Introduction: the eROSITA_DE Consortium

Below is a description of how the eROSITA_DE Consortium is managed, as an introduction for newcomers. Note that parts of what is below are abridged versions of the Collaboration Policy; in cases where there is disagreement, the Collaboration Policy document is the correct version. At the end of this page we provide a list of key Personnel.

eROSITA_DE is the Consortium responsible for the definition, management, planning, implementation, operation and scientific exploitation of the eROSITA telescope.

The lead Institute for eROSITA is the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. The lead institute provides the PI, the project management, and co-ordinates the activities of the other participating Institutes with respect to instrument development (hardware and software) and scientific exploitation.

The following Institutes, listed in the original eROSITA proposal, and recipients of DLR funds allocated for developing, building, testing all necessary hardware, software and infrastructure needed for the eROSITA telescope, are designated as the “Core Institutes” of the eROSITA_DE Consortium:

The eROSITA Program Managers at Core Institutes shall represent their institute on the Steering Committee (see Section 3.2). They have the responsibility for the delivery of hardware, software or other products as agreed and required by the project and the PI.

Individual scientists that have one of the Core Institutes as their first affiliation will in general be offered membership of the eROSITA collaboration if proposed and supported by the Program Manager or by any other Senior Scientist at the Core Institute, unless the PI considers there to be a legitimate reason to exclude them. Members of a Core Institute who wish to become members of the Consortium, but do not have support of the local Program Manager or a local Senior Scientist, may request support from the chair of the Working Group they wish to work with. If such support is granted, their request will be evaluated by the PI for approval.

The following institutes are “Associated Institutes” within the collaboration:

The eROSITA Lead Scientists at the Associated institute will report to the StC and PI all changes in membership. They will appoint a representative of the Institute in the CCB. Individual scientists from the Associated Institutes may be appointed as members of the eROSITA consortium, if recommended by the StC and approved by the PI.

Project Leadership Overview

Principal Investigator

The Principal Investigator is appointed by the Director of the High Energy Astrophysics group at MPE, in consultation with DLR, to act as the lead scientist of the eROSITA project.

The PI takes ultimate responsibility for the completion and successful operation of the project and for reporting to external bodies (e.g. DLR, MPG). The PI oversees the implementation of the rules of collaboration within the eROSITA_DE Consortium. The PI may:

Review the effectiveness of the Consortium regulations, and modify them as necessary, in consultation with the Steering Committee.

Project Scientist

The Project Scientist is appointed by the PI in order to coordinate the scientific activities of the eROSITA_DE Consortium and ensure the maximal scientific return from eROSITA. The PS is chosen from the members at the Lead Institute (MPE).

The PS oversees the scientific activities of the eROSITA_DE Consortium, and is responsible for the management and effective operation of the Working Groups (see Section 3.4 below). The PS will appoint the WG chairs, in consultation with the PI.

The PS will be responsible for maintaining up to date a common, electronic, WWW-based archive of all submitted and proposed projects and publications making use of eROSITA_DE data and preparatory works, as well as that of eROSITA-related presentations (see Section 5.4 below). The PS will also be responsible for overseeing the process of evaluation and acceptance of proposals for external collaborations (see Section 4.4), funding application proposals, as well as for helping the StC and PI in reviewing the eROSITA_DE membership.

Spokesperson

The eROSITA_DE PI has delegated to the eROSITA_DE Spokesperson the primary responsibility for fostering the scientific productivity of the Participants, for raising the visibility of eROSITA_DE within the astronomy and physics communities, for maintaining good morale, and for ensuring inclusiveness within the Collaboration.

The Spokesperson, will act as connection between the PI and the Working Groups, and, in concert with the PI and the CCB, may establish additional structures for the Collaboration science efforts, such as the formation of Specific Working Groups.

The Spokesperson will be member of the CCB ex officio.

The Spokesperson will also be responsible for overseeing the process of evaluation and acceptance of proposals for external collaborations, funding application proposals, as well as for supporting the StC and PI in reviewing the eROSITA_DE membership.

The Spokesperson may choose to nominate a deputy.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee provides recommendations to the PI on matters of eROSITA policy. These include, for example, ratification or expulsion of members of the consortium, resolution of conflicts within the consortium, negotiations with partners at project level, etc.

The StC also advises and assists the PI as required in all aspects of the management of the project, including negotiations with DLR.

