My Trip to Washington D.C.

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will become a major line item in the budget next year

We wanted to inform the representatives that this was coming

Show how LSST is good both for science and their congressional district

The Purpose

8.4m telescope doing 6 color photometry 3x3 degree field of view Covers the observable sky once every 3

nights for 10 years 3200 Megapixel camera (7s readout 2x15s

exposures) r ~ 24.5 per image 27.5 coadded 150 petabytes of images 30 petabyte database

The Telescope

Probing Dark Energy and Dark Matter◦ Weak Lensing◦ BAO◦ SN Ia

Taking an Inventory of the Solar System◦ 90% NEO larger than 140 meters

Exploring the Transient Optical Sky Mapping the Milky Way

◦ Parallax and proper motion good to 1 mas over 10 years

The Science

Technology◦ LSST is going to have a massive data flow rate

(30 TB / night)◦ Partners like Google and Bill Gates are interested

in technology development Education

◦ The data is available to all US institutions immediately

◦ A powerful resource for small schools◦ Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge program◦ Public Outreach

Technology and Education

Treat them with respect Hit your main talking points Use analogies

◦ Telescope is a movie camera◦ The Netflix of astronomical data◦ A pipeline of information

Tell them how it affects their district Technology and Education are key Bring Business Cards Enthusiasm, Enthusiasm, Enthusiasm

Talking to a Staffer

Jim Hippe, Legislative Director On the Science, Space and Technology Committee Has Oak Ridge National Lab in District (2 LSST participants) Has strong thoughts on fiscal discipline Is in a difficult primary

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R–Tenn.) 3rd District, East -- Chattanooga, Oak Ridge

Residence: Ooltewah Born: Oct. 11, 1962; Manhattan, N.Y. Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Wife, Brenda Fleischmann; three children Education: U. of Illinois, B.A.L.A.S. 1983 (political science); U. of Tennessee, J.D. 1986 Military Service: None Career: LawyerElected: 2010 (1st term); Defeated John Wolfe Jr., D, to succeed Zach Wamp, R, who

ran for governor Political Highlights: No previous office Committees: Science, Space & Technology (Energy & Environment; Technology & Innovation)

Page Krugman, Legislative Assistant Vanderbilt and Fisk are in his district Has strong thoughts on fiscal discipline Is very pro Vanderbilt interacting with the larger community

Rep. Jim Cooper (D–Tenn.) 5th District, Nashville

Residence: Nashville Born: June 19, 1954; Nashville, Tenn. Religion: Episcopalian Family: Wife, Martha Hayes Cooper; three children Education: U. of North Carolina, B.A. 1975 (history & economics); Oxford U., B.A., M.A. 1977

(Rhodes scholar); Harvard U., J.D. 1980 Military Service: None Career: Investment firm owner; investment bank managing director; lawyerElected: 2002 (11th term) Political Highlights: U.S. House, 1983-95; Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, 1994 Committees:Armed Services (Oversight & Investigations - ranking member; Tactical Air & Land Forces)Oversight & Government Reform (Government Organization, Efficiency & Financial Management;

Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight & Government Spending; TARP, Financial Services & Bailouts of Public and Private Programs)

Craig Dulniak, Office Manager Only white representative of a majority minority district Was Vanderbilt’s mascot Is very interested in education opportunities for schools in

his district Is very interested in increasing minority representation in

science

Rep. Steve Cohen (D–Tenn.) 9th District, Memphis

Residence: Memphis

Born: May 24, 1949; Memphis, Tenn.

Religion: Jewish

Family: Single

Education: Vanderbilt U., B.A. 1971 (history); Memphis State U., J.D. 1973

Military Service: None

Career: Lawyer

Elected: 2006 (3rd term)

Political Highlights: Democratic nominee for Tenn. House, 1970; Tenn. Constitutional Convention, 1977-78 (vice president, 1977-78); Shelby County Commission, 1978-80; Shelby County General Sessions Court, 1980-80; defeated for election to Shelby County General Sessions Court, 1981; Tenn. Senate, 1983-2006; sought Democratic nomination for governor, 1994; sought Democratic nomination for U.S. House, 1996

Committees:

Judiciary (Courts, Commercial & Administrative Law - ranking member; Crime, Terrorism & Homeland Security)

Transportation & Infrastructure (Aviation; Highways & Transit; Water Resources & Environment)

Neal Ullman, Legislative Assistant Longest serving representative Recently forced out as Chair of Energy & Commerce Is very supportive of science and technology

Rep. John D. Dingell (D–Mich.) 15th District, Southeast -- Ann Arbor, Taylor, parts of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Ypsilanti

Residence: Dearborn Born: July 8, 1926; Colorado Springs, Colo. Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Wife, Debbie Dingell; four children Education: Georgetown U., B.S. 1949 (chemistry), J.D. 1952 Military Service: Army 1944-1946 Career: County prosecutorElected: 1955 (28th full term) Political Highlights: No previous office Committees: Energy & Commerce (Commerce, Manufacturing & Trade; Energy & Power; Health;

Oversight & Investigations)

Meet with the Staff of the Subcommittee on Research and Education

Round table participants:◦ Bill Smith of AURA◦ Danny Powell with the National Computer Science

Academy◦ Mark Subbarao with Adler Planetarium◦ Fred Gillman with Carnegie Mellon

Melé Williams, Majority Staff Director Dahlia Sokolov, Minority Staff Director I covered educational avenues for LSST using

Vanderbilt as a guide

Round Table

They are our connection to Washington What They Do:

◦ Setup the meetings◦ Provide background material◦ Provided coaching◦ Got me from meeting to meeting◦ Critiqued each meeting

Shout out to Kara Allen for doing a great job

Office of Federal Relations

Any Questions?