CIERA kicked off the new year by welcoming over 100 people to an open house to learn more about the center while enjoying cake, coffee, and champagne in their new offices on the 8th floor of 1800 Sherman on January 22.
Interim vice president for research at Northwestern and senior staff to President Schapiro, Milan Mrksich gave his remarks at the celebration, praising CIERA before raising a toast.
“The center is a stellar example of the continuing rise of Northwestern as an important center of knowledge and contributor to the interdisciplinary science of astrophysics. This new facility will support the growth of CIERA faculty, postdocs, and students which will give rise to many new opportunities for discovery,” said Mrksich. “CIERA is an example of a center that is on a rapid trajectory; the singular expertise found here on the 8th floor is leading the future of astrophysics.”
Visitors came from an array of departments at Northwestern, and included university President Morton Schapiro, the Deans of Weinberg, McCormick, and SESP, and CIERA’s Board of Visitors. A large number of faculty, researchers, students and staff from CIERA’s collaborating departments, as well as NUIT, joined in the event.
There were stations throughout the office for visitors to have a chance to talk to CIERA researchers. Topics included the newly completed remote observing room, high performance computing, visualizations and instrumentation, and LIGO, as well as for programs such as IDEAS, Gravity Spy, and Reach for the Stars.
CIERA Director Vicky Kalogera followed Professor Mrksich’s remarks by thanking Northwestern for its investments in astronomy and highlighting the accomplishments and rapid growth of the center.
“We’ve entered the second decade of CIERA. Welcome to the new year, the new decade, and the new CIERA,” said Professor Kalogera. “We’re grateful to everyone who made this possible.”
By: Lydia Rivers