FAQs

About the conference

• What is the SMA Interferometry School?
  The main goals of the school are to provide graduate students, post-docs and scientists outside the field with a broad knowledge of interferometry and data reduction techniques at (sub)millimeter wavelengths. The workshop will provide a series of lectures focusing on fundamentals of radio interferometry, with a special emphasis on the Submillimeter Array (SMA) interferometer and its new capabilities.


• How is it different from similar interferometry schools
  The school will also extensively utilize the SMA, located on Maunakea. Unlike other interferometry schools, school participants will propose, observe, and perform data reduction on their own projects as part of the curriculum.

Logistics

• Where is the SMA Interferometry School being held?
  The Submillimeter Array Interferometry School will primarily be conducted at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory offices (SAO) in Hilo, Hawaii. The school will also involve visits to the SMA labs and Maunakea summit site.


• When is the SMA Interferometry School being held?
  The school will be held from 12-17 January 2020 at the facilities of the SAO located in Hilo, conveniently following the Winter AAS Meeting in Honolulu.


• How will accommodations work?
  Lodging will be provided at a local hotel at no cost to the participants, in addition to transportation between the hotel and various SAO facilities, during the official days of the conference.


• What would will be covered and what will I need to pay for?
  There will be no registration costs for the workshop. In addition, lodging and many of the meals will be covered. The only major costs participants should need to cover are transportation to Hilo and several meals while in Hilo. Participants wishing to stay in Hilo beyond the official days of the workshop will be responsible for their own accommodations.


• How do I get to the workshop?
  The Hilo International Airport (ITO) has numerous daily flights to many locations, including Honolulu (HNL) and Los Angeles (LAX). For those coming straight from AAS 235 in Honolulu, please note the gap in days between the end of the that conference (1/8/20) and the start of the workshop (1/12/20) when planning your travel and lodging.
  
  Transportation from the airport is limited to direct pick ups and taxi rides. They usually take CASH ONLY, so be ready. Once outside of the airport, rideshare apps are also viable transportation options. If you are arriving during normal hours (8:00 am - 5:00 pm), you are welcome come to the SAO Hilo office at 645 N. A'ohoku Place. Often telling the taxi driver it is on the street above the 'Imiloa Center helps, or saying we are across the street from the Joint Astronomy Centre will trigger a memory of where to take you. It costs about $18 to get a taxi from the Hilo airport to the SMA office.

Application

• How will proposals/attendees be selected?
  The application requires submission of a limited, 1-page proposal for an observation, to be conducted during the duration of the school. 18 participants will be selected based on the contents of these applications. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration without regard to race, color, creed, national origin or gender. We particularly encourage applications from individuals belonging to historically underrepresented groups.


• What will happen if the proposed observations are unsuccessful (e.g. weather doesn't cooperate)?
  In the event that a proposal is unable to be successfully executed, a preselected archival data set will be provided to the relevant school participants.

Hilo/Maunakea

• What is weather like in Hilo at sea level?
  Hilo, Hawaii is on the eastern side of the big island of Hawaii, with average daily mean January temperature of 71°F/22°C. Because it is in a tropical rain climate, Hilo is considered the fourth-wettest city in the United States and one of the wettest in the world, with an average of 272 days of the year receiving some rain. It is not uncommon to see people walking in wet sandals and swimsuits year round.


• What is weather like at the summit of Mauna Kea?
  At an altitude of ~13000 ft, typical winter night time temperatures at the summit of Mauna Kea can get around 23°F/-5°C. Make sure you bring a warm coat. Gloves and hat are recommended. In addition, the atmosphere is substantially thinner at this elevation, which may cause altitude sickness for some individuals.


• What is there to do in Hilo?
  There are several great restaurants and sites in downtown Hilo, which is about an hour walk from the SAO offices. There is also plenty to explore more of the Big Island, such as Rainbow Falls, the volcano tours and the beaches on the west coast.