NPPS Leadership Team

[Torre Wenaus <wenaus AT gmail.com>]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Capasso, Frances <capasso AT bnl.gov>
Date: Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 7:18 AM
Subject: RHIC Site Visit - Closeout Bullets from Nov. 17th
To: Gao, Haiyan <hgao AT bnl.gov>, Minty, Michiko <minty AT bnl.gov>, Christie, William <christie AT bnl.gov>, Fischer, Wolfram <wfischer AT bnl.gov>, akiba <akiba AT rcf.rhic.bnl.gov>, Akiba, Yasuyuki <akiba AT bnl.gov>, Dunlop, James C <dunlop AT bnl.gov>, Petreczky, Peter <Petreczk AT bnl.gov>, Chamizo Llatas, Maria <mchamizo AT bnl.gov>, Ruan, Lijuan <ruan AT bnl.gov>, Morrison, David <morrison AT bnl.gov>, O'Brien, Edward <eobrien AT bnl.gov>, Litvinenko, Vladimir <vl AT bnl.gov>, Aschenauer, Elke <elke AT bnl.gov>, Helen Caines <helen.caines AT yale.edu>, Deshpande, Abhay <abhay AT bnl.gov>, Fedotov, Alexei <fedotov AT bnl.gov>, Hammons, Lee <hammons AT bnl.gov>, Lancon, Eric <elancon AT bnl.gov>, Gunther M Roland <rolandg AT mit.edu>, Venugopalan, Raju <rajuv AT bnl.gov>, Wenaus,Torre J <wenaus AT bnl.gov>, Denisov, Dmitri <denisovd AT bnl.gov>, Ma, Hong <hma AT bnl.gov>, Sowinski, James <james.sowinski AT science.doe.gov>, Cameron,Saryna (CONTR) <Saryna.Cameron AT science.doe.gov>, Capasso, Frances <capasso AT bnl.gov>, Colon, Christel <ccolon AT bnl.gov>, Cutler, Cathy <ccutler AT bnl.gov>, Desmond, James L <desmond AT bnl.gov>, Furnari, Laura <lfurnari AT bnl.gov>, Hauser, John J <hauser AT bnl.gov>, Manalo, Criselda <cmanalo AT bnl.gov>, Pankowski, Susan <pankows AT bnl.gov>, Rusek, Adam <rusek AT bnl.gov>, Thorne, Brandon <bthorne AT bnl.gov>, Yeck, Jim <jyeck AT bnl.gov>, Gordon, Robert (BHSO) <Robert.Gordon AT science.doe.gov>, Caradonna, Robert (BHSO) <Robert.Caradonna AT science.doe.gov>, Carter, John T (BHSO) <John.T.Carter AT science.doe.gov>, Sullivan, Patrick (BHSO) <Patrick.Sullivan AT science.doe.gov>, Olson, Gary (BHSO) <gary.olson AT science.doe.gov>, Anderson, Jack <janderson AT bnl.gov>, Gibbs, Doon L <gibbs AT bnl.gov>, Tribble, Robert <rtribble AT bnl.gov>, Franz, Achim <afranz AT bnl.gov>, Elizabeth.Bartosz AT science.doe.gov <Elizabeth.Bartosz AT science.doe.gov>, Elouadrhiri, Latifa <Latifa.Elouadrhiri AT science.doe.gov>, Farkhondeh, Manouchehr <manouchehr.farkhondeh AT science.doe.gov>, Jehanne.Gillo AT science.doe.gov <Jehanne.Gillo AT science.doe.gov>, Graff, Ivan <Ivan.Graff AT science.doe.gov>, Michelle.Shinn AT science.doe.gov <Michelle.Shinn AT science.doe.gov>, Xiaofeng.Guo AT science.doe.gov <Xiaofeng.Guo AT science.doe.gov>, Hallman, Timothy <timothy.hallman AT science.doe.gov>, Kenneth.Hicks AT science.doe.gov <Kenneth.Hicks AT science.doe.gov>, Keith.Jankowski AT science.doe.gov <Keith.Jankowski AT science.doe.gov>, Kelsie.Krafton AT science.doe.gov <Kelsie.Krafton AT science.doe.gov>, Spyridon.Margetis AT science.doe.gov <Spyridon.Margetis AT science.doe.gov>, Gulshan.Rai AT science.doe.gov <Gulshan.Rai AT science.doe.gov>, Paul.Sorensen AT science.doe.gov <Paul.Sorensen AT science.doe.gov>, Sharon.Stephenson AT science.doe.gov <Sharon.Stephenson AT science.doe.gov>, Mantica, Paul <Paul.Mantica AT science.doe.gov>

Dear all,           

 

Here is the final version of the Closeout Bullets from the One-Day (Virtual) Site Visit of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) of November 17, 2021.

