NOIR Lab TAC Orienta1on for 2020B - Verne V. Smith, Mia Hartman, Chadd Myers, Adam ScoC

NOIR Lab TAC Orienta1on for 2020B
      Verne V. Smith, Mia Hartman,
        Chadd Myers, Adam ScoC

First Remote/Virtual TAC
• Viruses and the TAC
  – 2018B chaos from computer
    viruses (Meltdown, Spectre)
  – 2020B human virus: restricted
    travel and physical distancing
• Via Bluejeans
  – consider the medium
     • aware of mute on/off
     • delay in speaking
  – politeness
• Text

NSF NOIR Lab Overview
•   NOIR Lab is a Federally Funded Research and
    Development Center (FFRDC): “to conduct research for
    the US Government”
•   The Associa1on of Universi1es for Research for
    Astronomy (AURA) operates NOIR Lab under a
    coopera1ve agreement with the NSF
•   Part of the NOIR Lab mission statement...”to promote
    excellence in astronomical research by providing access
    to informa1on about the universe from state-of-the-art
    facili1es, surveys, and archives.”
•   In 2020B NOIR Lab provides public open-access to:
     –   KiC Peak (WIYN 3.5m, 0.9m)
     –   Cerro Tololo (4m, SMARTS à 1.5m, 0.9m)
     –   Cerro Pachon (Gemini-S 8m, SOAR 4.2m)
     –   Maunakea (Gemini 8m, Subaru 8m)
     –   Mt. Wilson (CHARA 6x1m)
     –   Siding Springs (AAT 4m)
     –   Las Cumbres Observatory (1m and 2m ‘s around the world)

Workplace Conduct Policy
NSF is commiCed to providing a safe and respeceul work
environment, free of any form of harassment. All NOIRLab
par1cipa1ng and collabora1ng organiza1ons take this responsibility
very seriously.
NOIRLab staff are subject to the policies of its opera1ng
organiza1on, the Associa1on of Universi1es for Research in
Astronomy (AURA). Collabora1ng personnel are also subject to the
various specific an1-harassment policies of their employing
organiza1ons. Addi1onally, the Na1onal Science Founda1on's
Directorate for Mathema1cal and Physical Sciences has charged
AURA with establishing and publicizing policies and methods for
repor1ng harassment. These prac1ces and procedures will apply to
NOIRLab personnel as well as to all science and business associates,
and all public and other visitors to NOIRLab facili1es.

Repor1ng Harassment
If at any 1me you feel that a member of the NOIRLab community,
regardless of organiza1onal affilia1on, is viola1ng any of these
principles and standards, please report it promptly!
You should report issues to NOIRLab or AURA Human Resources,
to your supervisor, principal inves1gator, department chair, ethics
or legal representa1ves, as applicable, or the TAC mee1ng Host,
Mia Hartman.

2020B Proposal Sta1s1cs
                             Telescope    Requested    Available    Oversubscrip=on
• In addi1on there are:                     Nights    Nights (new
   – NOIR Lab Surveys (up                              programs)

     to 20%)
   – Gemini Large           Gemini-N 8m     149           64              2.3
     Programs (up to 20%)   Gemini-S 8m     132           59              2.2
   – Gemini Fast             Subaru 8m       9            2               4.5
     Turnaround (up to       CTIO 4m        114           60              1.9
     10%)
                              AAT 4m         27           10              2.7
                            SOAR 4.2m       113           35              3.2
                            WIYN 3.5m        96           30              3.2
                              LCO 2m         78           22              3.5
                              LCO 1m        172          118              1.5
                             CTIO 1.5m       66           48              1.1
                             CTIO 0.9m       8            18              0.4
                            KPNO 0.9m        28           22              1.3
                              CHARA          63           24              2.6

Overview of the TAC
• NOIRLab TAC has 8 panels
  – 3 Extragalac1c, 3 Galac1c, 1 Solar System, 1
    NASA/NNEXPLORE (WIYN (NEID)+1.5m/CHIRON +
    MINERVA Australis) Exoplanet
  – 5 panel members + 1 non-vo1ng, neutral Chair
• Panel review assignments
  – Based on panel + individual exper1se, science
    themes, and telescope
  – Try to minimize conflicts of interest

