Continuing exploitation of UK investment in JCMT

We propose that the UK continues to play a significant role in the partnership that is now operating the James Clerk Maxwell telescope (JCMT) for the 3 year period 2018-2020 inclusive. This follows on from the very successful operation of JCMT over the past 3 years by the East Asian Observatory (EAO), along with contributions from the UK and Canada after STFC handed over ownership of the facility in early 2015.

The requested funding from STFC of £250k per year for 3 years, along with the matched funding from the Universities in this consortium, will allow the UK to become a roughly 20% partner in the facility. This contribution however will allow the UK comunity to leverage a far higher share of observing time and data from JCMT. This is becasue EAO have allocated 50% of observing time to large programmes, with a condition that these programmes must be inclusive of scientists from all the partners, namely the four EAO partner regions of China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, as well as the UK and Canada. The remaining 50% of time is allocated to PI projects, peer reviewed by a single TAC, roughly in proportion to financical contribution. Therefore the UK gets access to ~60% of the time for only 20% of the cost. The reason for this apparently generous model is that EAO recognise that their communities will benefit by collaborating with teh long-standing expertise available in the UK and Canadian communities.

We also request a small amount of travel funding to allow UK astronomers to spend time working with the EAO staff in Hawaii, and to attend essential JCMT meetings.

The JCMT has a very strong history of impact in public outreach, and this will continue.

The public has a very positive view of astronomy research which draws benefit into all science areas, and also helps to attract young people to study STEM subjects at school and University.

Because this is a collabroation with the 4 east Asian partners of taiwan, China, South Korea and Japan it enables UK Universities and scientists to develop closer ties with strong research institutions in these 4 very strong economies. There are strong opportunities for student exchange, both outward for UK students and inwards for Asian students coming to learn in the UK having seen the positive outcomes of the research being conducted.

UK Phd students and early career researchers will also have the opportunity to work with cutting edge technology, both in terms of hardware at the telescope and software in analsying the data. There is significnat opportunity for this training to result in spinout activity in other areas, for example the UK creative industries in the case of software, and for imaging technologies with the hardware.