YPP - Meeting

In Attendance:

Ben Kilminster, Chris Potter, George Fleming, Joe Formaggio, Veronique Boisvert, Sam Zeller, Bonnie Fleming, Uwe Bratzler.

Meeting Minutes: recorded by Joe Formaggio

The Meeting:

• Lepton-Photon 2003 (BK):

  All is in place for YPP participation at LP2003, with 64 posters submitted and ~50 expected YPP members to attend. Currently schedueled a town meeting for Monday, August 11th, though it may be moved to Tuesday so as not to conflict with reception. We have at our disposal 2 hours where we wish to address 3-4 topics. Question as to which topics would be most relevant to YPP members. Meeting followed a brain-storming session as to what questions would we wish to address. Some of the suggestions made are recorded here:

  • Discuss the Linear Collider and its impact on young physicists (alternative... the next big machine)
  • Impact of long time scale projects and careers
  • Future of the field issues?
  • Funding (alternative... Outreach to Government). Include international efforts.
  • Visas and Security Issues
  • Revist topics presented at last YPP at SNOWMASS

  It seemed that casting the topics in the format that was done for Snowmass was best received. In that frame, we would have the following topic titles:

  • 1. "Globalization -- Impact of large collaborations and long time scales on Young Physicists" (led by Veronique)
  • 2. "Outreach to Government -- Funding in the US and Abroad" (Chris and Joe, with help from Bonnie and George)
  • 3. "Young Physicists Issues -- Impact of Large experiments and security issues on YPPs" (Sam, Bonnie, and George)

  (PS: I am not absolutely sure if this how things got divided... If this is wrong, please check)

  We will try to have literature available at the meeting for people to be informed about the topics we will discuss. About 1/2 hour per session is expected (and 2 hours is about what worked best at Snowmass). Format will be to have a brief introduction with discussion points, followed by open discussion. Make sure to have clear, unbaised, "yes-no" type of voting at the end of each section. We expect about 30 people to be in the audience. Links to the talks given at Snowmass (for information on how things went the last time we did this) are still available.

  It was also thought that the meeting could be a lauching point for a revist at the survey, but that it could not be completed, since little time would be available.

  Veronique, Joe, Ben, Bonnie, Sam, and maybe George would be in attendence.

  Veronique will give the overview talk at the Saturday morning session.

• IEEE Conference (UB):

  Almost 1200 abstracts received for the conference (to take place in Portland,Oregon) have been received. It is expected that ~1500 people will be in attendence. Notification of a poster or paper being accepted will go out this week. After which, people who are in need of funds in order to attend the conference can request (either through the YPP or the IEEE, to be discussed) for financial assistance. Money should be made available to people who need it, not just who requests for it. However, the YPP could be seen as a possible venue to let people know that this option exists.

  Along the same lines, IEEE members have been in contact with companies to see if they would be willing to sponsor individuals to attend the conference. So far, 6 out 8 companies who have been contacted have responded positively. In return for the support, the company would be acknowledged in the paper. The HEP community would benefit greatly from this, since they make use of companies during building phases. Contacts are also available from past physicists who have left for industry (lists from OPAL exist, as well as contacts to Lucent). YPP can get involved via writing a letter (to a specific contact) to the company to see if they are interested in helping students attend. Chris Potter has volunteered to help with this project, along with others.

  Next question came to what level of participation we wish the YPP to have at IEEE

  • Level 1: Advertisement of conference via YPP lists (this has already been done).
  • Level 2: Advertisement of YPP at conference (a breakfast or lunch describing the YPP, as done at APS).
  • Level 3: Session planning (speakers invited by the YPP to address issues of relevance to YPP members, as done for Lead Conference).
  • Level 4: Full involvement / Town Meeting (as done for Snowmass and LP2003).

  So far, it looks like YPP will at least be involved up to level 2, and possible level 3. To be ironed out in the next week or so.

• New Chair:

  Alas, my (Joe F) time is up as chair (both YPP rules and work commitments keep me from staying much longer). A call for a new Chair was made. (In answer to the question raised at the meeting, any YPP member can be chair, as long as he or she is nominated by a representative). General (but not complete) consensus around the room was that one of the large YPP chapters should hold chair (though a request for a university rep was also made). It was also considered that the next chair should come from Europe.

  One (seconded) nomination for Veronique was made, which she will consider. There are many others which everyone thinks will do a great job (George, Ben, and Chris). This will be decided in the next few weeks. If members feel there is a strong candidate for the position, it is urged they bring the name to the table soon.

• GSA and YPP at Fermilab:

  Should YPP be absorbed into (or absorb) the GSA? Advantages: greater pool to draw from, potential funds available. Disadvantages: GSA is a large community at Fermilab and it is likely that the YPP would lose its identity this way.

  Thanks everyone,
  Joe