ILC task force seeks feedback for EDR at town meeting

Acknowledging DESY in Germany as a leader in superconducting radiofrequency technology for the proposed ILC, Marc Ross told Fermilab's ILC Town Meeting that "we have to work with our German and Japanese partners" to close the gap.

Seeking both suggestions and signups, Technical Division head Marc Ross described the activities of the ILC Engineering Design Report task force at an ILC Town Meeting in One West last Wednesday. Ross, who serves as chair of the GDE EDR task force, said FNAL scientists, engineers, managers and planners will have key roles in the global EDR activities.

"I'm pushing to have people involved right here in Wilson Hall," Ross said. "I want to try to bring ILC participation more into the mainstream of the lab. Cryomodule Design, Superconducting RF RD, Test Accelerator Operations and Civil engineering are among our focus topics, and there will be plenty of leadership opportunities."

The task force, drawn from the three regions of the Global Design Effort, including the ILC Executive Committee, is seeking feedback on how the EDR effort should be organized and what special issues might be involved for Fermilab. The goals of the task force are ambitious: to have a preliminary report ready for the meeting at DESY from May 30 to June 2, followed by a complete report to the ILCSC in August. Critical issues will include agreement among regions on the information needed in a Bid to Host, as well as defining and understanding deliverables for the EDR.

Ross said he believes the task force will endorse development of an organization aligned along what he called functional lines instead of institutional or regional lines, with an emphasis on internationally balanced leadership. (presumes outcome of task force recommendations) "This organization is different from the way Fermilab usually works," Ross said. "Normally, the lab wants to handle all the tasks in a project. So we'll have to understand how this is going to work."

-- Mike Perricone

FNAL Steering Group seeks
input from HEP community

Director Pier Oddone has charged Deputy Director Young-Kee Kim to lead a Steering Group to develop a strategic roadmap for the accelerator-based HEP physics program at Fermilab (see Director's Corner, Fermilab Today, April 17, 2007). The roadmap will outline discovery opportunities during the period before ILC construction can begin, while supporting the international R&D and engineering design for as early a start of the ILC as possible. The Steering Group, consisting of members of the US HEP community and Laboratory staff, will report to Director Oddone by August 1.

The Steering Group would like to solicit input from the HEP community as widely as possible. As part of this effort, Kim has been meeting with collaborations of experiments at Fermilab, will give a report on the Steering group's work at the Fermilab and SLAC Users Meetings on June 6 and June 7, respectively, and will conduct Town Hall meetings on the same days. To provide input, please email Kim a note or a letter with your thoughts.

The Steering Group would also like to hear ideas from the community on near-term experiments that can be supported by an evolution of the Fermilab accelerator complex. If you have suggestions, please write up a single-page sketch consisting of the physics case, back-of-envelope discussion of accelerator requirements, and a brief detector description. Please send your input by Monday, June 11.

You can find the charge, membership and activities of the Steering Group here.

Special 2-for-1 offer for Blues musician Eric Bibb

Blues musician Eric Bibb

Have you been to the Fermilab Arts & Lecture Series lately? We're looking forward to an amazing 2007-2008 Season (Garnet Rogers & Ronny Cox, Buckwheat Zydeco, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Barrage and many others), and we'd like to kick it off with a special incentive. We're offering Fermilab employees and users Buy One/Get One Free tickets for the first performance of the season, by the phenomenal acoustic blues singer and guitarist, Eric Bibb on Saturday, June 9 at 8 p.m.

Already enjoying success in Europe, Eric Bibb is becoming a familiar face - and voice - in the U.S. acoustic folk-blues scene. His unique talent continues to draw critical acclaim around the world. Twice nominated for the W.C. Handy Awards and winner of the "Best Newcomer" title in the British Blues Awards, Bibb has been appropriately described as "discreetly awesome" and "a total original." He released his new album on the Telarc label, and Billboard proclaimed, "With this eloquent disc, Bibb solidifies his spot on the blues A-list."

He has performed at jazz and blues festivals (Montreal, San Francisco), world music festivals (Chicago), folk festivals (Edmonton, Vancouver) and at universities and performing arts venues across the US. You can hear audio samples at Eric Bibb's web site or my space page.

To purchase 2-for-1 tickets, stop by our box office in the User's Office, WH1W, or call us at x2787. Be sure to indicate that you are a Fermilab employee or user. Regular ticket prices are $17/$9 for ages 18 and under and Fermilab grad students. For more information check out the Cultural Events web page.