October 8, 2009

Call for Light Sources Directorate Science Advisory Committee Nominations

Nominations are being sought for the new Light Sources Directorate Science Advisory Committee (SAC), which replaces the NSLS Science Advisory Committee and the NSLS-II Experimental Facilities Advisory Committee (EFAC).

"The present NSLS SAC and NSLS-II EFAC have served the NSLS and NSLS-II well," said Steve Dierker, Associate Laboratory Director for Light Sources. "The members of these committees have very generously shared their time and considerable expertise with us and we have benefited enormously from their advice. It has been a pleasure to interact with these committee members and I would like to thank them for their thoughtful advice in helping us get to this point."

As the beginning stages of construction continue for NSLS-II, and we anticipate the transition from NSLS to NSLS-II, the Light Sources Directorate has entered a new phase, Dierker said.

"We have re-evaluated the formation and charters of the NSLS SAC and of the NSLS-II EFAC and have decided that an adjustment is in order," he said. "We have a need for consistent and informed advice on all scientific and policy issues that bear on the full and effective utilization of NSLS and NSLS-II and on future developments required to achieve the highest possible scientific productivity of NSLS and NSLS-II."

The new Light Sources Directorate SAC will be charged to provide such advice. Nominations for committee members are being accepted from the user community, directorate staff, and BNL management.

The issues that this committee will provide advice on are "central to the future evolution of the Light Sources Directorate scientific facilities and programs," Dierker said. "It is imperative that we have a high quality and diverse membership."

Please send your recommendations to Dierker at dierker@bnl.gov. They will be treated with confidentiality. For full consideration, nominations should be submitted by Oct. 15, 2009.

The charter for the new group is as follows:

The Light Sources Directorate Science Advisory Committee (SAC) is advisory to the Associate Laboratory Director (ALD) for the Light Sources Directorate at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The SAC has the responsibility to provide recommendations on all scientific and policy issues that bear on the full and effective utilization of the BNL Light Sources Directorate facilities and on future developments required to maintain the scientific productivity of the BNL Light Sources Directorate programs at the highest possible level.

In order to ensure that present and future scientific facilities and programs of the Light Sources Directorate are of the highest quality, the SAC will review and advise on the following primary issues:

• Planning for current and future scientific facilities and programs
• Policies relevant to user access and utilization of scientific facilities
• Proposals for major experimental facilities and programs
• Performance and management of facilities and programs in terms of scientific output and utilization

The SAC will maintain, primarily through the expertise of its membership, close ties with the scientific community. They will advise the ALD on directions that will best meet the future needs of the scientific community and to insure successful interactions with the user community.

The members will be appointed by the ALD based on nominations from the user community, directorate staff, and BNL management. The membership of the SAC will be balanced to provide expertise in major science programs, technical developments, and facilities and program management. Membership on the SAC will be for a three-year term, renewable by mutual consent. The chair of the SAC will be appointed by the ALD for a three-year term. One representative from each recognized BNL Light Sources user organization will be an ex-officio member of the SAC.

In general, the full SAC will meet twice a year. The ALD, in consultation with the chair of the SAC, can call additional SAC meetings as necessary. Deliberations of the SAC will be confidential. A member of the SAC will not take part in deliberations if his/her participation would create or appear to create a conflict of interest. Delegates are not allowed to substitute for SAC members at SAC meetings.

The output of the SAC will consist of a report of their findings and recommendations conveyed in an oral briefing of the ALD and other directorate staff at the conclusion of each SAC meeting and in a written report submitted shortly after each SAC meeting and which will be made public.