JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
Supporting the User Community
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) have established a joint James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Users Committee (JSTUC) to provide user advice to the observatory as a whole. This provides a practical way of ensuring that the observatory operations proceed in a coordinated manner in order to maximize its scientific performance.
Letters from the committee with recommendations on a variety of topics related to maximizing JWST science are available below.
The JSTUC welcomes the feedback from the astronomical community.
Email the JSTUC Chair
The JSTUC has a membership of 10-14 scientists, chosen jointly by the STScI Director and JWST Senior Project Scientist. The composition initially consists of representatives of the JWST Guest Observer community (GOs - 10 members) and members of the JWST Instrument Definition teams (GTOs – 4 members). GTOs are represented on the JSTUC through the period where the bulk of their guaranteed observations are being executed. To allow for balance between continuity and new input, GO members are generally appointed for a three-year term starting on the date of the first meeting attended. The term is specified at the time of appointment. The Director and the Senior Project Scientist can together ask a member to serve for one more year if mutually agreeable. At least two of the GO representatives are astronomers from ESA nations and one is an astronomer from Canada; those members are appointed with ESA and CSA concurrence, respectively.
The JSTUC chair is a member of the JSTUC and is nominated and appointed by the Director and Senior Project Scientist. The term is specified at the time of appointment. The Director, with concurrence of the Senior Project Scientist, can ask the Chair to serve for an additional one-year period.
The JSTUC meets at least twice a year, with the meetings generally hosted by STScI. The STScI Director, the Head of Science Mission Office, the NASA Senior Project Scientist, the NASA Program Scientist, an ESA representative, and a CSA representative attend meetings of the group ex-officio (non-voting). The Associate Director for Science or their designate is the Executive Secretary of the JSTUC.
The scope of the Users Committee is broad. The JSTUC can:
- Set its own agenda
- Establish an ad-hoc subcommittee structure to perform in-depth studies of relevant subjects, if necessary
- Request support from STScI and GSFC for information and clarification
The product of the JWST Users Committee deliberations consists of written reports addressed to the STScI Director and the JWST Senior Project Scientist. These reports (together with an STScI or Project response, if warranted) are made available to Space Telescope Institute Council (STIC) and the Institute Visiting Committee, to NASA and ESA, and to the general community. [Updated June 8, 2020]
Name | Institution | Role |
---|---|---|
Mercedes Lopez-Morales | Harvard-Smithsonian | Chair |
Kalliopi Dasyra | University of Athens | |
Catherine Espaillat |
Boston University | |
Adam Ginsburg |
University of Florida | |
Joel Kastner | Rochester Institute of Technology | |
Tiffany Kataria | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | |
Casey Papovich |
Texas A&M University | |
Erik Rosolowsky |
University of Alberta | |
Shobita Satyapal | George Mason University | |
J.D. Smith | University of Toledo | |
Cristina Thomas | Northern Arizona University | |
Dominika Wylezalek | University of Heidelberg (ARI) |
Name | Institution | Role |
---|---|---|
Alessandra Aloisi | STScI, Science Mission Office | Ex officio |
Jean Dupuis | CSA | CSA, ex officio |
Chris Evans | STScI |
ESA, ex officio |
Jonathan Gardner |
GSFC, JWST Deputy Senior Project Scientist |
NASA, ex officio |
Nancy Levenson | STScI, Interim Director |
Ex officio |
Neill Reid | STScI, Science Mission Office | Ex officio |
Eric Smith | NASA, JWST Program Scientist | NASA, ex officio |
Committee Meetings
Listing Results
The 14th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
February 28 through March 1, 2023 Committee MeetingsThe 13th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
August 25 through 26, 2022 Committee MeetingsThe 12th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
July 25, 2022 Committee MeetingsThe 11th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
February 8, 2022 Committee MeetingsThe 10th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
October 4, 2021 Committee MeetingsThe 9th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
June 14 through 15, 2021 Committee MeetingsThe 8th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
April 8, 2021 Committee MeetingsThe 7th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
December 9 through 11, 2020 Committee MeetingsJSTUC Meeting
August 13, 2020 Committee MeetingsThe 6th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
June 8, 2020 Committee MeetingsThe 5th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
September 10, 2019 Committee MeetingsThe 4th Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
January 30, 2019 Committee MeetingsThe 3rd Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
July 27, 2018 Committee MeetingsThe 2nd Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
May 7 through 8, 2018 Committee MeetingsThe 1st Meeting of the JWST Users Committee (JSTUC)
September 14 through 15, 2017 Committee MeetingsSubscribe to the JWST Observer News Mailing List
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The NASA James Webb Space Telescope, developed in partnership with ESA and CSA, is operated by AURA’s Space Telescope Science Institute.