Quarterly SLUO Executive Committee Meeting

Wednesday May 13, 2009

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Cedar Conference Room (048)
Call: 510-665-5437
When: May 13, 2009, 10:00 AM America/Los_Angeles
Meeting ID: 2009

Tentative Agenda

1. Information on the DC trip, lessons, follow up and preparation for a  SLAC Today article: Steve, Lisa & Gerard;

2. Information and discussion on the SLUO LHC Workshop organized at SLAC  on July 16&17: information on the dedicated meeting held on May 12;

3. First discussion on our SLUO Annual Meeting - proposal from Steve Kahn (...exaemple of DESY...)
* non-accelerator community (DUSEL, EXO, etc.),
* Atlas expansion,
* Facet: user facility and accelerator physics at SLAC ==> emergence of a new user community (how to define a user?);

==> What do we want to achieve this year?
==> Decision on a date!
==> Start ASAP to build the agenda and to contact the relevant people!

4. Current practical businesses like
 * SLAC Library: Ray & Frank;
 * SLAC Cyber Security Basics Course: all;

* NUFO;
 * ...

5. News of the SLUO Subcommittees
 * computing: Tom;
 * outreach: Seth;
 * Quality of Life: Fabrizio;

6. A.O.B.

Meeting Minutes:

Attendees: Tim Barklow, Fabrizio Bianchi (phone), Gérard Bonneaud, Dave Brown, Seth Digel, Tom Glanzman, Bill Lockman, Steve Sekula, Uli Wienands. 

Plus:  Ray Cowan and Frank Porter for the discussion on the recent meeting of the SLAC Library task force.

Agenda Item 1: 

Washington DC Trip

Steve Sekula reported on the April 28 – May 1, 2009 Washington DC Trip which included members from SLAC and Fermilab User’s Organizations, and USLUO (US LHC User’s Organization.  A full report will be available on the website by the end of the month

Some messages from Washington:

• There is about 50% more money in the system, with only 50% of people needed, DOE is pushing hard to get stimulus money out to institutions, but they are overwhelmed on how to get it out there;
• FY10 will be flat, but meets ACA when added to stimulus;
• FY11 needs to be ramped up;
• House wants to fund science and we need to find a clear champion in the Senate;
• DOE rule against education and outreach funding is gone, but still not well known;
• National Science Foundation Physics Division director – Joe Dehmer said DUSEL is first priority, LSST is part of the portfolio of the Astronomy Division;
• President’s goal is to double physical sciences budget in DOE, NSF, NIST.

Lessons Learned/Follow-up:

• General atmosphere was very  different from last year;
• People need to be invited to attend as part of SLUO to avoid assumptions and overlapping appointments;
• Younger people are encouraged to become involved;
• Need to follow-up with Persis re:  Lab’s Education and Outreach efforts;
• Steve and Gerard to submit an article in SLAC Today this week [Done];
• Steve Sekula is moving to Southern Methodist University, will not be part of DC Trip/Subcommittee next year;

Agenda Item 2:  SLUO LHC Workshop

Discussion and reporting on progress of workshop included:

• Agenda under construction to be reviewed before posting on web;
• Gérard to set up meeting with David MacFarlane regarding US ATLAS leadership’s involvement;
• Su Dong – in charge of report for SLAC’s Proton Review on June 11 at Washington;
• Communication with Berkeley regarding their concern on the workshop;
• Announcement on SLAC Homepage and SLAC Today this week;
• Block of room at Stanford Guest House [Done –  20 rooms held to June 15].

Agenda Item 3:  SLUO Annual Meeting

• Date proposed – Thursday September 17, 2009;
• Agenda discussion – What do we want to achieve this year?

-          Underground science – EXO (Breidenbach);

-          Astrophysics – Seth Digel suggested report of papers generated through FERMI/GLAST project.  Other astrophysics – Dark Matter, Gamma Ray Telescope (AGIS);

-          FACET – Tim Barklow and Gerard to meet with Tor;

• Possible invitees:  Steve Chu, Mark Hogan (Plasma), Brinkman, Koonin, political representatives (Holland?)
• The Annual Meeting Subcommittee will arrange a regular meeting time for further planning. [Done – every Monday]

Agenda Item 4:  Current Business

SLAC Library: 

Ray Cowan and Frank Porter reported on April 28 Library Task Force meeting they attended on behalf of SLUO:

• SLUO emphasized ability to browse books on shelf, to keep library on campus instead of moving to Stanford;
• SLAC’s unique collection of historical science proceedings is important part of SLAC, Cowan suspects collection would go directly to storage facility if library were to be moved to Stanford;
• Impression was that task force asked hard questions to get hard answers and was mixed impression on whether they want library to stay at SLAC;
• Journals are only available on-line, through institutions  - available through proxy for visiting scholars (see Leslie or Ann in library);
• Anders (Task Force Chair) asked about finding a central spot at SLAC for library location – SLUO EC believes now would be the time to find a new location ;
• Results of Library survey to be announced soon;

Action items:  Post letter, date for report deadline, access to survey è to be done ASAP!

NUFO:

David Brown will be the 2009 SLUO contact with NUFO – SLUO/NUFO relationship needs to be determined – What is our role?

Computing Test:

SLAC’s requirement for all computing account holders to take an annual computing test was discussed.  There was agreement that it is not SLUO’s responsibility to remind people to take the test. 

Agenda Item 5:  News of the SLUO Subcommittees

Computing Subcommittee Report (Glanzman):

• Computing security committee;
• Suggested survey to community to find out computing issues users to present to management and/or SCCS ;
• Discussion on streamlining procedures, user support, standard tools, electronic conferencing support.

Outreach Subcommittee Report (Digel):

• Angles and Demon’s Public Lecture presented by Norman Graf on May 11, 2009 was successful and well attended;
• Michael Peskin continues to be actively involved in Public Lecture Series on behalf of SLUO;
• Action item to meet with David Harris and Robert Brown (SLAC Communications) to discuss further Outreach and Education opportunities for lab – i.e. European model for teacher education.

Quality of Life Subcommittee Report (Bianchi):

• Continued discussion with Housing Office (Toni Campos) since cuts;
• Visa Waiver program changes.

A.O. B: 

Discussion regarding Austria’s announced withdrawal from CERN.  There is a petition letter being circulated in the international community, Fabrizio Bianchi suggests that SLUO circulate the letter to the SLUO User List [Done]

- End-