Message from AUI
As we continue to operate in Infectious Disease Operating Status (IDOS) during this time of COVID-19, I want to take a few minutes of your time to thank you for your dedication and flexibility.
Thanks to all of our collective efforts and the support of our sponsors, AUI has continued to operate to meet the needs of its employees. The corporate staff, while working from home, has continued to meet payroll every two weeks, to pay vendors and contractors, to work with NSF to draw cash so that the Observatories can continue to operate, and generally carry our the administrative support activities that help all facilities and activities managed by AUI continue to operate. In addition, we have held multiple meetings of our Board and its Committees to ensure we continue with the strong governance model under which AUI operates.
In our Incubator Division and at the Observatories, we continue to pursue new business opportunities to help AUI grow. I have discussed our aspirations in various messages over my time here at AUI. Consistent with that vision, for the Observatories we have submitted proposals for activities related to the next generation Very Large Array and pursued options for installing transmit capabilities at the GBT (under Tony’s leadership). For new areas, we submitted a proposal to CORFO in Chile to establish and run a Clean Technologies Institute and are evaluating options for submitting a proposal to run the Savannah River National Laboratory for the DOE. In STEM and e-learning, we are in the process of completing proposals to support the DoD, DOE, FEMA, and other sponsors. In cyber security, we continue our support to North Carolina on their election security and are continuing to work on options for providing cyber R&D for science and energy applications. Finally, we are working with staff in Congress to ensure our ideas are included in the discussions related to both stimulus bills and the upcoming federal budgets. It has been a very busy time!
As businesses and other activities across the country are moving toward relaxing restrictions and “opening up,” we too are now exploring the path toward returning to operations. We will share more in the coming weeks, but please know that now and going forward, AUI remains committed to meeting the needs of our employees and will take actions to ensure the return to work path is with the well-being of all of our workers as our highest priority.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions, please reach out to me.
Again, my thanks for all of your efforts!
Adam
