Director

Professor Sergei Gulyaev
email: sergei.gulyaev@aut.ac.nz

Deputy Director

Tim Natusch
email: tim.natusch@aut.ac.nz

IRASR is the first (and only) radio astronomical institute in New Zealand.  It was founded in 2004.

The main objectives of the Institute:

• to develop Radio Astronomy and its astronomical and Earth Science applications in New Zealand
• to sustain the AUT Warkworth Radio Astronomical Observatory, maintain and develop its two radio telescopes
• to deliver high-quality research outputs
• to develop trans-Tasman, Asia-Oceania and global co-operation in Radio Astronomy and Space Science
• to establish sustainable research collaborations with international observatories and world leading space agencies
• to participate in international consortia for the design phase of the Square Kilometre Array project and contribute to the SKA Science Focus Groups
• to develop the Astronomy Major and support teaching of Astronomy and Physics

To achieve these goals we are engaged in:

• research in Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics
• research in Earth Science applications such as space geodesy (VLBI and GPS) and the study of tectonic processes in NZ and Australia
• research in big data and HPC with particular focus on developing capability for SKA requirements
• operation and maintenance of a world class Radio Astronomical Observatory
• support of space missions and international space exploration programs; co-operation with world leading observatories and space agencies such as NASA, SpaceX, ESA and JAXA