MMT Observatory's 40th Anniversary Symposium and Celebration

Symposium
Tuesday, 14 May 2019 - Thursday, 16 May 2019
Environment and Natural Resources Building 2 (ENR2)
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Banquet & Celebration
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Location TBD

Website: http://40th.mmto.org/
Contact: swahl@mmto.org

Summary: The innovative 4.5-m Multiple Mirror Telescope was dedicated on May 9, 1979.  Later that year, on July 1, 1979, an MOU was signed by the Smithsonian Institution and the Arizona Board of Regents formally establishing the MMT Observatory.  The original telescope saw "last light" on March 2, 1998, and the Observatory entered a new era of scientific discovery with the dedication of the 6.5-m telescope on May 20, 2000.   The new telescope will soon surpass the operating lifetime of the original telescope.  The Symposium will recognize 40 years of successful operation and celebrate the MMT's past, present, and future.  Presentations will include a mix of historical "recollections", recent science results, and future instrumentation.   The talks will be aimed at an educated public to allow for a broad audience.  Following the first day of talks, there will be a welcome reception on the evening of Tuesday, May 14th.  A banquet and celebration will be held on the evening of Wednesday, May 15th; staff and friends of the MMT who are not able to attend the symposium talks are encouraged to register for the banquet and social event.  Special tours of Mount Hopkins will likely be scheduled for Monday, May 13 and Friday, May 17.  There may also be some free time allocated on Wednesday afternoon for relaxing or sightseeing.

Invited Talks: A list of invited speakers will be posted on the symposium website.

Contributed Talks and Posters: The deadline for title submission for contributed talks and posters will be on March 15, 2019.

Registration: There will be options to register for only the symposium, only the banquet/celebration, or both.  Registration will likely open in January and close on April 12, 2019.

Accommodations: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Tucson Marriott University Park at the government rate of $94/night.   Click here to book a room.  The deadline for reserving a room is April 13, 2019.

Additional details about registering, accommodations, and the agenda will be sent in future emails and posted on the Symposium and Celebration website at http://40th.mmto.org/

Scientific Organizing Committee:
Grant Williams
Joannah Hinz
Ben Weiner
Nelson Caldwell
Serena Kim

Local Organizing Committee:
Susan Wahl
Barbara Russ