STFC PPUAC(2008)03 6 June 2008

PARTICLE PHYSICS USERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

PPUAC ANNUAL REPORT 2007

For Discussion and Comment

The finalised annual report will be submitted to the STFC. The new STFC organisation structure, in particular the introduction of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) means we have to rethink the reporting line within the revised Terms of Reference. This was to the STFC Director Facilities Development and Operations but it may be more appropriate for this now to be the COO.

PPUAC are asked to:

(i) endorse the PPUAC Annual Report to STFC; and (ii) comment on the reporting line to be followed.

Tony Medland Acting Secretary SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL PARTICLE PHYSICS USERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2007 Report to the Chief Operating Officer

The Committee currently meets on a six-monthly basis, with members drawn from each of the University groups with an experimental particle physics rolling grant (see Appendix 1). In fact, only one meeting was held in 2007, as the planned November meeting was postponed until January 2008 because of urgent meetings concerning the STFC delivery plan. The Agendas for the May 2007 meeting and the delayed meeting in January 2008, detailing those topics covered since November 2006, are attached in Appendix 2.

The standard items of business discussed were the general status of the Particle Physics budgets and issues from CERN, DESY, FNAL, SLAC, CCLRC, PPARC, and, post merger, STFC. We remain concerned at the lack of user consultation at DESY, although this is a diminishing issue as our involvement at DESY decreases.

The STFC Liaison Officers located at the overseas laboratories (Mary-Elizabeth Shewry at CERN, Susan Ketels at DESY, Cathryn Laue at FNAL and Jean Sutherland at SLAC) attended the May meeting. The Liaison Officers perform a highly valued function enabling groups from UK institutes to be more effective and to operate more efficiently. The UK support model, with its collective experience on matters from shipping (eg through customs) to welfare and housing and for enabling effective support from local administration is now being explicitly copied by other nations involved at CERN at the suggestion of the laboratory. They also have an important custodial role for STFC students while on field study, and they ensure appropriate and economical accommodation for students and staff overseas on STFC business. This has become increasingly important as the CERN LHC detectors are first commissioned and then move into the exploitation phase. Noting that UK involvement in projects in Japan has been increasing, one recommendation from PPUAC to STFC officials in attendance was to investigate the need for similar administrative support for projects in that region (eg for T2K); this will be revisited once the programmatic review has been completed.

An important STFC RAL role is to administer Long-Term Attachments (LTAs) on behalf of the UK PP groups in universities. Good communications between the Universities, STFC RAL HR, and the UK liaison officers is essential in making LTAs work more efficiently and effectively. The provision of adequate medical cover is now a pre-requisite for working at each of the main overseas laboratories (ie CERN, DESY, SLAC and FNAL). One recurring issue with particular relevance to LTAs is the provision of adequate health cover for scientists and their families while overseas. PPUAC continues to asked STFC to look for potential efficiencies and cost savings in the provision of this cover (e.g. via a central policy).

A number of health and safety issues associated with work at overseas facilities had been highlighted. In particular, revisions to the safety practice at CERN caused some concern, and STFC RAL safety advisors were asked to review them and comment, both in the interests of STFC employees and those at CERN from the Universities. They continue to undertake a number of safety tours of remote sites as part of a regular programme of visits to obtain assurance on the safety of their staff while working on detached duty. Reports on STFC RAL safety tours are now available to University safety officers on request and this has been drawn to the attention of the safety officers in the universities.

PPUAC naturally followed with interest the formation of the STFC and its implications for the major labs. As a consequence of the new management structures, the Committee’s reporting lines have been adjusted, but in most major respects its remit remains unchanged and its continued role and operation were strongly endorsed by the University representatives. The PPUAC Terms of Reference have been revised and are given in Appendix 3. It is an important channel between the STFC and the University groups in terms of operational and user support matters, and also the link between the user committees of the international laboratories such as CERN, where many of the UK particle physics experiments are located and the UK community.

Prof. John Womersley moved from RAL as Director Particle Physics to take up the position of Director Science Strategy in the new STFC management structure. The Committee would like to wish him well in taking on this new challenge. He remains ‘in attendance’ at PPUAC, but his former role is for now held by Prof. Norman McCubbin.

After the May 2007 meeting, Prof. Neville Harnew stood down as PPUAC Chair after 3 years, and after the revision of the ToR, Prof. Roger Jones took over. The Committee thanks Neville for his unstinting efforts in support both of the community and of RAL during his tenure.

