POSSUM Research Project Policy

The POSSUM research project policy has been adapted from the MWA Galactic and Extragalactic Science project policy.

Scope

This policy applies to POSSUM members who plan to perform research or analysis using data, algorithms, software, hardware, expertise or intellectual property associated with the POSSUM survey, in cases where these data, information or contributions are not yet available for public use, and have not been previously published elsewhere. For other research or analysis, adherence to this policy is optional but is nevertheless still encouraged, in order to help eliminate duplication and overlap. A POSSUM Project should be submitted before or soon after work first starts on a project (not when a manuscript is about to be written). Furthermore, in most situations, any POSSUM Publication should be based on a previously approved Project proposal. Project matters not explicitly covered here should be referred to the POSSUM PIs.

Research Project Proposals

The POSSUM team is large and diverse. In order to maximise coordination of effort, all proposals for POSSUM research activity potentially leading to a publication need to be discussed by POSSUM members and approved by the POSSUM Executive and relevant Working Group chairs before or soon after work first starts on the project (not when or after a manuscript begins to be written). This process can be expedited in the case of a time-critical project.

Initial Executive Review

Following submission, proposals will undergo an initial Executive review period of up to two days. The purpose of this review is limited to a first-pass coordination and sanity check---specifically, whether the proposal (a) has significant overlap with existing or approved POSSUM projects; (b) is clearly beyond the technical capabilities of the survey or based on a fundamental misunderstanding of POSSUM data products; or (c) defines a scope that would inappropriately ring-fence a broad science area or otherwise limit reasonable future use of POSSUM data by the collaboration.

This initial review is not intended to assess detailed scientific merit or feasibility, which are more appropriately addressed during the collaboration review period (see below).

Collaboration Review

A proposal is then forwarded to the entire collaboration, providing a two week period in which any member of POSSUM can comment, provide input, or request to participate. Since POSSUM is an open collaboration, the expectation is that any POSSUM member who requests to participate and who can articulate a meaningful planned contribution will be accepted by the Project Lead; the Project Lead is responsible for maintaining the list of participants in their project. After two weeks have elapsed, a proposal (or the revised version thereof) will be considered for approval by the POSSUM Executive. The degree to which a research team has contributed to POSSUM activities may be considered in the final approval of a proposed project. Any concerns about overlap or other issues should be put to the Project Lead privately first, then escalated to the PIs (pi@possum.groups.io) if fundamental disagreements remain.

Note that student proposals are additionally subject to the POSSUM Students Policy .

Specific calls for new POSSUM projects may be made from time to time, but POSSUM members may submit such proposals at any time .

Those wishing to join a currently active proposal should contact the Project Lead. The Project Lead is responsible for maintaining the list of participants in their project.

Science proposals expire when any of the following occurs:

• Two years have elapsed since submission.
• The paper(s) envisaged in the original proposal are published.
• The lead researcher on the proposal has their POSSUM membership lapse.
• The lead researcher notifies the POSSUM PIs that they are withdrawing the proposal / cancelling the project.
• The POSSUM Executive decides that the project should be terminated.

If any of these occur, the researchers involved can subsequently submit a renewal of the project.