The flagship research programs at PARI are in astronomy. However, the PARI campus is also well situated to accommodate other scientific disciplines such as atmospheric science, environmental science, computer science or engineering projects. Scientists in disciplines requiring a stable environment, with little light and radio interference pollution, situated in a remote but easily accessible area, are invited to contact PARI for use of the campus and its instruments.

PARI fills a niche in observational astronomy by supporting long-term survey, monitoring and target of opportunity programs for visiting scientists. The programs may take advantage of existing infrastructure and instruments at PARI, or instruments may be added by researchers.  Internet access is available across the 200-acre campus, so experiments may be controlled remotely. Labs, offices, and housing are available. Visiting scientists may stay for a semester on the PARI campus, may schedule periodic visits, or operate their experiments remotely. Visiting scientists may be individuals, postdoctoral researchers, or members of a consortium or observing campaign.

In addition to ongoing research conducted by PARI astronomers, the campus is currently hosting two major research initiatives funded by National Science Foundation grants.  Researchers from Virginia Tech University designed an array of antennas that continuously monitor the sky for 8m (37MHz) low-frequency radio signals, and a team of scientists from UNC-Asheville is developing the two 26-meter radio telescopes at PARI into an interferometer to study the structure of a component of the interstellar medium in the Milky Way Galaxy.  Funded by the American Astronomical Society, astronomers from Furman University are monitoring pulsars, or rapidly rotating neutron stars, for variations in their radio emission due to changes on the surfaces of those stars.  

The formation of new consortia for the enhancement of their members' research and education programs is encouraged. A consortium may be a theoretical astrophysics research group, an observational astronomy group, instrumentation engineers or other such groups. The telescopes at PARI may be used by consortium members for worldwide observing campaigns. Or, members may develop and support existing or new telescopes at PARI. Existing consortia are also invited to take advantage of the infrastructure and instruments on the PARI campus.

PARI is a not-for-profit public foundation. As such, we ask that visiting scientists secure funding to support their research. PARI’s Site Administration works closely with visiting scientists to help minimize cost associated with staff and equipment support.