[Hps] [EXTERNAL] Meeting on Wednesday

[Nelson, Timothy Knight]

Dear HPS Colleagues and Friends,

Wherever you are in the world, I am sure you are aware of the death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement officers in Minneapolis, only the most recent example of a repeating horror visited upon our communities of color but affecting us all as a defining element of our social fabric. Many have chosen this moment to take a stand and demand change. In recognition of this, a number academic groups are planning to #Strike4BlackLives next Wednesday to show solidarity with this movement, including #ShutDownAcademia, #ShutDownSTEM, and a call from members of the particle physics community, Particles for Justice:

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.shutdownstem.com_&d=DwIFAg&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=ErLkbYGWd8oSAZ70ywHxhA&m=GmpX3kc1OH5SQfSUje_oQeaGXprP05Wj6BQzj-uCC8w&s=QXouF-dtm85StcR81ffD7YljWsixMjezOyvXGfWpro8&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.particlesforjustice.org_&d=DwIFAg&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=ErLkbYGWd8oSAZ70ywHxhA&m=GmpX3kc1OH5SQfSUje_oQeaGXprP05Wj6BQzj-uCC8w&s=dfscMdiGzImul8fpcidYptIcAeTUjTnPTSd2Uq5K3J8&e= 

HPS will not be holding our scheduled meetings on Wednesday to allow members who are planning to participate to focus their attention and efforts on that day to affecting meaningful change.  While there are many levels on which to participate in such action, both personally and professionally, some of us would like to include a discussion of actions related to our work as academics and scientists that are relevant to our operation as a scientific collaboration.  Towards this end, I am proposing that those who are interested meet at our regular meeting time on Wednesday for an open discussion of these issues and what we, as a collaboration and as members of our own institutions, can do to address inequities that are part of the same underlying injustices that have brought us to this moment.

I am happy to moderate and/or take notes during this meeting, but if others would like to volunteer to take on those roles, I would encourage you to please step forward.

Best,
Tim