
created the 50th volume of “Sterne und Weltraum”.
Jakob Staude was member of the publisher team of
the 50th volume of “Sterne und Weltraum”.
Guided tours through the Astrophysical Laboratory
in Jena during the “Long night of the Sciences” on
November 25th under the motto “Laboratory experiments
simulate conditions in interstellar dust clouds”
were held by Cornelia Jäger, Gaël Rouillé, Karsten,
Potrick, and Mathias Steglich.
Roberto Decarli organized the weekly Galaxy Coffee.
Brent Groves was science co-coordinator of the KinGfiSh
group.
Friedrich Huisken was member of the program commitee
of the international conference: International
Symposium on Rarefied Gas Dynamics (RGD) and
Mitheraco-editor of the Romanianen conference series
on laser and optics “romopto”.
Klaus Jäger created contributions for TV broadcaster
(ARD, SWR, RNF, N24, CampusTV) as well as
counseled them; he created contributions für print
magazines; he created an audio/video trailer for the
opening of the Astronomischen Gesellschaft (AG)
in Heidelberg; he composed and produced music
on occasion of the inauguration of the “House of
Astronomy” and for TV at astronomical topics; he
wrote press releases for the AG, for the Rat Deutscher
Sternwarten and the LBT-associated company
(LBTB); he contributed in planning and on events of
the “House of Astronomy”, the International Science
School Heidelberg, der annual meeting of the AG in
Heidelberg and he gave several special guided tours
and lectures; he organized the “Visitor Colloquium”
at the MPIA (with Meidt, Klahr).
Lisa Kaltenegger: collaboration with the eSa proposal
teams of neat and EChO; PI of the ISSI-Team “1D/3D
Exoplanet Atmospheres and their Characterization”;
Co-I of the naSa Explorer Mission teSS; Co-I of
the naSa Astrobiology Institute: Advent of Complex
Life.
Alexander Karim took part at the science slam in Bonn with
his contribution “Stars, Sterne und Galaxien” as well as
at the science slam in the cinema “Capitol” in Mainz. He
counseled the TV broadcaster 3Sat for the broadcasting
“Für meine Forschung werben – auf der Bühne”.