The CEC makes recommendations to the Rubin Observatory Operations Director about the scientific utility of in-kind contributions that have been proposed by international groups in return for LSST data rights. The CEC’s initial work, in Winter/Spring 2020, was to evaluate the first round of proposals for in-kind contributions; this led to the recommendation of an initial program of 136 in-kind contributions which were approved by the Rubin Management Board (MB) to go forward to be included in the the data rights agreements. This initial program was supplemented with 14 additional or replacement proposed contributions, which the CEC reviewed in Fall 2021 and which the MB approved in 2022.
The CEC's role in the annual cycle of in-kind contribution support is to advise the Rubin Observatory Operations Director on actions to take based on the annual evaluation of the in-kind program, and it will continue in this role throughout the LSST survey. The CEC will also be responsible for reviewing new proposals in any future calls.
The committee is made up of representatives put forward by the 8 LSST Science Collaborations, the Science Collaborations Coordinator, and 5 at-large members nominated by the Rubin Observatory Science Advisory Committee, plus one of the Deputy Directors of Rubin Observatory Operations, who chairs the committee.
As you can see above, each Science Collaboration nominates one or more alternates who can step in to assist with the evaluation of specific in-kind contributions should conflicts of interest arise; these alternates are included in all committee discussions to ensure that they are sufficiently well-informed to step in when needed. The Chair is responsible for ensuring that sufficient technical expertise is available to the CEC, and CEC members are encouraged to cast a wide net in finding the right people to help with their evaluation of any given proposed in-kind contribution. In practice, this means the Chair will invite observers to join CEC meetings to ensure efficient communication, and the other CEC members will look to their respective sub-comumunities for assistance.
