12 GeV Upgrade

The 66 modules needed for all four regions of the Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) for CLAS12 have been completed and tested at Fermilab and were then transferred to Jefferson Lab. The cooling plate and support structure to mount the first three of the four regions of the SVT are nearing completion, after which assembly will start in the large clean room in the Experimental Equipment Lab. The magnetic shielding materials for the Central Time-of-Flight (CTOF) have arrived and are being checked. The CTOF slats are glued together and are in the process of having the outer light-tight wrapping added, after which photomultiplier tube mounting and testing will start. The large mirror for the High Threshold Cerenkov Counter (HTCC) has been assembled and is being checked. The large containment vessel for the HTCC has been assembled and stood up on edge in preparation for a test mounting of the mirror on its support ring. The work to refurbish the boxes for the Low Threshold Cerenkov Counter, after its long service in CLAS, is nearing completion, and the mounting of components inside the first box has started in the clean tent. Calibration work for the detectors already mounted on the Forward Carriage (Forward Time-of-Flight, Preshower Calorimeter, and Electromagnetic Calorimeter) has proceeded steadily, and the calibration plans for the entire CLAS12 were recently reviewed.

Physics

Jefferson Lab Published Journal Articles Feb. 9-13

• D. Adikaram (CLAS Collaboration). "Towards a resolution of the proton form factor problem: new electron and positron scattering data." Phys. Rev. Lett. 114 062003 (2015).
• Meng Shi et al. "Double Regge exchange Limit for the $\gamma p\to K^+K^-p$ Reaction." Phys. Rev. D 91 034007 (2015).
• Alberto Accardi, Daniele P. Anderle, and Felix Ringer. "Interplay of threshold resummation and hadron mass corrections in deep inelastic processes." Phys. Rev. D 91 034008 (2015).
• Christopher Lefky and Alexei Prokudin. "Extraction of the pretzelosity distribution from experimental data." Phys. Rev. D 91 034010 (2015).

Remember to submit your papers for approval to the Jefferson Lab Publications database.

JSA Accepting Applications for 2015-16 Graduate Fellowships
Jefferson Science Associates is currently accepting applications for graduate fellowships at Jefferson Lab for the 2015-16 academic year. The JSA/JLab Graduate Fellowship Program is supported by the JSA Initiatives Fund. FY2015 funds are available for up to seven fellowship awards. Application packages should be submitted via email to jsaprograms@sura.org with the subject line "JSA Graduate Fellowships" by Feb. 20. See the full announcement.

2014 JSA Thesis Prize Nominations Accepted
The Users Group Board of Directors is now accepting nominations for the 2014 JSA Thesis Prize for the best Jefferson Lab-related thesis. The prize is supported by the JSA Initiatives Fund Program. A complete package requires a nomination letter by a senior scientist giving the name and institution of the person being nominated and the names of three people who will send letters of recommendation, along with a copy of the thesis. All materials must be submitted electronically. The three letters of recommendation must be sent before the deadline. Theses completed during the calendar year 2014 are eligible, as well as theses completed during the last quarter of 2013 (if they haven't been submitted before). All materials must be sent by email to Lorelei Chopard by the nomination deadline of March 2. If you have any questions about the prize, contact John Arrington.

JSA Accepting Applications for 2015-16 Sabbatical Leave Support Program
Jefferson Science Associates is currently accepting applications for the JSA/JLab Sabbatical Leave Support Program for academic year 2015-16 at Jefferson Lab. The JSA/JLab Sabbatical Leave Support Program is supported by the JSA Initiatives Fund. Materials should be submitted via email to jsaprograms@sura.org with the subject line "JSA Sabbatical Support" by March 2. See the full announcement.

Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics

Matrix elements describing the coupling of mesons to photons are embedded in three-point correlation functions, which can be calculated from first principles using lattice QCD. A recent publication explored the application of variational techniques, previously employed in lattice spectrum calculations, to the calculation of these matrix elements, demonstrating a set of methods which can be used to study form factors and transition matrix elements, even for excited states. First results for the pion and its first excitation, as well as for the ρ meson and its first two excitations, were presented.