The StC meets as required (in person or by telecon/videocon), but at minimum twice per year. StC meetings will generally be convened by the PI, but can also be called by request of two or more StC members.

Ideally, the Steering Committee makes decisions by consensus. If the StC fails to reach consensus, the ultimate decision will be made by the PI. The StC is appointed by the PI, and consists ordinarily of the PI, the PS, the Director of the MPE High Energy Group, the eROSITA Program Manager of each of the Core Institutes, the DLR officer responsible for eROSITA, plus such other individuals as the PI deems appropriate.

Ground Segment Coordinator

TBD

Operations Manager

TBD

Working Groups and their Chairpersons

A “Working Group” (WG) is a team of scientific experts in a particular field (object classes, science tasks, etc.), which organizes and coordinates the work in this field. The goal is to have a streamlined and efficient way to exploit eROSITA’s scientific potential.

Access to eROSITA_DE proprietary data products (see Section 5.1) is coordinated through the relevant Working Group(s), within the constraints of data rights policy outlined in this document.

WGs are responsible for identifying, approving and coordinating scientific projects (eventually leading to publications) that make use of eROSITA_DE proprietary data.

Overall coordination of the WGs is provided by the PI (or PS), who appoints the Chairs of the WGs in consultation with the PS, and by the Collaboration Coordination Board. Each WG will have one chairperson, and up to two deputies.

Chairs of the WGs shall be chosen from the group of Senior Scientists of the eROSITA collaboration. They will take responsibility for calling meetings and/or telecons at such intervals, as they deem necessary for the successful operation of the WG.

The Chairs act as the contact point between the WGs and the PS, and provide recommendations for new WG members. All changes in WG membership shall nonetheless be reviewed and approved by the StC and the PI on a yearly timescale.

WG chairs, in consultation with the WG, review Individual External Collaborator proposals (see 4.4) and funding/grant applications (see 5.2) that require access to eROSITA data for projects falling within the specific scientific domain of the WG. Once endorsed by at least one WG, the proposals are reviewed by the CCB (see 3.5) for further assessment of possible cross-WG conflicts, and finally approved by the PI.

Working Groups may organize into subgroups, as required.

Senior Scientists of the eROSITA_DE Consortium (as defined in Section 4.2 below) have the right to join any eROSITA WG. It is, however, understood that WG membership is intended only for those individuals actively working on that specific science topic and/or technical task.

As a rule, Member Scientists shall be able to join at most two scientific and two infrastructure Working Groups. Exceptions to this rule are possible, and will be agreed upon by the PS in consultation with the relevant WGs, based on a written justification presented by the member scientist in question.

Collaboration Coordination Board

The Collaboration Coordination Board (CCB) advises and supports the PI and the PS concerning scientific matters and collaboration policies.

The CCB consists of the PI, the PS, the Spokesperson, and one member for each Working Group (appointed by the chairs of the WGs). If not all institutes (Core and Associated) are represented in such a group, the respective institute Program Manager or Lead Scientist can name a CCB member “ex officio”.

The Chair of the CCB is elected by its members, and remains in charge for a period of two years.

The CCB has the following tasks:

data, and check for possible cross-WG conflicts (see Section 5.2 below);

(see Section 4.4 below);

institute Program Manager.

The CCB usually meets (remotely) on a bi-weekly basis.

Ombudsperson

Following the eROSITA_DE Code of Conduct, the Ombudsperson is one elected experienced member of the Collaboration, who serves as a designated neutral and provides conflict resolution and problem-solving confidential services to all collaboration members, in cases where there is suspicion of a violation of the principles of good scientific practice.

The Ombudsperson is elected by all the members of the Collaboration, and stays in charge for a period of two years (renewable).

Mediators

Following the eROSITA_DE Code of Conduct, the Mediators are two elected experienced members of the Collaboration (one male, one female), who are to be available to all concerned as a confidential advisor in cases where there is suspicion of a violation of theCode of Conduct on all matters of harassment, bullying and general social misconduct.

The Mediators are elected by all the members of the Collaboration, and stay in charge for a period of two years (renewable).

Disciplinary Committee

TBD

List of Key Personnel

List of Science Working Groups Chairs

Standing Committees:

Temporary Committees:

EROSITAwiki: PersonnelList (last edited 2023-01-18 12:28:15 by MaraSalvato)