Content Comparison

1:01

Words from Randy

Randy

• MK Users meeting, gathering of all observatories, was a week or two ago

  • MKWC: using supercomputing center in Wyoming through NSF grant. Improving seeing models, etc. The NSF grant is expiring.

  • Randy gave Keck update.

• COVID committee considering whether they should phase out rules for vaccinations

  • Observers required to show proof of vaccination and have negative test

  • OAs (& SAs to a lesser degree) are captive in remote ops, so trying to be conservative

1:07

SSC Meeting Presentations

Randy

• SSC Slides, Randy sent out proposed outline via email (Sept 27)

• Was discussed last meeting, kept Randy’s suggestions for content and assignments

• May not have as much time due to strategic plan discussions

• Chien-Hsiu will give KOA report

  • Where is info on publications? John has data?

• Common theme?

  • Percy: how much time it takes to operate the instrument. How expensive it is to keep an instrument running?

  • Can we build lists of tasks and WAG estimates of the time?

  • Randy to talk to each IS and try to build simple summary of workload for each instrument.

• SSC is Nov 8

• Also NASA NIKUG is following week

  • Can use same presentations as SSC since SSC will be shortened relative to normal

  • Exact dates?

• Will create slack channel. Put powerpoint files in there.

• Dry run will be next SA meeting: Oct 27

  • Have slides updated by Oct 26, Randy will compile.

  • Will book JNCR for dry run

• SSC instrument reports will be in the Nov meeting again from now on

1:31

Morning calibration coordination with daycrew

Carolyn

• A couple weeks ago got email from Ed W. asking for better communication about morning calibrations

• Also came up in a morning meeting with Carolyn

• Asking OAs to put on whiteboard, ask observers to remain on Zoom

• Happens every winter

• Greg: are day crew aware of which instrument never need dome cals

  • ToOs can break this rule (e.g. if LRIS interrupts HIRES)

• Near term solution is Zoom. Observers must stay on Zoom during cals.

• Beware that Zoom session will die after 24 hours if people remain connected. To avoid this, you can claim host when you connect. Use the code in showpasswords.

1:46

Update on Visiting Scholar program and internship programs

Randy/Josh

• KVSP call will be late this year or early next year

• Percy: make push at AAS?

• Expenses have increased, so fewer scholars on the budget

• KVSP funded at ~$60k/year from donations

• Also have other internships. Filling in gap of undergrad programs (other than Akamai). There is Carroll College program and Scott Scholar (Colorado State University). Those are more engineering focussed.

  • Talk to Randy or Marc is interested

• New one: University of Chicago wants to send interns. Next summer will have intern for 8 weeks. Astrophysics major.

  • Need to propose project and they will match a student to it.

• Funding for a HS student. Student here for 1-2 years, 10 hr/week. Can be any sort of work.

• Also going to have Akamai program students.

• Best way to do this is to have project in mind and match intern/scholar to the project. Mentor expected to spend time with intern.

• Randy would like to have a mentor workshop in house for Keck.

  • Spring next year.

• Action item for group: come up with potential projects for these programs.

  • Send to Randy, he will send KVSP ones to Josh

1:57

Team Keck allocation process update

Greg

• 6 proposals this round, requested 3.5 nights on K1, 1.5 nights on K2.

• Oversubscribed on K1 roughly 2:1, roughly 1:1 on K2.

• Carolyn needs assignments by Nov 1.

2:01

Winter AAS in Seattle, Who is planning on going?

Randy

• Shelly is starting to coordinate Seattle AAS meeting. Who from our group is going?

2:05

MK Users Meeting Updates

Randy

• PFS at Subaru is going well, commissioning soon

• IRTF will get a deformable secondary. Mark Chun is PI. Will focus on static deformations.

• CFHT (Andy S.) suggested that observatories with LFCs from Menlo get together and have workshop to share expertise.

• MaroonX (PRV instrument with LFC) will become facility instrument at Gemini.

2:10

Pau!