# NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre

The NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre (NRC Herzberg, HAA) is the leading Canadian centre for astronomy and astrophysics. It is based in Victoria, British Columbia. The current director-general, as of 2021, is Luc Simard.

## History

Named for the Nobel laureate Gerhard Herzberg, it was formed in 1975 as part of the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. The NRC-HIA headquarters were moved to Victoria, British Columbia in 1995 to the site of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. In 2012, the organization was restructured and renamed NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics.

## Facilities

NRC-HAA also operates the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory outside of Penticton, British Columbia and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as well as managing Canadian involvement in the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Gemini Observatory, Atacama Large Millimeter Array, the Square Kilometre Array, and the Thirty Meter Telescope, as well as Canada's national astronomy data centre.
* The institute is also involved in the development and construction of instruments and telescopes.
* Members of NRC-HAA are currently involved in The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey.
* Members of NRC-HAA are currently involved with Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey.

## Plaskett Fellowship

The Plaskett Fellowship is named after John Stanley Plaskett and is awarded to an outstanding, recent doctoral graduate in astrophysics or a closely related discipline. Fellows conduct independent research in a stimulating, collegial environment at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Expertise in observational astrophysics is the norm, but some theoreticians were also among this distinguished group of astronomers.
Past Plaskett Fellows :
| Name | Dates | Current Position |
| Marshall, Madeline | 2021 - present | Plaskett Fellow, HAA |
| Woods, Tyrone | 2019 - 2023 | Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba |
| Hénault-Brunet, Vincent | 2017 - 2019 | Assistant Professor, Saint Mary's University |
| Ngo, Henry | 2017 - 2019 | Data and Analytics Lead, Office of the Provincial Health Officer, BC Ministry of Health |
| Lawler, Samantha | 2014 - 2019 | Assistant Professor, University of Regina |
| McConnell, Nick | 2014 - 2016 | STEM Workforce Development and Education Manager, ISEE |
| Roediger, Joel | 2013 - 2016 | Astronomer, NRC-HAA |
| Kirk, Helen | 2012 - 2015 | Astronomer, NRC-HAA |
| Fraser, Wesley | 2011 – 2014 | University Fellow, Queen's University Belfast |
| Mann, Rita | 2010 – 2015 | Astronomer, Victoria |
| Schnee, Scott | 2009 – 2010 | System Director, The Aerospace Corporation |
| McConnachie, Alan | 2008 – 2011 | Instrumentation Astronomer, NRC-HAA |
| Peng, Chien-Yi | 2007 – 2010 | Scientific Programmer, Giant Magellan Telescope |
| Geha, Marla | 2006 – 2007 | Professor, Astronomy, Yale University |
| Puzia, Thomas H. | 2006 – 2010 | Associate Professor, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile |
| Onken, Chris | 2005 – 2008 | Research Fellow, Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Australian National University |
| Peng, Eric | 2004 – 2007 | Faculty Research Fellow, Department of Astronomy, Peking University |
| Matthews, Brenda | 2004 – 2008 | Astronomer, Millimetre Astronomy Group, NRC-HAA |
| Fiege, Jason | 2002 – 2004 | Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba |
| Willott, Christopher | 2002 – 2006 | Astronomer, Canadian Astronomy Data Centre, NRC-HAA |
| Johnson, Jennifer | 2002 – 2005 | Professor, Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University |
| Sawicki, Marcin | 2001 – 2004 | Chair of Astronomy & Physics, Astronomy and Physics, St Mary's University |
| Barton, Elizabeth | 1999 – 2001 | Founder & CEO at Infiniscape Incorporated |
| van Zee, Liese | 1999 – 2001 | Professor, Astronomy, University of Indiana |
| Fulbright, Jon | 1999 – 2002 | GOES-R Product Readiness and Operations (PRO) Deputy and Product Quality Lead, Arctic Slope Technical Services |
| Côté, Stéphanie | 1997 – 1999 | Group Leader, Canadian Gemini Office NRC-HAA |
