WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 10, 2024) – Over 70 scientists from the High Energy Physics (HEP) community visited Capitol Hill this week to engage in discussions with members of Congress, their staff, and agency officials. This annual event, facilitated by the Universities Research Association (URA), provided a valuable platform for both researchers and policymakers to connect.
The visiting delegation comprised a diverse group, including university faculty, postdoctoral staff, graduate and undergraduate students, and national laboratory scientists, engineers, and principal investigators. This year’s delegation represented HEP user groups from Fermilab’s Users Executive Committee (UEC), the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center’s User Executive Committee (SLAC UEC), and U.S. Large Hadron Collider Users Association (USLUA) as well as the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The primary focus of the visit was to highlight the critical role that government support plays in advancing high-energy physics research at the nation’s national laboratories, facilities, and universities. Discussions centered around expressing appreciation for continued funding and sharing highlights of the various ongoing projects and projected agenda of future programs the scientific community is working on under the 2023 Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5) strategy and report.
This annual visit to Capitol Hill underscores the vital relationship between the scientific community and policymakers. By fostering open communication and collaboration, both parties can work towards ensuring the continued growth and success of high-energy physics research in the United States.