New Zealand universities with a stake in SALT would attract the best local and international students and staff. Students would have access to a world-class scientific facility. It would also provide a way of retaining New Zealand trained scientists and technologists. Astronomy and astrophysics has a great legacy in New Zealand, with names like Kerr, Axford, Tinsley and Manchester and SALT would continue that. Dr Adams is a lecturer in the Department, a recent recipient of a Marsden Fund grant and a former Rhodes Scholar.
Astronomy is easily accessible to all.
The results of SALT would be available to all New Zealanders via the World Wide Web for a variety of education purposes. South Africa is planning an extensive range of displays and learning media that we could use and expand upon at our regional observatories and science centres. Astronomy is the most attractive physical science to the general public. It advertises science as an exciting career option and demystifies it. The wide impact of the science of astronomy and astrophysics is easy to see.