TAC Process
1. Panels provide scien1fic ranking (based on grades within
   each panel – please send in preliminary grades on 1me!
   Late grades impact the ini1al panel discussion
2. Panel Chairs convey ranking and recommenda1ons to
   Merging TAC mee1ng this Friday
3. Merging TAC combines lists, & resolves any conflicts
4. MSO Director reviews alloca1on, approves 1me alloca1on
   with an official “sign off”
   - the TAC is advisory to the Director
5. Ranked lists submiCed to telescope schedulers
   - different for each telescope / observatory
6. When all telescopes are scheduled, leCers go out to PI’s

TAC Timeline/Flowchart for 2020B
•   4 – 7 May: Regular TAC Panel mee1ngs
•   8 May: Merging TAC
•   13 May: MSO Director review
•   15 May: Ranked Gemini list sent to Gemini
•   15 June: All approved LCO programs entered into LCO
    database
    – LCO has a different 1meline
•   Later in May: Ranked lists to other observatories
•   2 June: Gemini ITAC (US, CA, BR, AR, CH, HI, RoK)
•   15 June* – schedules ready, leCers (OK, e-mails) sent
•   1 August 2020: Semester 2020B…and we’re off

    *Varies a bit by observatory

Implicit Bias
            The bias in judgment and/or behavior that results from subtle cogni7ve processes (e.g.,
            implicit a

TAC Process Review and Upgrade
• The TAC process is well respected and held as a standard in the astronomical
  community.
• NOIRLab strives to have our TAC process as streamlined & user friendly as possible.
• This requires con1nuous improvement to adapt to the needs of the scien1fic
  community and the technology available.
• In the coming years, we will be upgrading our TAC system and processes in order to:
    • Modernize TAC system to take advantage of newer technologies
    • Iden1fy and remove old and outdated informa1on
    • Mi1gate bias within the evalua1on process
    • BeCer automate processes
    • Incorporate common data to simplify communica1on with the telescopes and
       across other NOIRLab processes.
• We hope much of this improvement will be transparent to panel members, but will
  greatly enhance the NOIRLab TAC experience for our staff and the community.

KPNO News: 2020B
• 4-meter Mayall
  – DESI installed and undergoing commissioning
  – Taking spectra
• WIYN 3.5m
  – NNEXPLORE program has priority
  – NEID commissioning con1nues
     • planned commissioning nights in 2020B
     • will be operated in queue
  – All instruments offered but note:
     • Neither HYDRA + NESSI nor HYDRA + WHIRC can be scheduled in same block
  – Non-NNEXPLORE proposals should be ranked (may be
    scheduled to fill gaps)
  – Up to 22 nights available on WIYN 0.9m w/HDI

CTIO/SOAR/SMARTS News: 2020B
•   CTIO 4m Blanco: instruments available
     –   DECam:
     –   COSMOS: available in all modes (imaging, long & mul1-slit)
•   Lots of demand from NOIRLab surveys – especially on DECam
•   Several ToO proposals
     –   DECam LIGO proposals
•   SOAR 4.2m: instruments available:
     –   Goodman: in all modes
     –   SOI
     –   Spartan
     –   SAM
     –   TripleSpec4.1
•   SOAR ToO proposals (with Goodman)
     –   AEON nights
•   1.5-m CHIRON:
     –   ~18 nights available for open access
     –   300 hours available for NNEXPLORE – service observing
•   0.9-m CCD direct:
     –   18 nights available to NOIRLab TAC

Gemini News: 2020B
• Visi1ng Instruments
  – Alopeke (GN), Zorro (GS)
  – MAROON-X (GN)
  – IGRINS (GS)
• Scheduling for 2020B
  – Flexibility
  – ITAC date uncertain (this date “starts the clock”
    on the 20B process)
  – NOIR Lab will forward as many programs so that
    Gemini has op1ons to plan 20B

Review Criteria - I
                                          hCp://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1999/iin125/iin125.html

• Scien=fic merit
   – Specific scien1fic goals + larger relevance
   – May include indirect scien1fic benefit
• Experimental design
   – Solid, well thought-out
   – Feasible (see online technical reviews; ask for clarifica1on if
     needed)—
• Broader Impact
   – Relevance to educa1on, public outreach, par1cipa1on of
     underrepresented groups: gender/ethnicity/other underserved
     minori1es/ins1tu1ons/geography, etc.
• Other factors
   – Prior alloca1ons, need for comple1on/con1nuity
   – Past produc1vity
   – Can the team carry the project to comple1on

Review Criteria - II
• NOIRLab has an open skies policy – anyone can
  apply.
• For US proposers, other access is NOT a criterion.
• For foreign proposers, we request a jus1fica1on
  for why the project cannot be done with facili1es
  to which they have access; however,
    - Scien1fic merit + Broader impact
• Finally: try not to micromanage proposal
  requests.

