News from the Department of Astronomy
at the University of Toronto

On June 30, 1999, Ernie Seaquist will complete his term as department chair, a position he has held since 1988. The period of his tenure has been a trying time for university administrators because of severe budget cuts. However, under Ernie's capable leadership, the department of Astronomy has survived and is looking forward to a prosperous future. The chair designate is Peter Martin who will start his term on July 1.

Some highlights of the last ten years -

• The department has built a strong group in observational cosmology with the hiring of Howard Yee, Simon Lilly and, more recently, Barth Netterfield, who is cross-appointed to Physics. In addition, we are currently conducting a tenure-track search for another observational cosmologist. The next plan is to build a group in the area of star formation and planetary formation and evolution.
• Slavek Rucinski has recently been hired to direct the day-to-day operations at the David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill.
• The ties with CITA and the Physics department have been strengthened. A joint M. Sc. program in Astrophysics and Physics has been implemented.
• For more than a year, the graduate students have been hosting a series of public open houses at the St. George campus. These are held in the evening, twice a month.
• Using observations obtained with the 1.88-metre telescope at the DDO, a group of graduate students has started the DDO Intermediate Velocity Cloud distance project. This initiative has already led to one published ApJ paper and a number papers in conference proceedings. Additional journal papers are in the works.
• New undergraduate courses designed especially for students of the humanities and social sciences have been established. Undergraduate course enrolment has increased by 50%.
• The 1.88-metre telescope at the DDO is now used routinely for undergraduate laboratory work. This provides the students with an opportunity to get involved in "real" research.
• The Astronomy department has taken the lead in introducing a new interdisciplinary program in Planetary Sciences at the undergraduate level (along with Chemistry, Geology and Physics).
• On the negative side, the department was forced to close its Chile operation (UTSO) because of funding cuts. However, the 0.61-metre Helen Sawyer Hogg telescope has been moved across the Andes to Argentina where we still have access.
• Two DDO stalwarts died in the last ten years; Helen Sawyer Hogg in 1993 and Karl Kamper in 1998.
• There have been two retirements: Don Fernie (1996) and Phil Kronberg (1999).

-- Christine Clements

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