Or rather, Director of STScI for a day, since that's the actual job title.
As Director for STScI, I have control over "director discretionary time." Pretty much, anyone who wishes to use the Hubble Space Telescope needs to apply for "time" to use it. Proposals are submitted and officials pick out the best research topics to use Hubble's time. However, the director has time to be allocated at his/her discretion, to be used on topics of their choice.
Hubble is a fantastic instrument. However until the James Webb Space Telescope launches, Hubble is the only one of its class. Therefore time on it is very valuable and scarce. Therefore, as director, I would elect to reduce the amount of discretionary time that I am allocated and relocate that to the astronomy research community. More research that uses Hubble as a result would be done.
Furthermore, I would promote more outreach to the public. This outreach would be in promoting astronomy research to the public, to convince them that it is certainly worth their hard-earned tax money. Since STScI is run by AURA (the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy), I would initiate a program where universities involved in AURA would do such promotions to their student bodies. College student bodies hold the future pretty much and so would serve as an ideal target for such promotions.
With these tactics I would hope to allow for more cutting-edge astronomy research and ensure that the public community remains convinced that this work is definitely worth investing in.
As Director for STScI, I have control over "director discretionary time." Pretty much, anyone who wishes to use the Hubble Space Telescope needs to apply for "time" to use it. Proposals are submitted and officials pick out the best research topics to use Hubble's time. However, the director has time to be allocated at his/her discretion, to be used on topics of their choice.
Hubble is a fantastic instrument. However until the James Webb Space Telescope launches, Hubble is the only one of its class. Therefore time on it is very valuable and scarce. Therefore, as director, I would elect to reduce the amount of discretionary time that I am allocated and relocate that to the astronomy research community. More research that uses Hubble as a result would be done.
Furthermore, I would promote more outreach to the public. This outreach would be in promoting astronomy research to the public, to convince them that it is certainly worth their hard-earned tax money. Since STScI is run by AURA (the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy), I would initiate a program where universities involved in AURA would do such promotions to their student bodies. College student bodies hold the future pretty much and so would serve as an ideal target for such promotions.
With these tactics I would hope to allow for more cutting-edge astronomy research and ensure that the public community remains convinced that this work is definitely worth investing in.
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