The Sierra Conference:

Participants of the 2017 Robert P. Kraft Observational Astronomy Workshop recognized that the Workshop demonstrated the importance of joint UC astronomy events and inspire those 2017 participants to think of additional ways to increase the interaction and collaboration between all of the UC astronomy departments—particularly their graduate student communities.

One outcome was the revival of the "Sierra Conference", an annual conference (and camping trip) held in the Sierra’s organized by and for California astronomy graduate students. It started in 1968 but had fizzled-out by the time that any recently-recruited graduate students had begun graduate school. This past (2018) Summer (on the 50th anniversary of the first Sierra Conference), a very successful reboot of the conference featuring astro grad students from 6 different UCs, science talks, discussions about department cultures, brainstorming for the future of the intra-UC astronomy community, and plenty of recreational activities in Sequoia National Park was organized.

Plans are already afoot for organizing the conference in the summer of 2019.

This idea came to fruition largely because of experiences during the 2017 Kraft Observational Astronomy workshop. Therefore, the organizers of the Sierra Conference wish to build on the enthusiasm that attendees this year gain for the value of strengthening the UC astronomy community.

Please see the attached flyer providing some information about the Sierra Conference (many grad students are unaware that this conference ever existed). Interested students are invited to get involved in its organization.

Sierra Conference (Credit: Nathan Sandford)