Abstract
Upon commissioning on Gemini South, FLAMINGOS-2 will be one of the most powerful wide-field near-infrared imagers and multi-object spectrographs ever built for use on 8-meter-class telescopes. In order to take best advantage of the strengths of FLAMINGOS-2 early in its life cycle, the instrument team has proposed to use 21 nights of Gemini guaranteed time in 3 surveys - the FLAMINGOS-2 Early Science Surveys (F2ESS). The F2ESS will encompass 3 corresponding science themes - the Galactic Center, galaxy evolution, and star formation. The extragalactic survey plays an important role in the planning of EMIR/GTC observations for the GOYA project, and the Galactic Center survey is a precursor for key planned scientific observations with FRIDA/GTCAO. I will review the status of FLAMINGOS-2, the F2ESS surveys, the additional Gemini Genesis Survey, and their relationship to and impact on GTC science.
