UKON: ESO Users Telecon
17/04/15 15:00-16:00
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Paul O'Brien (PO)
Andy Bunker (AB)
Ann Samson (AS)
Jacco van Loon (JvL)
Simon Morris (SM)
Pat Roche (PR)
Stephen Smartt (SS)
Isobel Hook (IH)
Malcolm Bremer (MB)
Aprajita Verma (AV)


Apologies: Chris Collins, Phil Lucas, Claudia Maraston, Richard
McMahon, Christopher Watson, Rubina Kotak, Sharon Bonfield, Dave
Clements

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AGENDA
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- Report on UK Feedback to ESO Users Poll (Stephen)
- Comments & other feedback (All)
- AOB for ESO Users Committee

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After becoming UK representative on the ESO Users Committee, SS has
attended one meeting so far. Next meeting on 27th-28th April
2015. Since then he has contribted to user's poll (note, the survey is
devised by the UC rather than ESO).

- ESO User's Poll
	- summaries from each partner
	- closed now, but still room for tweaks & adding other info
	- UK: 42 responses, 205 PIS, over last 3 periods, biggest
          numerical response among partners
        - comments are collated in a report from the UC that goes to
          ESO, they maintain the docs and respond to broader issues.
        - issues may be taken forward to the new director of science
          and relevant ESO committees
        - UC together with STC and can provide better coordination
	- A track record of successful recommendations is maintained

- La Silla
  - SM there is no current suggestion of withdrawal
  - suffers from lack of personnel
  - moving to mode of low cost operations
  - long term future of HARPS 3.6m is a concern as it has a link to
    future missions such as PLATO
  - Long/large programmes teams provide observing effort
  - Move to remote & queue observing without ToO or service mode
  - Still need night assistant, no support astronomer (for PESSTO night
    support astronomer could be at any telescope)
    - Suggestion for telescope operators to be trained for science
      decisions, SS ESO not looking into that
    - AS enquired whether student support as in La Palma is an option,
      SS not discussed so far

  - NTT call for proposals
    - 15 proposals submitted, 7/8 down selected
    - SoXShooter type (wide band), EXOMOS (exeter lead), UltraSpec proposed
    - Currently being discussed on the STC agenda
    - SS to ask for a list to see if these were instrument or science programmes
    - PO: UK priorities for La Silla dependent on NTT proposals (esp.
      if new capabilities offered)
      - Exoplanet community obsviously interested in HARPS
      - Transients community need remote observing with flexible or
        queue scheduling for their large programmes

- Feedback 
  - general concerns over quality of feedback that is variable
  - concerns over OPC make-up and if there are sufficient expereinced
    panel chairs that monitor the qualty of the feednack
  - part of the problem may be the lack of knowledge of proposal
    history as panel members serve only 2 semesters (but panel chairs
    serve for 4 so that should be partly addressed).
  - suggest a marking schedule (e.g. method, competetiveness, targets
    etc.) so that applicants get more directed feedback
  - SM guideline for feedback previously distributed , panel chairs should be
    overseeing & checking feedback written by panel members

- Software
  - IH Mac OS support insufficient some software doesn't work at all
    (e.g .mask desgn for FORS)
  - urgent as most community moving owards macs
  - SS will take this forward

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AOB - none

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