Cc: Head of Particle Physics, STFC APPENDIX 1

PPUAC MEMBERSHIP

June 2007 Name Institute Harnew N Chairman (Oxford) until October 2007 Jones R Chairman (Lancaster) from October 2007 Goldstein J Bristol Egede U Imperial Wilson J A Birmingham Wilkinson G Oxford Soldner-Rembold S Manchester Teodorescu L Brunel Martin A QMW Teixeira-Dias P RHUL Walker A Edinburgh O’Shea V Glasgow McMahon S RAL Vossebeld J Liverpool Harris P G Sussex Waters D UCL Ramachers Y Warwick Cartwright S Sheffield Ward P Cambridge

In Attendance:

McCubbin N RAL (Acting Director Particle Physics) Medland A RAL PPD (Acting Secretary) Seed J PPARC (Head of Particle Physics Division) Shewry M E CERN (UK Liaison Officer) Sutherland J SLAC (UK Liaison Officer) Laue C FNAL (UK Liaison Officer) Ketels S DESY (UK Liaison Officer, Programme Support) Shand P RAL PPD (Programme Support) McMahon S CERN ACCU Representative Loizides J DESY Representative APPENDIX 2

PPUAC BUSINESS DURING 2007

AGENDA MAY 2007

ACTIONS & MATTERS ARISING PPUAC (2007)03  New and re-nominated Members (Susan Ketels)  Letter to Rolf Heuer, DESY about Users Meeting  New PPUAC Chairman in November 2007 STFC MATTERS Oral

 Acting Director’s Report (Norman McCubbin)  Future role of PPD Director  Merger /STFC  Summer School in Oxford

LTA MATTERS PPUAC(2007)04

 LTA Insurance OVERSEAS LABORATORY MATTERS Oral

 Liaison Officers Report (Cathryn Laue, Jean Sutherland, Mary Elizabeth Shewry, Susan Ketels)  CERN ACCU Report (Steve McMahon)  DESY User Meeting Report (John Loizides)

PPUAC ANNUAL REPORT 2006 (Chairman) PPUAC(2007)05

 Future Role of PPUAC

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Papers for Information: ROTATION OF MEMBERSHIP PPUAC(2007)06 UKHEP SUMMER SCHOOL 2006 – DIRECTOR’S REPORT PPUAC(2007)07 AGENDA JANUARY 2008

ACTIONS & MATTERS ARISING PPUAC (2007)10  Introduction of new PPUAC Chairman from November 2007 PPUAC TERMS OF REFERENCE PPUAC(2007)12

 Revised Terms of Reference

STFC MATTERS Oral

 Acting Director’s Report (Norman McCubbin)  Shared Service Centre (SSC) Project  PPUAC Annual Report 2007  PPD Audit

LTA MATTERS PPUAC(2007)11

 LTA Insurance  New part-time staff member OVERSEAS LABORATORY MATTERS Oral

 Liaison Officers Report (Mary Elizabeth Shewry, Susan Ketels)  US Liaison Offices Report  CERN ACCU Report (Steve McMahon)  DESY User Meeting Report (John Loizides)

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 Rotation of membership PPUAC(2007)13  Election of ACCU Representative

PAPERS FOR INFORMATION: PPUAC(2007)14 Web addresses of insurance companies Director’s Report Summer School 2007 APPENDIX 3 Particle Physics Users Advisory Committee (PPUAC) Terms of Reference

The Particle Physics Users Advisory Committee: 1. advises the Science & Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Director, Particle Physics Department at RAL; 2. monitors the range, level and quality of the services provided by STFC to the UK particle physics community; 3. acts as a forum for discussion of all non-scientific aspects of the UK programme (i.e. administration, finance, technology, health and safety, overseas relocation / accommodation, insurance, access) and of the provision of support services where appropriate; 4. acts as the interface between the UK particle physics community and its representatives on the user advisory committees of international laboratories, at CERN and elsewhere, for non-scientific matters.

The PPUAC meets at least twice a year.

Membership PPUAC Membership comprises: 1. One member from each UK experimental particle physics department/group, nominated by the university group leader, to represent the interests of and feed back information to the university. 2. One member of the STFC Particle Physics Department (PPD), nominated by the Director. 3. UK representatives on advisory committees of international laboratories, at CERN and elsewhere, for non-scientific matters.

The Committee Chair is appointed by the members of the Committee, in consultation with their respective department/group leaders. The duration of appointment shall be 3 years. The PPUAC will provide a written report annually to the Director Facilities Development and Operations, STFC through its chair. The PPD will provide secretarial support and the PPUAC secretary. In attendance: 1. STFC Director PPD, RAL. 2. UK Liaison Officers for overseas laboratories, as required. 3. Head, Particle Physics Division, Science Programmes Office, STFC, or nominee 4. Directors (or nominees) from STFC support areas as required, in particular: - Technology Department - Human Resources Department

Revised November 2007