Users Organization of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams f r i b u s e r s . o r g March, 2011 Dear Members of Congress: We the undersigned 315 members of the Users Organization of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams are writing in support of funding to support the scientific research missions of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science and the National Science Foundation (NSF). We also strongly urge Congress to provide full funding for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) through the Nuclear Physics program at the DOE Office of Science. This will bolster America’s global economic competitiveness and enhance our national security by enabling the U.S. to sustain and enhance its technological leadership position in the critical field of nuclear science. We recognize that the 112th Congress is faced with a difficult budget environment, but we are very pleased that a strong bipartisan consensus has emerged over the past few years in Congress that robust investments in science and technology play a critical role ensuring continued U.S. prosperity. The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams is a key component of the research infrastructure needed to advance the field of nuclear science, as confirmed by both the DOE Nuclear ScienceAdvisory Committee1 and the National Academies2. This national user facility will enable scientists across the country to understand the workings of nature’s strong force, unravel the mysteries of the cosmic origin of atoms, devise tests for the fundamental laws of nature, and create new isotopes and tools for other fields of science, medicine, national security, and industry. Not only does U.S. leadership in nuclear science have broad scientific and economic impact, it is also critical to the development of a talented and skilled nuclear workforce. Advances in the field of nuclear science have underpinned many of the world-changing breakthroughs in modern medical imaging, nuclear medicine, computer modeling and simulation, and energy production that have improved our lives and the world around us. However, the American Physical Society report on the Readiness of the U.S. Nuclear Workforce for the 21st Century Challenges3 discusses the “critical shortages in the U.S. nuclear workforce” and states that “There will be a continuing, long-term, significant need for nuclear scientists and engineers in industry, government, and academia, across a wide range of disciplines.” Continued funding for the foundations of our nuclear science research capabilities, such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, is critical to U.S. technological leadership, our national security, and to our long-term economic prosperity. We hope you will take the broad support of the nuclear science community - evidenced by this letter - into close consideration as you set Congressional budget priorities. Sincerely, The following undersigned Members of the FRIB Users Organization* * We are signing of our own accord and not on behalf of the institution for which we are employed. 1 Nuclear Science Advisory Committee 2007 Long Range Plan: “The Frontiers of Nuclear Science”; U.S. DOE 2 “Scientific Opportunities with a Rare-Isotope Facility in the United States”, Nat. Res. Council, Nat.Academy, 2007 3 “Readiness of the U.S. nuclear Workforce for 21st Century Challenges”, American Physical Society Report from the Panel on Public Affairs, 2008 page 1 of 5 Users Organization of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams f r i b u s e r s . o r g Aderemi Adekola Shadi Bedoor Christopher Chiara Rutgers University Western Michigan University University of Maryland Tan Ahn Carla Benatti Kelly Chipps Yale University Michigan State University Colorado School of Mines Martin Alcorta Peter Bender Partha Chowdhury Argonne National Laboratory Florida State University University of Massachusetts Lowell Alan Amthor Georg Berg Gregory Christian Bucknell University University of Notre Dame National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Michigan State University Narayanaswami Anantaraman Jill Berryman National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Michigan State University Greg Chubaryan Michigan State University Texas A&M University Eric Berryman John Anderson National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Cyclotron Institute Argonne National Laboratory Carlos Bertulani Timothy Chupp Ani Aprahamian Texas A&M University - Commerce University of Michigan University of Notre Dame Carrol Bingham Jolie Cizewski Sam M. Austin University of Tennessee Rutgers University National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Ryan Clement Michigan State University Jeff Blackmon Louisiana State University Idaho National Laboratory Andrew Ayres Douglas Cline University of Tennessee Scott Bogner National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory University of Rochester Lagy Baby Michigan State University Philippe Collon Florida State University, Tallahassee Georg Bollen University of Notre Dame Vincent Bader Michigan State University Paul Cottle National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Ryan Braid Florida State University Kevin Bailey Colorado School of Mines Manoel Couder Argonne National Laboratory William Brantley University of Notre Dame Baha Balantekin Furman University Daniel Coupland University of Wisconsin-Madison Nathan Brewer National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory James Ball Vanderbilt University Michigan State University Oak Ridge National Laboratory, retired Maxime Brodeur Aaron Couture Laura Bandura National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory Michigan State University Michigan State University Heather Crawford Adriana Banu Edward Brown Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory James Madison University Michigan State University Richard Cyburt Physics and Astronomy Dept. James Brown JINA Dan Bardayan Wabash College Michigan State University Oak Ridge National Laboratory Alex Brown Pawel Danielewicz Brent Barker Michigan State University Michigan State University Michigan State University Juan Burgos Cary Davids Brad Barquest Michigan State University Argonne National Laboratory National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Scott Bustabad Piotr Decowski Bruce Barrett Michigan State University Smith College University of Arizona Roger Calantone Marcelo Del Santo Ramon Barthelemy Michigan State University National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Western Michigan University Michigan State University Shane Caldwell Wolfgang Bauer University of Chicago Willem Dickhoff Michigan State University Washington University Christopher Campbell Travis Baugher Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Paul Fallon National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Anne Caraley Thomas Baumann SUNY Oswego Michael Famiano National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Western Michigan University Lucia Cartegni Daniel Bazin University of Tennessee Benjamin Fenker Michigan State University Texas A&M University Richard Casten Cornelius Beausang Yale University Charles Folden University of Richmond Texas A&M University David Caussyn Fred Becchetti Florida State University Ronald Fox University of Michigan National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Joseph Cerny Michigan State University Ana Becerril University of California, Berkeley National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Nathan Frank Michigan State University David Chamulak Augustana College Argonne National Laboratory Adam Fritsch Michigan State University page 2 of 5 Users Organization of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams f r i b u s e r s . o r g Richard Furnstahl Jae-Kwang Hwang Helmut Laumer Ohio State University Vanderbilt University Michigan State University Alexandra Gade Christian Iliadis Torben Lauritsen National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Argonne National Laboratory Michigan State University Sergey Ilyushkin Linwood Lee Alfredo Galindo-Uribarri Mississippi State University Stony Brook University Oak Ridge National Laboratory Hironori Iwasaki Youngsun Lee Aaron Galonsky National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Michigan State University Michigan State University Michigan State University I-Yang Lee Eugene Galyaev Richard Jacobson Lawrence Berkeley Lab National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Michigan State University Daniela Leitner Alejandro Garcia Michigan State University University of Washington Robert V. F. Janssens Argonne National Laboratory Antoine LEMASSON Umesh Garg National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory University of Notre Dame Kate Jones Michigan State University University of Tennessee Donald Geesaman Felix Liang Argonne National Laboratory Ninad Joshi Oak Ridge National Laboratory National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Amanda Gehring Michigan State University Sean Liddick National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Michigan State University Yoav Kashiv University of Notre Dame C.J. (Kim) Lister Konrad Gelbke Argonne National Laboratory Michigan State University Edwin Kashy Michigan State University Jorge Lopez Sebastian George University of Texas at El Paso National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Wimmer Kathrin National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Wolfgang Lorenzon Tom Ginter Michigan State University University of Michigan National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Robert Kaye William Lynch Thomas Glasmacher Ohio Wesleyan University Michigan State University Michigan State University Micha Kilburn Wenchao Ma Uwe Greife National Superconducting Cyclotron