ePIC Collaboration Council Meeting

→ Europe/Rome
Description

ZOOM link: https://temple.zoom.us/j/95180856470?pwd=ZUISLyh2NYhU31q3YBZPN26etpIQlX.1

Minutes from the last ePIC CC meeting, November 8, 2024: Click here!

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Minutes from the ePIC Collaboration Council Meeting on January 23, 2025

Location: Rome Collaboration meeting /CC Meeting

Mode: Hybrid

Agenda: https://indico.bnl.gov/event/25666/

All presentations are available at the above link. Highlights from the discussion session are summarized below.

Topics: EIC Research Engagement, Funding Models, Publications, and Collaboration Operations

 

Discussion Points

Engagement with Jefferson Lab and Broader Community:

• Need to enhance collaboration with Jefferson Lab.
• A summer meeting co-organized with the EIC User’s group is planned to facilitate outreach.
• Intent to present EIC capabilities and engage directly through talks at Jefferson Lab events.
 

Funding Models and DOE Office Structure:

• Concern over fragmented funding streams for EIC, RHIC, and LHC projects.
• Hybrid grant models may no longer suffice as EIC grows.
• DOE reportedly has no plan to create a separate EIC office; internal redirection offunds is being considered.
• Clear guidance from DOE leadership is critical for defining EIC-eligible funding.

 

Collaboration Publications & Milestones:

• Aim to publish a technical detector paper (linked to TDR/pre-TDR) and a scientific publication aligned with early science program goals.
• Discussions on centralization vs. decentralization of paper submission and corresponding authorship.
• Acknowledgment of the importance of giving early-career researchers credit and experience in corresponding roles.

 

Common Funds & Authorship Policies:

• Debate over requiring quotas tied to financial contributions.
• Concerns raised about exclusion from authorship due to non-payment and its negative effects on collaboration spirit.
• Proposal to explicitly protect early-career scientists’ contributions in policies and bylaws.
 
Outreach and Resource Allocation:
 
• Discontent with fixed outreach budgeting; suggestion to scale efforts dynamically,especially during early engagement phases.
• Recognized value of sustained outreach over the life of the collaboration.
 
 
Publication & Review Procedures:
 
• Clarification needed on policies for preliminary results, especially when corrections are required.
• Suggestion to establish a formal retraction mechanism.
• Debate over mandatory cross-checks and their practicality at the current (simulated) data phase.
• Emphasis on internal review processes and quality assurance through culture, not just policy.
 
Identity and Branding Guidelines:
 
• Calls for stronger plot style and presentation branding (e.g., consistent logos, fonts) to emulate recognizable standards from CMS, ATLAS, etc.
 
Membership & Service Commitment Tracking:
 
• Institutions must submit a Statement of Service to remain in good standing.
• A database system is being developed to manage member updates and new entries efficiently.
• Issues noted with incomplete submissions; reminders were sent to non-responsive institutions.
 
Action Items:
 
#             Action                                                                                   Responsible Party                                             Deadline/Timeline
 
1             Coordinate speaker participation at                                  EIC leadership & collaborators                             Prior to summer meeting
               JLab events to boost engagement   
 
2            Develop clearer guidance for DOE program                     DOE leadership                                                      ASAP
              managers on EIC support
 
3            Finalize and begin work on technical                               Coordinators &authors                                          End of FY2025
              and scientific publications
 
4           Create formal guidance on preliminary                            Publication Committee                                          Draft proposal fornext meeting
             result updates and retraction policy
 
5           Review and update bylaws to protect                              Collaboration Council                                             Next bylaws revision cycle
             authorship fairness and early-career researchers
 
6           Establish or reinforce branding guidelines                      Communications or                                                  Next quarter
             for plots and presentations                                             Publications Committee
 
7          Continue outreach to institutions that haven’t                Membership Committee                                          Ongoing; finalize by Q2 2025
            submitted their State of Service 
 
8          Define process for adding new members                        Membership Committee                                           In sync with database rollout
            to the collaboration
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