Comments:

• The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) experimental and theory science programs continue to deliver and publish significant results.
• We congratulate the RHIC team on the excellent beam delivery performance in the past year. 
• We note and appreciate the efforts to improve procurement activities, including the planned hiring of a Chief Procurement Officer.
• The demographics data presented was enlightening, and we commend the efforts that went into collecting and presenting this information. It would be helpful if the absolute numbers were added to the charts that represent fractional demographics data. 
• User concerns also highlight diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as quality of life. Identifying them with an assurance they will be addressed is encouraging, as they can be applied to staff as well.
• Several recent electrical safety incidents have occurred, and corrective actions have been taken, including a safety standdown by Collider-Accelerator Division (C-AD). The drive to achieve science and project goals cannot compromise safety. The increase of safety incidents is concerning. We appreciate the attention this is getting and support the priority on safety over schedule.
• The effective implementation of COVID-19 safety protocols has allowed the project and science activities to continue as planned, even with a limited number of approved personnel on-site. The additional efforts of on-site staff to support these activities is commended.
• The low-energy RHIC electron cooling (LEReC) project was a very challenging and its successful impact on the physics program is commended.
• The delay in the start of Run 22 due to improperly planned cryogenic controls work is disappointing, and the potential impacts on the planned science and research and development activities is concerning. It is important to identify the root cause and implement appropriate corrective actions and preventative measures. 
• C-AD provided the needed technical support for coherent electron cooling (CeC) proof of principle (PoP) experiment during Run 21 as well as beam line improvements in advance of Run 22. Additional workforce is committed to support longer experiment campaigns during Run 22. These are as recommended in the 2020 one-day site visit. This addition should continue in Run 22 with focus on the goal of preparing required electron beam quality needed for the CeC PoP experiment.
• C-AD is commended for developing new techniques such as the recently developed longitudinal splitting and remerging of proton beam which can lead to a higher degree of beam polarization by a reduction in beam emittance.
• The 10-year research plan was submitted at this review as recommended at the previous site visit. NP will evaluate it and respond.
• The STAR collaboration is commended for completing the Forward Upgrades under challenging circumstances and constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant investment has been made by DOE NP and the NSF in constructing the Forward Upgrades.
• The STAR collaboration presented a strong and substantial set of planned science measurements for the next five years that are unique and innovative. Some physics is either complementary or will inform new research directions at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC).
• Run 22 is critical to both the STAR research program and the CeC project. The recently uncovered delay will negatively impact both programs. It is imperative that BNL/RHIC Management work hard to mitigate the impacts of this delay on the science program, otherwise, STAR will not be able to recover the science lost.    
• Recent results from the theory group have the potential to make significant impacts on the field.
• Interaction between theory and experimental groups continues to be important so that the theory group can provide effective support for the experimental programs.
• The sPHENIX team is congratulated on the installation of the repurposed BABAR magnet on the sPHENIX carriage and on meeting the DOE Performance Evaluation and Measurement Plan (PEMP) Notable for major milestones on this delegated MIE. sPHENIX is meeting a tight schedule. The involvement of lab management recently in resolving personnel availability is much appreciated.
• We recognize that the TPC Outer Tracker (TPOT) capital equipment (CE) effort is currently answering the lab review’s recommendations in developing its documentation and look forward to a timely response to understand its place in the lab funding, workforce, and schedule.
• The lab is reminded that new scientific instrumentation initiatives, such as TPOT, should follow established NP procedures for assessing scientific merit and reviewing technical, cost, schedule, and management.
• The transition of staff between EIC and RHIC operations requires attention to ensure that operational institutional knowledge is maintained. C-AD needs a staffing plan dynamically linked to EIC to ensure that it has sufficient staff to manage its operations, maintenance, and acquisition projects.
• Care should be taken to make sure that new initiatives at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL), the High Energy Single Event Effects test (HEET) user facility and for the DOE Isotope Program (IP) are coordinated with other project schedules such that the NP projects are not impacted.
• The challenges PHENIX has had in fully harvesting the physics from data once data taking completes should serve as a lesson learned as sPHENIX and RHIC complete their operations in the coming years. The Nuclear and Particle Physics (NPP) office should assess the computing need for data analysis and preservation post 2025 for both STAR and sPHENIX, with input from the collaborations.
• An approach to define the rules for participating in both the STAR and sPHENIX collaborations has been established. This proactive approach to the sPHENIX science program is appreciated.
• Computing resource needs for sPHENIX are projected to be substantial. Reviews of the computer code efficiency and data analysis strategy should continue. A cost benefit analysis should be included. Review reports should be submitted to NP. 
• Computing support is not in sPHENIX project scope. sPHENIX collaboration should assess the computing needs and have plans in place to ensure the computing support is ready for sPHENIX commissioning. 
• Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) and Program Development funds for NP-related activities in the Physics department have seen a precipitous decrease from nearly $3.5M in FY 2020 to $1.0M in FY2022. This decrease is coming at a time when NP plans significant additional investment associated with, e.g., the EIC.

 

Recommendations:

• Provide outcome of root cause analysis for delay in Run 22 start to NP by January 31, 2022.
• Provide NP with a map of data analysis activities for PHENIX and STAR to individuals/institutions leading the analysis efforts by February 1, 2022.
• Provide the updated demographics data to our office by Dec. 31, 2021.
•  

Thank you,

Fran Capasso

Assistant to the Associate Laboratory Director

For Nuclear and Particle Physics

Brookhaven National Laboratory

20 Pennsylvania Street

PO Box 5000, Building 510F

Upton, NY 11973

 

Phone: 631.344.3830

Email:   capasso AT bnl.gov

 

 

From: Gao, Haiyan <hgao AT bnl.gov>
Sent: Thursday, December 2, 2021 6:38 PM
To: Capasso, Frances <capasso AT bnl.gov>
Subject: FW: RHIC Site Visit Closeout Bullets

 

Dear Fran: please share with those who participated in the Nov 17 ONP visit, the final version of the closeout bullets from the RHIC Site Visit conducted November 17, 2021. Thanks.

 

Best, Haiyan

 

 

 

 

 

 

--

-- Torre Wenaus, BNL NPPS Group, ATLAS Experiment

-- BNL 510A 1-222 | 631-681-7892 |  wenaus AT gmail.com | npps.bnl.gov | wenaus.com

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