CASCA and Canadian Astronomy in the Future

 

As I write this message, my thoughts are on the many facets of our community, the changes which have taken place over the past few years, and the role of CASCA in all of this. 

Many of us are preoccupied with the same issues: finding adequate time and resources to do our research, while dealing with daily pressures at work which sometimes seem to take over our lives.  Roughly a quarter of CASCA members are students who are learning to manage demanding courses, research projects and emerging careers.

At the same time we are trying to forge the future - access to new and ever more complex observational and computational facilities, growth through new positions at universities and new observatories, and maintaining, even strengthening, scientific excellence. 

Through the Long Range Plan (formally launched in 2000) we have begun to plan for the future and, at the same time, we have become recognized within the Canadian scientific community for our ability to work together and achieve some of our major goals.  But, as I have reminded you in previous messages, we are only part way toward achieving the goals of the LRP and getting the rest of the way will be hard work.  The unity of Canadian astronomers in making the LRP case to the federal government and funding agencies has been a strong element in our success; it may well rank even higher than the excellence of our community and scientific goals in determining the success we have had so far. We are now embarked on a mid-course review of the LRP.  The new panel, chaired by Ernie Seaquist, will consider the status of the LRP and focus its efforts on understanding what is required to complete the process.

But, for many of us, this exercise seems bureaucratic and distant: something that "other people" are doing.  We are preoccupied with more immediate problems -  promoting instruments or facilities that already exist and will serve us well for some time to come, strengthening our research groups with new hiring and new graduate students, finding ways to gain access to new funding sources and more. 

The broader national picture and things like the LRP and the LRP Review may not engage us with the same immediacy.

With the growth of our community and the broadening of its reach, the role of CASCA has also grown and should, I believe, continue to do so.  CASCA has a role to play in connecting Canadian astronomers with the many groups and agencies that we must deal with.  Somewhat to our own surprise, other scientific disciplines within Canada are looking to us as models for both scientific and planning leadership.  But yet we struggle to maintain even small jobs like keeping our Society's web page up to date.  CASCA officers have steadily more to do and less time to do it...  The mismatch between the two pictures: national and international leadership, and managing details of our professional society, needs to be given some attention and redressed. It is time for us to take the next organizational step to make CASCA the society we need now.

When I became CASCA President almost two years ago, several previous presidents came to me with just this concern.  And, during my term as President, I have seen many examples to support them.  CASCA is an organization of growing importance, which has gained respect in Canada and beyond.  CASCA represents astronomers as a whole and, as such, can speak in many forums.  CASCA officers are currently called on to represent Canadian astronomers to a variety of agencies and groups, including ACURA, CSA, NSERC, and NRC.  These requests come to us because CASCA is recognized as speaking to the wide range of issues which matter to Canadian astronomers and speaking for the wider community.  Our ability to work together and make this voice credible needs to continue and become stronger. 

I look forward to seeing you at CASCA2004 and welcome your ideas on this important issue.

Gretchen Harris

March 2004