**[May 9^th^, 2008 SHUG Executive Committee Conference
Call:]{.underline}**

[Members present:]{.underline}

Igor Zaliznyak

Despina Louca

Emily Liu

Flora Meilleur

Janna Maranas

Mark Dadmun

Andrei Savici

Mike Crawford

[Also present:]{.underline}

Al Ekkebus, Judy Trimble, Ken Herwig, Jaime Fernandez-Baca (all ORNL)

1\. Ken Herwig presented status of the instrumentation at ORNL. There
was an extended maintenance at HFIR. They will try to add the single
crystal diffractometer to the user program. Next call for proposals will
cover September to February period. They will try to add the powder
diffractometer and the wide angle diffractometer to the next call for
proposals. At SNS, the power reached 0.5 MW. Backscattering and
reflectometers are the available instruments. SNAP, CNCS, and ARCS are
in commissioning, and maybe 25% of their time will be added to the user
program. V. Lauter is the new instrument scientist at the reflectometer.
There is a need for a new generation target design, for power upgrade.
With regard to the sample environment, the 2T magnet is available for
reflectometer. The 5T self shielded magnet is being commissioned.
Testing for gas pressure cell will occur in June.

There were several proposals made. In IPTS there should be requests for
capabilities, instead of particular sample environments. Fact sheets
should be updated with real data, as instruments become available. In
the call for proposals, there should be explicitly stated the
availability of instruments.

2\. Judy Trimble and Al Ekkebus presented the need for reviewers. There
are two types. Mostly science reviewers, not necessarily neutron
scatterers, are required in the following areas: magnetism, high
pressure, reflectometry, SANS in porous materials, thin film magnetism,
geochemistry/geophysics, SANS in defects/metallurgy, polymer dynamics.
SRCMs (Science Review Committee Members) -- people experienced with
neutrons, are required for low Q materials (SANS/reflectometry), single
crystal diffraction, small molecules chemistry, high pressure single
crystal diffraction (with emphasis in geo), soft matter inelastic
scattering. Reviewers should be invited for 1.5 days to ORNL, so they
can familiarize themselves with the instruments.

3\. Jaime Fernadez-Baca presented activities of the IPTS advisory group.
They are working on improving functionality (in the area of reviewers
and scheduling), and getting input from users. A feedback mechanism will
be integrated in the IPTS proposal. Explanations of IPTS changes will be
posted. Igor Zaliznyak proposed a feedback thread, or a summary on a FAQ
available to all users. Flora Meilleur will join the IPTS meetings, when
asked.

4\. High response rate was obtained on surveys from users, and will be
posted on the website.

5\. Process improvement teams will be in charge of streamlining user
experience at ORNL. They will look at what are the best practices,
improve access, computing problems, review process. They will benchmark
which is the best lab. Also, the issue of late check-in on site was
raised.

6\. A report on a recent workshop on education will be presented at the
ACNS meeting. It will also be available on the web.

Igor Zaliznyak announced that Mike Crawford was elected as vice-chair of
SHUG executive committee.