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The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, USA) and IRAM, the Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range (Grenoble, France) have finalized the signature of a collaboration agreement in the area of Millimeter Astronomy and in particular for NOEMA, the Northern Extended Millimeter Array project. The agreement, which runs for five years, will serve to strengthen and accelerate the scientific and technological progress generated by NOEMA.   

Jean-Loup Puget (Member of the IRAM steering committee) and Edwin Bergin (Dean of Astronomy Dept, University of Michigan) signing the agreement documents.

On 1st of September 2016, Prof. Edwin Bergin (Dean of Astronomy Department University of Michigan) and Prof. Jean-Loup Puget (member of the IRAM steering committee and member of the French academy of science) have put their signature on the agreement documents. The signature ceremony has been hold during a visit on the NOEMA site on Plateau de Bure in the presence of representatives from US and French embassies (Mrs. O. Krawciw and Prof. H. Martin) and the IRAM direction. The visitors have been updated by the IRAM director on the status of the NOEMA project and the upcoming steps.

NOEMA will enable astronomical observations with previously unattained sensitivities and precision. The signed agreement testifies to the international attention and the particular interest NOEMA is drawing far beyond the European horizon. The primary goal of the collaboration is to make progress in the understanding of astrophysics and to improve technology to do so. A similarly important goal is the strengthening of the collaboration to exchange know-how and technical skills, and to train scientists and students. While scientific transatlantic collaborations for space based observatories are relatively common, collaborations on ground based facilities are less developed so far.

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is among the most prestigious US universities (Shanghai 22) and its astronomy department runs multiple scientific projects with IRAM and also IPAG, the Grenoble Institute for Planetology and Astrophysics.
 

From left to right : R. Neri (IRAM), S. Maret (IPAG/UGA), K. Schuster (IRAM), T. Bergin (UMICH), F. Gueth (IRAM), O. Krawciw (USA embassy in France), J.L. Puget (IRAM steering committee), H.Martin (French Embassy in USA ), B. Gautier (IRAM), J.Gensel (UGA), F. Desert (IPAG/UGA)

IRAM is a world-leading Institute for millimeter wave astronomy funded by a partnership between CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain). IRAM runs two world-class observatories, the 30m telescope in southern Spain and the NOEMA interferometer in the French Alps as well as the development centre and headquarters in Grenoble France.

More information at : Astronomy Department University of Michigan

The news is also published on the INSU web page