The SLAC Users Organization (SLUO) Executive Committee represents high energy physics (HEP) users at SLAC, with BABAR currently the largest of these groups. This very active Executive Committee has 12 members, meets every five weeks and is deeply involved in the SLAC community. There are six subcommittees that meet as needed.

SLUO Executive Committee members left to right: Frank Porter (Cal Tech), Greg Madejski (KIPAC) and chair Abi Soffer (Colorado State University). (Photo by Diana Rogers)

"Anyone who has come to SLAC and used HEP and Astrophysics facilities to do research is a part of SLUO," according to Chair Abi Soffer (BABAR).

The four members elected in 2006 are Christopher Hearty (BABAR ), David Kirkby (BABAR), Grzegorz (Greg) Madejski (KIPAC) and Frank Porter (BABAR ). All four new members are on the Charter Review Subcommittee. Their collective intention is to improve the SLUO mission by creating proposals for the full committee to address the changing nature of science at SLAC.

Hearty, from British Columbia University, is on the Outreach subcommittee. UC Irvine’s Kirkby, currently working on BABAR , is beginning to get involved with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) through KIPAC. Kirkby said, "My main goal is for SLUO to play an active role in anticipating and defining the needs of particle astrophysics and cosmology users, especially those making a transition from accelerator-based HEP." He is also on the Outreach Subcommittee.

Madejski is deeply interested in the realignment of SLAC. "The nature of SLUO is changing," Madjeski stated, "along with the changing nature of SLAC." He is committed to the upcoming trip to Washington, D.C. and looks forwards to sharing his excitement about science with Congressional representatives. Cal Tech’s Porter is actively involved in the Public Meetings Subcommittee.

During the BABAR Collaboration meeting in February SLUO will hold a meeting of institutional representatives. This is an opportunity for input on Users needs and how SLUO can best help them work more effectively as part of the scientific community at the Laboratory.

For more information, see: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/sluo/SLUO_Exec.html