# Presentation: 082978

##  Site Access & Science (SAS)Working Group Survey Report

- Open Forum Meeting
- RHIC & AGS Annual Users’ Meeting
- June 8, 2006
*James Sowinski, Survey Chair*
- Brant Johnson, John Lajoie, Greg Nelson, Mike Sivertz, Peter Steinberg,
- Julia Velkovska, Susan White-DePace

## 158 Responses

-   4 	a. An undergraduate student (4)
-  25 	b. A graduate student (25)
-  25 	c. A post-doctoral research associate
-   9 	d. A junior research staff member
-  46 	e. A senior research staff member
-   5 	f. A tenure-track professor
-  38 	g. A tenured professor
- 2. My home institute is:
-   9 	a. Brookhaven National Laboratory
-  16	b. Another U.S. National Laboratory
-  80 	c. A U.S. University
-  26 	d. A non-U.S. Laboratory or Institute
-  22 	e. A non-U.S. University
- 3. I am a:
-  75 	a. U.S. citizen
-  80 	b. Foreign national

- 106 University based
- 50:50 Foreign:US

## Getting on Site

-  84 	a. Always
-  25 	b. Most of the time
-  15 	c. Infrequently
-  30 	d. Never
- 5. Gaining access to the BNL site the first time was:
-  89 	a. Not a problem
-  26 	b. Moderately difficult
-  15 	c. Difficult and time consuming
-  25 	d. Don't remember
- _Specific comments:_
-  	 **2 types of comments:  long time ago and foreigners with stories**
- 7. How long did it take to get the proper credentials to enter BNL the first time?
-  _Specific comments:_
- 	**Replies were not formatted properly so the answers were too random to tabulate.**

- Correlation?

## 2/3 Good! 

- 116 	a. Good
-  19  	b. Average
-   3   	c. Poor
-  16  	d. No opinion
- _Specific comments:_
**	****Mostly complementary**
**	****Complaints more about system (visas, safety training) than office**
**	****Sometimes crowded**
**	****One said LANL and CERN better**
- 12. How do you rate services such as badge renewal and safety training status provided by the Users' office?
- 106 	a. Good
-  30 	b. Average
-   7 	c. Poor
-  10 	d. No opinion
- _Specific comments:_
- 	**Mostly about policy.  Badges after 4 a problem.  Notification of expiring ****	****badge good.**

- Users Office
- 2/3 Good!

## Front Gate

-   0 	a. Always
-   8 	b. Most of the time
-  49 	c. Infrequently
-  98 	d. Never
- _Specific comments:_
**	****Problems when ID or visa not valid.**
**	****Some difficulty with guards when this happens.**
**	****Car registration.  Only one officer enforces this.**
**	****Uniformity of rules enforcement.  ( I think would prefer that the loose interpretation was the rule.)**
- 9. The officers at the front gate scan my ID
- 106 	a. Always
-  33 	b. Most of the time
-   4 	c. Infrequently
-   7 	d. Never
- _Specific comments:_
**	****Procedure is an annoyance**
**	****Not everyone scanned if many in car**

- 2/3 no problems

## 10. The officers at the front gate are professional, courteous and helpful

-  91 	a. Always
-  58 	b. Most of the time
-   4  	c. About half the time
-   0  	d. Rarely
- _Specific comments_:
**	****Overall positive.  Some dependency on who and when.**
- 11. Have you had difficulties picking up keys at Security when checking in after-hours or during holiday periods?
-   0 	a. Always
-   1 	b. Most of the time
-  20 	c. Infrequently
- 120 	d. Never
- _Specific comments_:
- 	**No problems.  Is housing office open till midnight and on Sunday?**

## Web Training and Records

- 100 	a. Good
-  38 	b. Average
-   5 	c. Poor
-  12 	d. No opinion
- _Specific comments_:
- 	  **Mostly details**
- 14. How do you rate the accuracy of your training status as maintained at the online web site?
- 119 	a. Good
-  20 	b. Average
-   2 	c. Poor
-  12 	d. No opinion
- _Specific comments_:
- 	**Few comments**
- 15. How do you rate the ease of use of the web based safety training?
- 101 	a. Good
-  35 	b. Average
-  11 	c. Poor
-   7 	d. No opinion
- _Specific comments_:
**	****Many complaints on**** ****web browser and Windows  dependence**

- Very Favorable

## Computer Issues

-  62 	a. Good
-  71 	b. OK, but could be better.
-   3 	c. Frequent disruptions or slow response.
-  11 	d. Security systems make it difficult to accomplish my work.
- _Specific comments_:
- 	**Mostly complaints.  Proxy a pain.  Firewall too slow.  Internal vs external, switching all the time.**
- 17. How do you rate computer access to needed BNL systems from your home institution?
-  63 	a. Good
-  54 	b. OK, but could be better.
-  14 	c. Frequent disruptions or slow response.
-  13 	d. Security systems make it difficult to accomplish my work.
- _Specific comments_:
- 	**Lots of specific complaints.  Are people not getting help or don’t know who to ask?  Too slow!**

- A little more mixed

## 18.  Is there sufficient capability to transfer large data sets to offsite computing 

- centers for analysis or storage?
-  12 	a. No. Much larger data transfer capabilities are required for my 	research.
-  33 	b. Not always. Moderate upgrades would help my research needs.
-  22 	c. Current capabilities are adequate.
-  81 	d. No opinion
- _Specific comments_:
- 	**Few, no theme**
- 19.  What does BNL do well to help you reach your scientific goals?
**	****Many replies**
**	****Many compliments to staff at BNL**
**	****Quality of life issues are very important to users**

## 20. What are the biggest impediments at BNL interfering with you reaching your scientific goals?

**	****Many replies**
**	****Safety Bureaucracy**
**	****Site access for foreigners**
**	****Bureaucracy **
**	****Cyber security**