Over 60 postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers attended the GRADnet online observational astronomy workshop on 10 March 2021.

Thank you to Kathy Romer, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sussex and her wonderful team who provided pre-recorded content as part of the live workshop as well as the following sessions:

• Observational Astronomy in the future: Plenary seminar with Q&A with Dr Steve Wilkins, Reader in Astronomy in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Sussex.

• Virtual Observatories and introduction: Seminar given by Dr Peter Hurley, Research Fellow in Extra-Galactic Astrophysics (Physics and Astronomy), University of Sussex and Dr Raphael Shirley, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Survey Scientist; postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southampton.

  
  

Participants enjoyed "learning about future telescopes and meeting people in Gather Town". "It's the first time I've been to an event where this networking feature has worked virtually.  This was really well planned."

The "telescope quiz was fun, the talks were great and the sharing of expertise".  Delegates welcomed the flexibility of the virtual workshop: "Having the option of watching pre-recorded talks was nice. It made it easy to pick and choose the parts which were relevant to me."

Post-Covid-19 GRADnet looks forward to being able to run a similar face-to-face event sometime in the future!