The Theoretical Institute for Advanced Research in Astrophysics (TIARA)
The Theoretical Institute for Advanced Research in Astrophysics (TIARA) was established in 2004 to provide an integrated program of research and education in theoretical astrophysics. The concept of TIARA was developed to take advantage of the growing body of observational data underlying the origin and evolution of stars and planets, of compact objects, and galaxies in the universe that is being gathered by the astronomical community in Taiwan and elsewhere. In the Institute, forefront theoretical research is carried out on the astrophysics of the formation and structure in the universe in a cooperative effort with the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU). TIARA aims to facilitate the efforts of researchers and the training of future theoretical astrophysicists throughout Taiwan and Asia and to integrate the results of the research into the undergraduate and graduate teaching programs at Taiwan's universities and academic institutions.
Since coming into existence, TIARA has hosted a winter/summer school and 2-4 workshops or topical programs of various scales each year. The level of activities is now similar to that at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics in Toronto, Canada (CITA) and the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara, California (KITP). The astrophysicists visiting Taiwan through its active visitors program, workshops, and schools, bring forefront research in theoretical astrophysics to both the observational and theoretical groups in the astronomy institutes, physics departments, and ASIAA in Taiwan. Since its establishment, TIARA has become one of the most active theoretical astrophysics institutes in Asia. Through TIARA members at IAA, a total of 186 papers have been published or in press, with 6 more submitted.
Together with the forefront observational facilities being developed by ASIAA, the TIARA programs stimulate interest in astronomy by graduate students at the universities and academic institutions, thus building and maintaining the human resources for future initiatives in theoretical and observational astronomy.
TIARA continues to develop its high performance computation capability to meet the needs of theorists and simulators to address critical scientific questions. To support the demands for numerical modeling and to support data analysis in the ALMA era, numerical simulations involving hydrodynamics, magnetohydrodynamics, astrochemistry, and radiation transfer are being developed through the CHARM program. The comparison of the latest observations and the latest theories in a quantitative manner will be an important TIARA initiative.

