Science Near the Sea
No matter what activity you love, you’ve probably experienced the benefits of getting together with other people who love it too. Sharing ideas as a community, either online or in person, can be so inspiring! That feeling is what drew about 150 scientists and Rubin staff (with an additional ~55 participating online) to Poreč, Croatia, from September 25-29 for a meeting called LSST@Europe5. LSST is short for Legacy Survey of Space and Time — the name of the 10-year survey Rubin will begin in 2025.
The meeting attracted scientists from all over Europe who are contributing to Rubin planning and development, or preparing to do research with Rubin data — or both. Folks who work directly with Rubin were also at the meeting, giving updates on specific topics of interest and helping connect people with common goals.
The meeting organizers prepared a busy schedule, filled with presentations on the many different research areas that Rubin will advance, progress reports on partnerships between Rubin and various European groups, and more. A popular Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity session encouraged discussion of individual and small-group actions that help make astronomy and astrophysics welcoming spaces for everyone. Conference-goers took advantage of a week of opportunities to network and catch up with colleagues during breaks, mealtimes, and social events. Even those who couldn’t attend in-person were able to participate and engage in sessions virtually, thanks to the meeting’s hybrid format.
For those in Poreč, opportunities for fun were included too! People had the option to tour Postojna Cave during a mid-week excursion, and many attendees took advantage of the beautiful weather and scenery to explore Poreč in their free time.
The Rubin science community had some great things to say on social media about the value of this productive and well-run meeting, and are already excited about next year’s meeting, LSST@Europe6, which is planned for fall 2024 in La Palma, Spain.
Thanks to the LSST@Europe5 organizing team, and to B612 Foundation and LSST Discovery Alliance for providing financial support for the meeting.