MOLECULAR UNIVERSE

The consortium is by necessity large and diverse given the need to include the widely varying aspects of the field of molecular astrophysics in laboratory studies on chemical reactions, quantum mechanical studies, astronomical models, molecular spectroscopy, and data bases and web interfaces. The challenge of managing such a large consortium and to provide the appropriate training/ToK will be met through establishing direct collaborations and the use of shared resources between the groups involved in specific milestones, through establishing task managers which monitor progress on each milestone and phase the work within a topic, through clear and open communication lines in the form of regular meetings between the teams involved in a topic and in the form of a TWiki-WEB environment designed to optimize information exchange, and through establishing an Advisory Board of experts in the different disciplines who will advise the Network Co-ordinator and the Task Managers on aspects within their field.

The foundation of the consortium consists of the individual researchers that are part of a team, represented by a Team Leader within the collaborating institutes. The research of these teams is organized in four science areas: molecular physics, spectroscopy, astronomical modelling, and laboratory astrochemistry, depending on the characteristics of the research involved. The contractors contribute to specific milestone(s) within these three tasks and their associated topics. Each task is managed by a Task Manager. Overall responsibility rests with the Network Co-ordinator.

The Network Co-ordinator and the Task Managers are assisted by a Deputy Network Co-ordinator, a Network Administrative Co-ordinator, a Network Training Co-ordinator and an Advisory Board.