Snowmass, P5 and Astrophysics

How can the community of physicists whose research involves fundamental physics, gravity, astrophysics and cosmology best organize ourselves to develop and articulate the best plan for the future of our fields? After a quick run-down of the Snowmass and P5 processes, and sharing some thoughts about the need for better synergies between DAP, DGRAV and AAS, I plan to share the mic for audience ideas.

I was the DAP representative on the Steering Group for the recently completed Snowmass Process. That multi-year exercise, last completed in 2013, is lead by DPF. Its purpose is gathering and consolidating community input on the most productive directions for High Energy Physics in the upcoming decades, for consideration by DOE and NSF in planning funding. The P5 or Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel is in action now. It is formed by HEPAP — the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel — with the mandate of assimilating the Snowmass report, taking additional community input, and making a recommendation as to how to prioritize different expenditures in HEP. Astrophysics, Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology have been having an exponentially growing impact on Particle Physics, and much research in these fields is now being supported by DOE. My goal in this talk will be to provide background on how the Snowmass and P5 processes work, in order for the DAP and DGRAV communities to maximize their impact on the deliberations in future years.