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Spitzer Data Analysis Workshop #6
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This free 5-day tutorial-style workshop is intended for Guest Observers (GO) or Archival Researchers (AR) in Cycles 1-5 who wish to learn more about analyzing their Spitzer Space Telescope data with the various tools supported by the Spitzer Science Center (SSC). The workshop will be held at the SSC (Keith Spalding Bldg.) on the campus of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, CA, USA. The workshop consists of lectures on instrument performance, calibration, pipeline processing, and data analysis software tools (such as MOPEX, SPICE, and CUBISM), as well as intensive hands-on experience with members of the Spitzer Instrument Support and Science User Support Teams. The workshop schedule features IRAC topics on Monday, August 25, MIPS topics on Tuesday-Wednesday, August 26-27, and IRS topics on Thursday-Friday, August 28-29. Workshop participants may register for some or all of the days, depending on their interests. Due to the level of personal interaction to be offered, registration for this workshop is limited to approximately 25 participants, on a first-come, first-served basis. Strong preference will be given to those investigators who already have data in-hand for their Cycle 1-5 GO or AR programs and who have not previously attended a Spitzer Data Analysis Workshop.
Participants are required to bring a notebook computer (DHCP-enabled and with SSH protocol version 2). Before arriving at the SSC, participants should install (and test for basic functionality) the Spitzer data analysis tools software, available from the SSC website (http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu/postbcd), and also download the full complement of their Spitzer data, which is available from the data archive via Leopard. These software tools run under Solaris, Linux, and Mac OS X.
For those participants who are unable to, or would rather not, run the tools and load their data on their own notebook computers, we expect to have a central Unix server, with adequate disk space, to which participants can connect (via SSH) from their own notebook computers (or from a limited number of desktop computers that will be available at the workshop) and run the software tools. However, due to the computationally and graphically intensive nature of the data reduction tools, we caution that this could be rather slow.
Participants are also strongly encouraged to have read the specific Data Handbooks of interest (available from http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu/archanaly/), as well as the documentation for the specific post-BCD tools, prior to arrival at the workshop. The workshop lecture slides will be posted on this web site a few days in advance of the workshop, so that participants can preview them. Presentations from the previous Data Analysis Workshop can be found at http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu/sust/workshop/2007data1/agenda.html. Our experience from previous workshops has shown that those participants who do even a small amount of pre-workshop preparation are able to get started faster on the first day they attend the workshop, and achieve the maximum benefit from the workshop.
Participants are required to handle their own round-trip transportation and accommodations in Pasadena. Suggested transportation to and from area airports can be found at http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu/visitorinfo/airportbus.html. A list of local accommodations can be found at http://www.admissions.caltech.edu/visiting/accommodations. We urge participants to use an interactive mapping service, such as Google-Maps, to gauge the distances from available accommodations to the Spitzer Science Center, which is located at 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125. Many hotels and motels are a long walk from the SSC, and some participants may wish to rent a car. Anyone driving to the Caltech campus must obtain a parking permit from us for the days of their participation in the workshop. Local transportation (e.g., the free Pasadena ARTS bus) is also available, but with limited geographical coverage within the area.
Participation in the workshop is not limited to Principal Investigators (PIs) of Spitzer programs: co-investigators, postdocs, or students directly affiliated with the PI's Spitzer program may attend instead. However, because of the limited number of participants that can be accomodated, the initial registration will be limited to only one person per Spitzer program. Program ID numbers (pids) are required information on the registration pages, and verification will be obtained of a registrant's affiliation to the program.
Registration for the workshop represents a commitment to attend. Registrants are required to indicate which days they intend to be present, if less than the full week. We will initially acknowledge all registrations, pending verification, and will subsequently confirm the expectation to participate for eligible registrants. A registration waiting list will be maintained, so spaces can be filled in the event of cancellations.
The agenda for this workshop will be available soon. Meanwhile, please see the agendas from past Workshops for an idea of the topics to be covered.
We appreciate your feedback! You may submit via this form (note: the feedback form link will be activated on August 25), or send your responses using regular email to obsplan@ipac.caltech.edu. This is our sixth Data Analysis Workshop - we've made numerous improvements based on the feedback from previous participants and your responses will help make it even better next time.
Registration is open to all Cycle 1-5 Guest Observers, first-come, first-served, up to the facility capacity. Priority registration will be given to Guest Observers who will have obtained Spitzer data from their approved program by mid-August, 2008, and who have not previously attended a Data Analysis Workshop. Registration will remain open through June 30 or until all spaces are filled (whichever comes first). There is no fee associated with this workshop. We look forward to your participation.
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Registration Form Registration Deadline: 30 June 2008 |
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