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About

Steve Chapman is a key figure in the development of next-generation astronomical instrumentation, with a primary focus on multi-object spectroscopy and fibre-optic positioning systems. His most significant contribution is his leadership in the MANIFEST prototyping design study, a facility multi-object fibre system for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). This innovative system employs ‘Starbug’ fibre positioning robots, enabling unprecedented versatility by coupling to the telescope’s planned seeing-limited instruments, GMACS and G-CLEF. Chapman’s work on MANIFEST provides GMT with access to larger fields of view, higher multiplex gains, and enhanced observational flexibility—capabilities that are critical for large-scale surveys of galaxies, stars, and transients. His 2016 paper on the subject, with 12 citations, serves as a foundational reference for the project’s design and feasibility. By advancing robotic fibre positioning technology, Chapman is helping to shape the future of ground-based astronomy, ensuring that GMT can tackle some of the most challenging questions in astrophysics, from dark energy to exoplanet characterization.