Minutes

Minutes of GSPDA meeting on January 8, 2009.

• Discussed planning the year's activities. From the JSA initiatives fund our proposal received $3,000 to continue the pizza seminars. There should be a little money left over for other activities, such as a picnic in the spring

• The first seminar, scheduled for Jan. 21, has a speaker. Elke Aschenauer will talk about Hall D detectors+hardware+infrastructure+some of the physics?

• For the coming months, several ideas were discussed, including inviting Eugene Chudakov to give a talk on calorimetry
• Aidan Kelleher had suggested hiring his sister to give a public speaking workshop if there is sufficient interest--put to a vote of the student+postdoc community.
• It was pointed out that it is helpful to post fliers all around CEBAF center to advertise seminars, this boosts turnout.
• The GSPDA wiki is set up with write access for the committee members, but is not yet widely known or utilized.
• Wouter says that David Richards is willing to give a ~4-lecture intro series on Lattice QCD in ~April
• Hari mentioned that there is a group at JLab concerned with increasing the % of women in physics/the sciences more generally. What role should GSPDA play in raising awareness of the resources available to female students+postdocs at JLab?
• The GSPDA can help Rachel keep more up to date information on graduations/PhDs, etc.
• The status of the graduate student lounge was discussed:
  • Consensus seems to be to keep the ping-pong and foosball tables, add table+chairs if possible.
  • Pursue adding a protective "skirt" on the wall around the ping-pong table to avoid putting more holes in the wall.
  • Also add a bookcase, start a book exchange.
  • Limit access to grad students and post-docs.
  • Coffee machine was suggested--I love this idea, but someone will need to be responsible for cleaning/maintenance, don't want to allow it to get moldy--honor system?
• It was suggested to make subscription to the student mailing list part of the orientation for new students--many students not on the list or not aware it exists.
• Some pizza alternatives were discussed--most important requirement for pizza is that it be delivered on time!