If you have not done so already, please register to attend the February Board of Visitors meeting. You will need the Board of Visitors username and password to gain access to the online registration form on the Board of Visitors website. All BoV members should have received hard copies of their registration materials in the mail in late December. If you have any questions or have forgotten the passwords, please contact the McDonald Observatory Development Office at (512) 471-3303. 20110125-01 uttowerfountainth.jpg Guests at the Mid-Winter Board of Visitors meeting will have the opportunity to learn more about the Giant Magellan Telescope, said to be “a new window on the Universe for the 21st century,” from two distinguished scientists deeply involved in the project: Dr. Patrick McCarthy, Director of The Giant Magellan Telescope Organization, and Dr. Dan Jaffe, Professor of Astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin. 20110125-02 gmtth.jpg Due to their popularity at the July 2010 meeting, four Science Discussion Groups will be offered at the Mid-Winter Board of Visitors meeting. Two Science Discussion Groups will be held from 1:30 – 2:45 p.m. and another two will be held from 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Click below for information on the topics and the presenters. Space is limited, so please contact the McDonald Observatory Development Office at (512) 471-3303 as soon as possible to secure your reservation. 20110125-03 wheeler_group_th.jpg Survey responses from Board of Visitors members indicated that more time should be spent on science and less on business during the Saturday morning Board of Visitors meeting. The Board of Visitors Executive Committee discussed this issue and has decided to include a consent agenda to the business meeting to reduce the time spent on governance. The agenda with the supporting documentation is available on the Board of Visitors website in .pdf format. If you have any trouble downloading the documents, please contact Angel Pesenson at angel@astro.as.utexas.edu or at (512) 471-4296. 20110125-04 governanceth.jpg The science topics at the Mid-Winter Board of Visitors meeting will include evolving protostars and planetary systems, the recent measurement of a massive dark matter halo, and the simulation of the epoch of reionization. 20110125-05 m87th.jpg Eleven potential BoV members are nominated for consideration at the February 12, 2011, meeting. 20110125-06 Pursuant the proposed amendments to the bylaws, two new members will be added to the McDonald Observatory and Department of Astronomy Board of Visitors Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee proposes member Mary Heard, of San Antonio to fill the first of the two vacancies. 20110125-07 heardth.jpg