Meet the AAS Keynote Speaker: Prof. Mario Jurić
In this series of posts, we delve into the mind of one of the keynote speakers at the 248th AAS meeting: Professor Mario Jurić. With a background in physics and a passion for data-intensive surveys, Jurić has dedicated his career to unraveling the mysteries of our Solar System and beyond.
Jurić's journey began in graduate school, where he quickly realized the scale of his research. His first paper estimated distances to 48 million stars, a feat that was almost 700 times more extensive than any previous work on a similar topic. This realization came at a pivotal moment in observational astronomy, marked by the advent of digital surveys. These surveys revolutionized the field, enabling the exploration of vast amounts of data, including stars, planets, asteroids, and galaxies.
Today, Jurić is at the forefront of one of the most ambitious projects in astronomy: the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. This project aims to map the entire Southern night sky every three nights over a decade, creating a versatile and accessible dataset. Jurić's focus is on studying asteroids and comets within our Solar System, with the potential to double the number of known asteroids and significantly increase the discovery of trans-Neptunian objects and potentially hazardous asteroids.
The LSST project is not just about the data; it's about democratizing access to science. All analysis code is open-source and freely available, ensuring that anyone can contribute to the project. However, Jurić advises students to be cautious when joining large projects, as the payoff may be far in the future. He encourages them to pursue novel ideas that can be evaluated within a few years, taking calculated risks to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving field of astronomy.
Jurić's career has been shaped by the digital revolution in astronomy, where software became a crucial component alongside telescopes and cameras. He transitioned from exoplanet dynamics to Solar System object discovery and Milky Way mapping using surveys like SDSS and Pan-STARRS. His work on the LSST project has kept him busy, but he finds time to enjoy his family and hobbies, including astronomy outreach and various recreational activities.
As a keynote speaker at the AAS meeting, Jurić will share some of the first Solar System discoveries and results with the Rubin Observatory. His talk promises exciting new announcements, emphasizing the importance of not letting the universe keep its secrets hidden.
