Prearrival Forms
Contact your division administrator or Christine Crowley in the Fellowship Office to discuss which forms you are required to complete based on the type and length of your appointment.
Computer Services
Creating Your CfA Account
Computer accounts require a Staff Database Form. Contact your Division
Administrator (or designee) to provide this information. You will also
need to sign the SD931
Agreement. As a result, your name will be included in the CfA Telephone
Directory and a mail user name will be set up for you on the CfA gateway.
Closing your Account
Account
Closing Policy
Resources for Computing
The CfA Computation
Facility (CF)
The CfA Computation
Facility Reference
Printing
CF
Services Guide: Printing overview
Email Accounts
The CF maintains a central mail exchanger cfa.harvard.edu with accounts
for CfA staff and others (e.g. ongoing collaborators, etc.). Instructions
for pop/imap client are maintained by the CF as well. Information
on most operating systems and the policy
for CF email users mail clients are available.
Postdoc/Predoc Mailing List
Both a postdoc and a predoc mailing list were set up in order to provide
a convenient way of discussing postdoc- and predoc-related issues, events,
questions, and problems. The following instructions should assist their
use.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, contact Christine
Crowley, Fellowship Program Coordinator.
To post to a list, email your message to the saopostdocs and saopredocs
list at saopostdocs@cfa
or saopredocs@cfa
To post to both Harvard and Smithsonian postdoc lists, email your message to
the allpostdocs list at allpostdocs@cfa
To post to both Harvard and Smithsonian predoc lists, email your message to
the allpredocs list at allpredocs@cfa
To check the distribution, use the majordomo "who" command.
You must already be subscribed to the list to receive a member list. Send
an email to majordomo@cfa
with the following in the BODY of the email: who saopostdocs@cfa or who
saopredocs@cfa
Wireless Network
CfA has a wireless network. To use it, you will need the latest version
of Cisco VPN
client (also available at this site is information on configuration
and passwords). More help can be found at Wireless
LAN and at CF Services Guide: Wireless
LAN: Configuring Mac OSX.
ID Cards
To gain access after hours to both the Observatory and the CfA Library
(located off the main entrance at 60 Garden Street) and to most other
SAO and Harvard facilities, you will need either an SAO or Harvard photo
ID card.
Both SAO and Harvard IDs are printed by the Harvard ID office (HUID).
Images are captured at Holyoke Center in Harvard Square. More information
can be found here.
HUID will print the new cards--proximity-magnetic stripe cards for SAO
staff and magnetic-stripe cards for Harvard staff--overnight. Harvard
cards (on magnetic stripe stock) will be issued directly to cardholders.
SAO cards (with proximity chips as well as magnetic stripes) will be sent
to the HCO office for processing. They will then be sent to the cardholder.
Telephone Assignment
A telephone number will be assigned when you arrive. A voice-mail box
or system can be set up on your line, provided funds are available to
cover the cost and approval is obtained by your Host or Advisor. For internal
CfA or Harvard calls, only use the last 5 digits (e.g., if 617-495-7280,
dial 5-7280). Contact your Division Administrator for information on long-distance
calling. For other useful phone information, please consult the CfA phone
book. For voice-mail, long-distance code, or any phone questions, please
check with your Division Administrator (or designee).
Other links to telephone services can be found at the following:
Library Privileges
The John
G. Wolbach Library and Information Resources Center is located at
the CfA. If you are going to be using the Library, it is strongly recommended
that you contact the staff (6-5769 or library@cfa)
to arrange for an introduction to library resources and services. All
members of the CfA community have access to Harvard University Libraries
as well.
The Library offers an increasing array of proprietary resources, which
are copyright-protected, have strict license agreements, and are expensive.
Before researchers use them, understanding the restrictions on use is
important. This is best done in person and the earlier in the patron's
experience with the Library the better. Also, using these resources is
not necessarily intuitive and the Library staff is very willing to provide
"tutorials" on how to access an online journal.
Therefore, please contact the Wolbach
Library for an introduction, to request night and weekend Library
access, and for any questions that you may have. Instructions on obtaining
a PIN can be found here.
You must a PIN to access restricted electronic resources.
Information on how to use the Astrophysics Data System with the Library
proxy, is available here.
You will be prompted to enter your Harvard/SAO ID number and Harvard-issued
PIN, which will allow you to access restricted electronic journals to
which the Wolbach Library or other Harvard Libraries have subscribed.
Parking
Parking on the Observatory campus is permitted through an annual membership
or via the purchase of daily parking permits (see below). However, due
to shortage of parking space and high demand, the waiting period is 1
year or more. Therefore, taking public transportation or walking to work
is highly recommended. See the MBTA
Website for public transit options, and the public transit section
below for more information on purchasing MBTA passes.
Cambridge Residents: If you are a Cambridge resident,
you can apply for a resident street
permit. A year-long permit will cost approximately $20 and allows parking
anywhere in Cambridge, so you can park on side streets near the Observatory
(but watch out for street-cleaning days, towing is a serious and lucrative
business!).
NonCambridge Residents: To apply for an Observatory
parking permit, you must get on the waiting list by filling out an application
form and submitting it to the Harvard College Observatory Administrative
Office (C-26). You may elect to have the cost (approximately $1,245 per
year) deducted from your paycheck on a pretax basis by filling out the
relevant field on the form.
Daily parking permits are issued in the HCO Administrative Office and can be
purchased on line now (full day permits, not 2 or 4 hour permits).
- 8 Hours: $13.00
- 4 Hours: $8.00
- 2 Hours: $4.00
Click here
for parking information provided by Harvard University.
Social Events
There are many people here at CfA and sometimes it is all a little overwhelming
to try to meet people. The easiest way is to have informal chats during
a coffee or other events. Here is a list of a few of the informal events
that happen throughout CfA. If you know of more please email so we can
add it to the list.
- Weekend Football (Soccer) Games
The purpose is to have fun, so skills are not important. Click on the following website to sign up for emails: Weekend Soccer. If you have questions,
contact: Hossein Sadeghpour hsadeghpour@cfa.harvard.edu.
- Weekly Basketball Games
Three times a week you can join in on pickup basketball games at the QRAC in front of the CfA. The purpose is to have fun so all skill levels are invited to play. Games start ~12:15pm. Interested in getting on the list,
contact: Gabor Furesz gfuresz@cfa.harvard.edu.
- 10 Pin Bowling
Every Tuesday night from September to May you can participate in the CfA Bowling League. Newcomers and experienced bowlers are welcome. Games start ~5:30pm at Lanes and Games located near Alewife T Stop and CDP. For more information, contact: Tom Regan tregan@cfa.harvard.edu.
- SSP Coffee
Every weekday morning 10:30am
3rd Floor Perkin Bridge
$1 weekly donation gets you coffee, snacks, and conversation.
- Weekly SAO Predoc Coffee
Every Wednesday afternoon 4:00pm.
Fishbowl Room in the Basement Level of Perkins.
Near the Pratt Conference Room.
For more information, contact:
Sukrit Ranjan sranjan@cfa.harvard.edu.
- Wine Tastings
Fridays around 4:30pm.
Dave Latham sponsors these for the wine lover and novice alike.
To get on the list email dlatham@cfa.harvard.edu.
Get a sampling of about 7 wines, assorted cheese, and fine conversation.
- Weekly Colloquium Tea
Thursdays at 3:30 pm in Phillips Auditorium.
Informal tea that welcomes everyone at the CfA prior to the weekly
colloquium.
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