The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an astronomical research centre.^[1][2][3]

The institute was founded in 2008 with the help of endowed gifts to the University of Toronto from David M. Dunlap and J. Moffat Dunlap,^[4] using the proceeds from the sale of the David Dunlap Observatory.^[5][6][7] The Dunlap Institute is allied with and co-located with the University of Toronto's Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and with the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics,^[1][8] and no longer has any association or connection to the David Dunlap Observatory.

Research

Astronomers at the Dunlap Institute investigate a variety of topics including:

• the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy^[9]
• cosmic magnetic fields^[10]
• cosmic explosions^{[11][12][13][14]}
• the large scale structure in the universe^[15]
• Dark Energy^[15]
• the Cosmic Microwave Background^[15]

Technology & Instrumentation

Telescope, instrumentation and software projects with leadership from Dunlap scientists include:

• The Dragonfly Telephoto Array, which comprises many telephoto lens and is designed to detect dim astronomical objects. Dragonfly was co-designed by the U of T's Roberto Abraham and Yale's Pieter van Dokkum.^[16]
• The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME)^[15]
• The South Pole Telescope, designed to study the Cosmic Microwave Background from its location at the South Pole^[15]
• The Gemini InfraRed Multi-Object Spectrograph (GIRMOS),^[17][18] to be deployed on the Gemini South telescope in Chile in 2024
• The Canadian Initiative for Radio Astronomy Data Analysis (CIRADA),^[2][18] which is producing advanced data products for the CHIME, ASKAP and VLA radio telescopes, and which is a pilot project for a Canadian Square Kilometre Array data centre.

Training

At the Dunlap's annual Introduction to Astronomical Instrumentation Summer School, undergraduate and graduate students from around the world attend lectures and labs.^[19] Undergraduate students also pursue summer research projects at the Dunlap Institute's Summer Undergraduate Research Program.^[20][21]

Public outreach

The Dunlap Institute runs many public outreach events including:

• Astronomy on Tap TO^[22]
• SpaceTime^[23]
• Cool Cosmos (part of the International Year of Astronomy in 2009)^[24][25]
• Transit of Venus viewing (2012)^[26]
• Toronto Science Festival (in partnership with U of T Science Engagement) (2013)^[27][28]
• Dunlap Prize Lecture featuring Neil deGrasse Tyson (2014)^[29]
• Supermoon Lunar Eclipse viewing (2015)^[30][31]
• Partial Solar Eclipse viewing (2017)^[32]
• Planet gazing parties,^[33][34] in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Directors

• 2010 - 2012: James R. Graham^[35]
• 2012 – 2015: Peter Martin (Acting/Interim)^[36]
• 2015 – present: Bryan Gaensler^[37]

References