TAC Panel Procedures - I
•   Chair has la1tude in organizing discussion
•   Panel vo1ng - open (no secret ballots, please)
     – Panelists can provide changes (“up a point”, etc.)
     – Start each grade-change round with primary reviewer
•   Typically two passes by panels
     – Please try to finish 1st pass today, 2nd pass tomorrow before lunch
     – All discussions must have Chair present
     – Please consider technical reviews when reviewing ranked list on 2nd day
         • (ask for assistance if ques1ons arise)
•   Final wriCen comments due before 5pm tomorrow
•   Provide any feedback on process to Chair
•   Please finish by 5:00 PM on each day
•   Pre-mee1ng for Chairs tomorrow @ 8:30AM in Main Conference
    Room

TAC Panel Procedures - II
•   Long term status
     – Approve only if addi1onal observa1ons needed to answer ques1on

•   Proprietary period
     – Extend only if scien1fically warranted

•   PhD Thesis projects
     – No official weigh1ng but…
     – If a commitment has already been made, please consider carefully
     – May wish to consider broader impacts

•   Final Ranked List
     –   Include all proposals
     –   Remove any grade degeneracies (manually, e.g. 0.01)
     –   Use zero nights only for proposals that should not be scheduled
     –   Long term / Proprietary period extensions: provide recommenda1on
     –   Chairs: record issues for Merging TAC

•   Feedback
     – Chairs can compile panel comments on process for feedback to NOAO

Conflicts of Interest
• TAC goal is an informed, unbiased discussion of each proposal
• Do not review proposals or listen to discussions on which you are
  a co-I or PI (!)
• Do not review proposals on which your close colleague/
  collaborator/student/rela1ve/spouse is a PI/co-I: our knowledge
  about you is incomplete
• If there is something you feel could poten1ally be a conflict or a
  bias let us know
• If you have insights on a proposal on which you are conflicted and
  are not grading, be open and provide them fairly (if you can).
• If Chair is conflicted we will find a temporary Chair to lead
  discussion for that proposal

Wri1ng Comments - I
• Guiding principle: Ask yourself if you would be OK
  receiving these comments!
• Be brief, clear, and polite
• Be accurate – ‘don’t make stuff up’
    – if the proposal is good but fails because of oversubscrip1on you can say this

• Be fair - Judge the proposal on its merits
• Be construc1ve, if possible - how could the proposal have been beCer?
• Write in complete sentences
• Please, no slang, jargon or interjec1ons
• Try not to pose unanswerable / rhetorical ques1ons

Wri1ng comments - II
• Lead reviewers compile final comments
   – Please use web-based form on TAC Web Page
   – Summarize wriCen comments and panel discussions, and
     check “completed” box
• Panel Chairs:
   – Please review final comments, along with your panel!
   – Do not adjourn panel un1l you have checked all
     comments

Confiden1ality
• All proposals, TAC reviews, TAC discussion, and
  comments are strictly confiden7al
  – Please do not discuss proposals outside your TAC
    panel with colleagues of other panels, or anyone
    else

Logisi1cs
• Assistant for each panel
• If any issues arise, Assistant can help
  – Mia Hartman, Chadd Myers, Verne Smith available all day
• Chairs: it is a virtual mee1ng, but please
  schedule regular breaks, plus ~1-hour “lunch”
  break
• TAC Dinner tonight at “Votre Maison”

Special Thanks To:
• Mia Hartman – TAC Program Coordinator
• Adam ScoC and Chadd Meyers – So~ware Support/Database
  Architects and Developers
• Jessica Harris, David Herrera, Dara Norman, Jessica Rose,
  Heidi Schweiker, Karleyne Silva, Nicole van der Bliek – TAC
  Assistants
• CTIO, Subaru, AAO, NESSI/DSSI/’Alopeke, WIYN/NASA GO
  teams for technical reviews.
____________________________________________________
• Note: Jacqueline Keane & Verne Smith – lead reviewer
  assignments

First Remote/Virtual TAC