Ordinary Meeting with Prof Andrew Hopkins (Macquarie University)

Guest Speaker: Professor Andrew Hopkins, Macquarie University

Title: "EMU: The Evolutionary Map of the Universe"

Abstract:

EMU is the touchstone radio atlas of the Southern Hemisphere. It is a radio survey at ~1 GHz, with a sensitivity of ~25 microJy rms conducted with the ASKAP radio telescope. It will measure more than 20 million extragalactic radio sources while also delivering the best fidelity map of the Galactic Plane to date. EMU is now about 30% complete in terms of its observations. It is supporting a broad range of science, spanning star formation and evolution in our own Galaxy, galaxy evolution and the links between star formation and supermassive black holes, to cosmology. I will summarise the current status of the survey and highlight a selection of recent results.

Biography:

Andrew Hopkins has more than 25 years experience as a professional astronomer. He has held prestigious research fellowships, the Hubble Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, and an Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship at the University of Sydney. He led the astronomy group at the Australian Astronomical Observatory for ten years, including a five month period as Acting Director, until its restructuring in 2018. He is an active leader in Australian astronomy, having been President of the Astronomical Society of Australia, and having served on the National Committee for Astronomy, as well as dozens of advisory committees. His leadership and management have been recognised with multiple awards from the Federal Department of Industry. He is a strong champion for diversity and equity, having led the AAO’s Diversity Committee 2013-2018. This work has been recognised through the AAO winning the 2013 AHRI Gender Equity award, and with a series of Silver Pleiades Awards from the ASA. He is a Fellow of the Astronomical Society of Australia, and Professor of Astronomy at Macquarie University. His research is aimed at understanding the evolution of star formation in galaxies over cosmic history.