[Loops] Loops Workshop SOC

[Helen E. Mason]

Dear Ed and Colleagues,

I think the Loops workshops have been one of the most engaging,
lively and productive series of workshops which I've ever been
involved with (possibly with the exception of the Skylab workshops).
...and in addition, the most fun!

Why?

1) a small group of dedicated scientists with a specific
   focus and goal

2) an international group, not just NASA or European based only.

3) cross-fertilisation between theory and observations (all observations:
    Hinode/STEREO/SoHO/TRACE)

4) inclusion of younger scientists in a very positive and constructive way
    (Fanu spoke eloquently about this at the last workshop)

5) a good mailing list which shares information and provokes discussion

I personally don't like really BIG meetings such as IAU and COSPAR.

Many of the larger meetings, for example the Hinode series simply
tend to be folk presenting their own work, with very little
opportunity for real discussions and establishing collaborations.
Nontheless, I have tried to attend all of them.

I find small workshops where folk all work and socialise together
much better. The tendancy in bigger meetings is for folk to
stick to their own groups, to the people they already know
and work with.

We haven't yet solved the problem we set ourselves. If we do so
in the next meeting, perhaps that should be the last. Otherwise
why stop a series of workshops which has been so productive?

With respect, I don't think I've seen Ed at many of the Loops
meetings, although Hinode/XRT has been well represented,
and as a result collaborations have been successfully established.
Several XRT team members are regular participants and as a result
are now working with other groups, including my own.

Before signing a death warrant, I think we should see how the
meeting in Spain goes, and decide there whether or not to hold
another meeting.

Best wishes,
helen

On Fri, 9 Jul 2010, Ed Deluca wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Allow me to present a contrarian point of view.
>
> As initially conceived the loops workshops were committed to
> solving a while defined, but complex science problem:
> "What are the physical processes that define the structure
> and evolution of coronal loops"
>
> Three years of observations with STEREO and Hinode (in
> addition to continued supporting observations from SOHO,
> TRACE and RHESSI) have provided critical observations,
> models have evolved and great progress is being made.
>
> Given this, why are we not planning on closing down the
> Loops Workshops, declaring victory and going home?
>
> There is a real danger in continuing to isolate the "loops
> community" from the solar/heliospheric community.
> We have seen this in the past with the heliosiesmology,
> they spent decades talking to themselves rather then
> engaging with the rest of the community. So I would
> suggest the the Mallorca meeting be the final
> loops workshop and that scientists reintegrate themselves
> into the solar community.
>
> With respect,
> Ed
>
>
> Klimchuk, James A. (GSFC-6710) wrote:
>>
>>  Dear friends,
>>
>> 
>>
>>       Coronal Loops 5 will take place next year in Mallorca, Spain, and it
>>  is now time to form the Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC).  We have
>>  decided to make the selection of the SOC a more formal process than it has
>>  been in the past.  To that end, we have established bylaws for the Coronal
>>  Loops Workshop Series (attached).   The first step was to elect a Steering
>>  Committee from among the 20 founding members---those who attended at least
>>  3 of the first 4 workshops.  This has just been completed.  The next step
>>  is for the Steering Committee to elect 5 of 7 members of the SOC.  The new
>>  SOC chair, Inaki Ugarte Urra, and past chair, Joan Schmelz, are
>>  automatically members.  The purpose of this e-mail is to ask the broader
>>  loops community for nominees to serve on the SOC.  A slate of candidates
>>  will then be presented to the Steering Committee for a vote.  If you would
>>  like to nominate yourself or someone else, with their permission, please
>>  send me an e-mail at James.A.Klimchuk at nasa.gov
>>  <mailto:James.A.Klimchuk at nasa.gov> by the end of the day next Monday, July
>>  12.   Sorry for the short fuse, but there are reasons for acting quickly.
>>
>> 
>>
>>  Thanks,
>>
>>  Jim
>>
>> 
>>
>>  P.S.  In Mallorca, we will discuss the bylaws and whether they should be
>>  modified.
>>
>> 
>>
>>  ********************************************************************************
>>
>>  James A. Klimchuk
>>
>>  NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
>>
>>  Solar Physics Lab, Code 671
>>
>>  Bldg. 21, Rm. 158
>>
>>  Greenbelt, MD  20771
>>
>>  USA
>>
>> 
>>
>>  Phone:  1-301-286-9060
>>
>>  Fax:      1-301-286-7194
>>
>>  E-mail:  James.A.Klimchuk at nasa.gov <mailto:James.A.Klimchuk at nasa.gov>
>>
>>  Home page:
>>  http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/671/staff/bios/cs/James_Klimchuk_ssi.html
>>
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
>>  No endorsement by NASA is implied for any correspondence related to my
>>  role as an officer of professional organizations (American Geophysical
>>  Union, American Astronomical Society, International Astronomical Union).
>>
>> 
>>
>>  ********************************************************************************
>>
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
>>  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>>  Loops mailing list
>>  Loops at solar.physics.montana.edu
>>  https://mithra.physics.montana.edu/mailman/listinfo/loops
>
>
>

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