Lucia Plank (University of Tasmania)

Lucia Plank is a researcher at the University of Tasmania, actively involved in operating the AuScope VLBI array. After graduating in surveying she obtained her doctorate degree in geodesy at the Technical University of Vienna in 2013. Since 2014 she has been working at the University of Tasmania as a research fellow. Her expertise is VLBI and geodetic analysis, with increasing technical skills in scheduling, observation and correlation. She is also an emerging leader in the field of VLBI satellite observations and space ties. Lucia is well connected in the VLBI community and a regular participant of our international meetings. She has co-organised the first AOV meeting in Hobart and maintains collaborations with various colleagues within the AOV.

Takahiro Wakasugi (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)

Takahiro Wakasugi has been working for VLBI group in Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) since 2013, after receiving a master's degree in Geophysics from Nagoya University in 2012 and working for land surveying activity of GSI for one year. Initially he was working for the operation of GSI's telescopes, and from 2015, became the chief of the operation of Tsukuba correlator and analysis center. He is managing correlations of IVS sessions including several AOV sessions assigned to GSI. Moreover some local tie surveys in GSI VLBI sites were conducted in his responsibility for planning, observation, and calculation. He is also responsible for the development and validation of a new sampler for VGOS observation in Ishioka.

We solicit nominations for the Chair due by Feb 6. Any AOV member can nominate another member including him/herself, but voting is on an institution basis. The nominator should let the Election Committee know the information of the nominee including:

1. Name of person being nominated
2. Institution of the person being nominated
3. A brief (one paragraph) biographical sketch of the person being nominated to be placed on the election website
4. A statement that the candidate has been contacted and has agreed to stand for election

If you have any questions, please contact an Election Committee member (aov_election(at)spacegeodesy.go.jp).

• Jim Lovell, Chair
• Guangli Wang
• Ryoji Kawabata
• Sangoh Yi
• Sergei Gulyaev

The AOV Terms of Reference states that membership is institution-based with each institution carrying one vote in the election of a Chair. Upon election, the Chair will appoint a Secretary of their choice. Membership of the AOV is comprised of IVS Member Organisations and IVS associate members in the Asia-Oceania region. The Chair and Secretary must be from AOV Member Organisations or be Corresponding Members though Corresponding Members do not have the right to vote. If the Chair is from Asia, the Secretary must be from Oceania and if the Chair is from Oceania, the Secretary must be from Asia.

The role of Chair is:

1. Setting agendas and chair AOV meetings
2. Arranging face-to-face meetings and regular telecons
3. In consultation with Members, setting the science goals of the AOV
4. Seeking funding for AOV activities
5. Representing the AOV within other related groups (IVS, EVGA etc)
6. Organising regional observations

The role of Secretary is:

• Collating and maintaining information on the range of expertise and people within the AOV for purposes of collaboration
• Management of the AOV website

Any AOV member can nominate another member including him/herself, but the nominiee must be from AOV Member Organisations or be Corresponding Members. The nominator should provide the following information of the nominee including:

1. Name of person being nominated
2. Institution of the person being nominated
3. A brief (one paragraph) biographical sketch of the person being nominated to be placed on election the website
4. A statement that the candidate has been contacted and has agreed to stand for election

Please e-mail the information above to the AOV Election Committee (aov_election(at)spacegeodesy.go.jp). The nomination for the Chair will close at 2359UT on February 6.

Elections for the candidates nominated for the Chair will be conducted via e-ballot during the period February 20 - March 6, 2017. We will use e-mail as the means to submit the ballot form. The form is sent to the AOV memebers, but voting is institution basis. One institution can submit only one ballot. From multiple voting by the same institution, first valid submission will be counted. One representative from each institution should fill in the form and then mail it to Election Committee (aov_election(at)spacegeodesy.go.jp). The candidate who receives the largest number of votes from the Institution will be elected. In case of a tie, the Election Committee will make the decision.

The result of the Chair election will be announced on March 13, 2017. Soon after the announcemenet, the new chair should appoint the Secretary. Their terms are from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2021.