Soy astrónoma

Or, What are you doing in Chile?

I get this question, or some permutation of it, a lot these days. It's a pretty typical question to accompany a recent move. Especially when it's clear I'm not from here, either by the way I look, or the way I speak, or even subtle things like the shape my mouth makes when it forms words or the way I carry myself when I walk. 

It's awfully convenient that now the answer is quite simple.  Having recently secured the first full-time salaried position of my life, I'm confident to say, "I'm an astronomer." Or, "Soy astrónoma." Telescopes in Chile -- and the two largest international observatories ALMA and Paranal in particular  -- make the news often enough, that being an astronomer seems to be a reputable career here. In a mining country, engineers rule, but scientists seem to do well enough.  

Beyond the simple answer, it's not at all straightforward what someone with a PhD in astronomy actually does.  So what am I doing here? After graduate school in astronomy, a typical next step is a postdoctoral position, or a version of that known as a fellowship.  Now, I am a "fellow" at the European Southern Observatory, and my time is split between developing my own research projects, and telescope operations.  In a sense the job (with a contract for 4 years) is part duties, training, apprenticeship, independent and collaborative research.

In 2012-13 while in graduate school, I was a "visiting scholar" (or some title we made up) at ALMA, whose offices are across the courtyard from the ESO offices in Santiago.  Now my office is in the ESO building, but I also work with the staff at ALMA.  Accepting this position made sense to me, because I already knew that I liked the work environment and the people I would be working with.  

I'm not sure I feel that the right word is "bosses" to describe the people ahead of me in the chain of command, but there are mainly two people who I should look to for guidance in my position. One is the "Head of the Office for Science in Chile"; he generally makes sure that the scientific environment at the office and the opportunities that we have as fellows are allowing us to develop as scientists.  The second of my "bosses" works for ALMA and arranges my "duties" at the telescope (50% of my contract).  Fortunately for me, she has research complementary to mine, and we collaborate in a larger research group at ALMA, making her also a scientific mentor for me. 

As soon as I go to the telescope (located in Northern Chile, a plane ride away), I can write more about how the observatory works.  For now, I can explain why working here excites me, and what ESO is all about.  Actually I'll just reference the "About ESO" webpage:

"ESO, the European Southern Observatory, is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive astronomical observatory."

Cool, huh?  Fifteen European countries, plus Brazil, and the host country of Chile support ESO, whose headquarters are near Munich, Germany.  In 2012, ESO celebrated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the "ESO convention" in Paris -- astronomy has come a long way since 1962.  The combination of science and international relations is exactly what engages me at ESO, and other major international observatories in the world (as an anecdote, my paycheck originates in Euros, then gets split between US dollars and Chilean pesos, which is a neat lesson in foreign currency trading).  Bringing together so many nationalities in one office in Chile creates an environment where ideas get passed around and there's always something to learn -- something scientific, or maybe a new custom or language.  I like to think that science helps countries, and their citizens, get along better than they might otherwise.  It gives us common ground, and some quest for universal truths.

Back in 2012, we represented the four ALMA partners in a photoshoot. Along with Jupiter and Venus in the background.  Image credit: ESO/Max Alexander

Yep, astronomers.  At ALMA in 2012. Image credit: ESO/Max Alexander