Jefferson Lab Calendar of Events

Feb. 18-March 2: Benefits Open Enrollment
Feb. 19: GlueX Collaboration Meeting
Feb. 26-27: International Committee on Future Accelerators meeting
March 7: Va. Regional Middle School Science Bowl
March 12-14: Q-weak Collaboration Meeting
March 16: Safety Shoe Vendor on-site

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

Complacency
The term complacency has several definitions. The one most suitable in the context of safety is "a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential hazard or danger." Ironically, this feeling can develop from a perception that we live and work in a safe environment where things just don't happen, but they can and do without constant vigilance. We maintain our safety by not falling into a sense of complacency and by remaining vigilant in all of our safety practices. Here are some ways we maintain our safety:

• Follow established protocols and procedures;
• Have daily or periodic safety meetings to discuss changes and potential hazards that develop;
• Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment for the task at hand;
• Complete a Work Control Document and/or review a Job Task Analysis before starting a task;
• Maintain good housekeeping and organization;
• Report any and all perceived or potential hazards; and
• Report all near misses. 

A level of safety in the workplace where incidents are a rare occurrence does not guarantee future success; however, it is an indication of a strong safety culture. It's up to all of us to never let our guard down. Continuous safety maintenance is the backbone of a strong safety culture and a truly safe workplace.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure

Annual Computer User Account Audit Is Underway
The IT Division has begun the annual computer user account audit. All supervisors and sponsors of employees/users with computer accounts at Jefferson Lab are required to review and re-authorize accounts by close of business on Monday, March 16. This audit is a critical part of maintaining an appropriate level of cyber security at Jefferson Lab. You can begin the audit through the "User Audit" link under the Personal Information section on Insight. If you need assistance during the audit, contact Chris Williamson, x6245.

CNI Maintenance Period Set for Feb. 24
The CNI group postponed the planned systems maintenance period this week due to the lab closure for severe weather. The period has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 24, 5-10 p.m. During this maintenance period, Windows and Linux patches will be released to all systems and desktops. This may cause web and system outages as these servers reboot to finalize the patch installation. Plan on rebooting your desktop Windows or Linux system by Friday, Feb. 27, to finalize the patch installation, as well. Also, Firefox, Thunderbird, PuTTY, JAVA, and shockwave updates will be released. Finally, there will be short outages around 8 p.m. to all Management and Information Systems applications as servers are rebooted to finalize patch installation. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the IT Division HelpDesk, x7155.

Symantec Anti-Virus Software Update On Feb. 24
On Tuesday evening, Feb. 24, starting at around 5:30 p.m., the CNI group will be sending out an update to the Windows Symantec client on all desktops. Be aware that this Symantec update will reboot your desktop once it completes installation. For this reason, the group recommends that you log out of all Windows desktops prior to leaving on Tuesday evening. The actual installation and reboot time of your desktop will be between 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25. If you have any questions or concerns about this update, contact the IT Division HelpDesk, x7155.

Announcements

Jefferson Lab Benefits Open Enrollment Is Underway
The 2015 Benefits Open Enrollment continues through March 2 for all Jefferson Lab regular and term employees for the April 1, 2015 - March 31, 2016 benefit year. This is the time of the season for you to review and, if necessary, modify your benefits options. The enrollment will remain a default benefits enrollment, which means that if you are not changing benefits, selecting a medical option outside of the default health plan, and do not enroll in a Flexible Spending Account, you do not need to re-enroll. If you plan to make changes to your current benefit elections; to participate for the first time in a Medical Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan; or continue your enrollment in a Medical Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan, you will need to access the Employee Self Service System. You can find updated information on all of your enrollment options on the Human Resources Benefits webpage. Additionally, Benefits Enrollment Training and Q&A sessions are being offered; times and locations are available on the calendar.

JAG Dog Training Club Class Start Date Postponed to Feb. 24
The Jefferson Lab Activities Group Dog Training Class scheduled for Feb. 17 has been postponed to Feb. 24. Please share this information with anyone you know who was planning to attend the Feb. 17 class. For more information regarding the program, contact Joyce Miller, x7163.

Graduate Student Research Grants Available
The Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for its 2015 solicitation. The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to pursue part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory in areas that address scientific challenges central to the Office of Science mission. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall doctoral thesis while providing access to the expertise, resources and capabilities available at the DOE laboratories. The 2014 program solicitation resulted in awards to 65 graduate students from 50 different universities to conduct thesis research at 15 DOE national laboratories - three students are at Jefferson Lab. Applications are due April 14. The SCGSR website has specific details. If you have any questions about the program, contact Jan Tyler.

Annual Travel Workshop for Travelers
A Workshop for Travelers is scheduled for Feb. 25, 9:30-11 a.m. in CEBAF Center room F113. If you have any questions about the workshop, contact Carol Kinsey at x7519 or kinsey@jlab.org.