ALMA’s Most Scientifically Productive Receiver Will Soon See Further than Ever Before

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the board of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have approved a multi-million dollar upgrade project for the Observatory’s 1.3mm (Band 6) receivers through the North American ALMA Development Program. The receivers—originally built, and to be upgraded, by the Central Development Laboratory (CDL) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)—are the most scientifically productive in ALMA’s lineup.

NRAO Reacts to Astro2020 Statements on Diversity and Inclusion

Released in November 2021, the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey—Astro2020—not only set scientific priorities for the discovery and study of potentially habitable worlds and finding answers to big questions about the nature of the Universe, but also emphasized the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the field of astrophysics. The inclusion of DEI initiatives in the report signals a shift in the industry, one for which the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and its partners have been building a foundation for over a decade.