| Lavezzi, Tracey Ellen | 1997 – 1999 | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Courteau, Stéphane | 1996 – 1999 | Professor, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University |
| Côté, Patrick | 1994 – 1997 | Principal Research Officer, NRC-HAA |
| Marzke, Ronald | 1994 – 1997 | Associate Dean of College of Science & Engineering, San Francisco State University |
| Smecker-Hane, Tammy | 1992 – 1995 | Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine |
| Garnavich, Peter | 1991 – 1994 | Professor, Astrophysics / Cosmology Physics, Notre Dame University |
| Riegler, Michael | 1991 – 1993 | Program Manager, Word Business Unit, Microsoft Corporation |
| Abraham, Roberto | 1991 - 1994 | Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toronto |
| Ellingson, Erica | 1989 – 1992 | Associate Professor, Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder |
| Friel, Eileen | 1988 – 1990 | Professor Emerita, University of Indiana |
| Pierce, Michael | 1988 – 1991 | Professor, University of Wyoming |
| Bolte, Michael | 1987 – 1990 | Professor, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Lick Observatory |
| Welch, Douglas | 1986 – 1988 | Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, McMaster University |
| Ratnatunga, Kavan | 1986 – 1988 | Senior Research Scientist, Carnegie-Mellon University |
| Westpfahl, David | 1986 – 1988 | Professor, Department of Physics, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology |
| Crabtree, Dennis | 1986 – 1988 | Astronomer, NRC-HAA |
| Durand, Daniel | 1986 – 1989 | Retired, former Research Council Officer, NRC-HAA |
| Smith, Graeme | 1984 – 1986 | Professor, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Lick Observatory |
| Stauffer, John | 1984 – 1986 | Research Scientist, Spitzer Science Centre |
| Stetson, Peter | 1983 – 1984 | Retired, former Principal Research Officer, NRC-HAA |
| Campbell, Bruce | 1983 – 1987 | Financial consultant |
| Olszewski, Edward | 1982 – 1984 | Astronomer, Steward Observatory |
| Yee, Howard | 1982 – 1984 | Professor, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto |
| Stryker, Linda | 1981 – 1983 | Emeritus Professor, Arizona State University |
| Massey, Philip | 1980 – 1983 | Astronomer, Lowell Observatory |
| Mochnacki, Stefan | 1980 – 1982 | Retired, professor, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto |
| Harris, Hugh | 1980 – 1982 | Astronomer, U.S. Naval Observatory |
| Quintana, Hernán | 1979 – 1981 | Professor, Department of Astronomy (former Chair), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile |
| Pritchet, Christopher | 1978 – 1981 | Retired, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy (former Chair), University of Victoria |
| Lawrie, David | 1978 – 1980 | Director, Sensing and Exploitation Department, Aerospace Corporation |
| Poeckert, Roland | 1977 – 1979 | Unknown |
| Rucinski, Slavek | 1975 – 1977 | Retired, formerly professor, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Associate Director, David Dunlap Observatory, University of Toronto |

## Covington Fellowship

The Covington Fellowship is named after Arthur Covington and is awarded to an outstanding, recent doctoral graduate in astrophysics or a closely related discipline. Fellows conduct independent research in a stimulating, collegial environment at the institute at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in Penticton, BC. DRAO staff expertise is in observational radio astronomy and the development of instrumentation and technology for radio telescopes. Current and past Covington Fellows are:
Caption text :
| Name | Dates | Current Position |
| Jennifer West | 2023-present | Covington Fellow, Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, NRC-HAA |
| Mehrnoosh Tahani | 2019-2022 | Banting Fellow, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University |
| Trey Wenger | 2019-2022 | NSF Fellow, Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Paul Scholz | 2016-2019 | Dunlap Fellow, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto |
| Timothy Robishaw | 2011-2013 | Senior Research Officer, Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, NRC-HAA |
| Maik Wolleben | 2008-2011 | Founder, Skaha Remote Sensing |