Objective:
The study will review the achievements of the National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) since its inception in 1998 and assess the program's contribution to science, research infrastructure and education of the next generation scientists. The study will also recommend future research directions and objectives for NPGI. In reviewing the past achievements and contributions of NPGI, the study will reveal whether NPGI has met its objectives and the nation's needs for innovation in basic plant science, agriculture, and energy research. The study will also examine the broader impact of NPGI and whether its research and activities have generated insights for other disciplines in biology.

Approach:
An ad hoc committee will conduct a study on the NPGI. They will 1) review the accomplishments of NPGI to date; 2) assess the contribution of NPGI to science, research infrastructure, and education of the next generation scientists and international research collaboration; 3) discuss the broad impacts of NPGI to fundamental advances in biological disciplines; 4) assess the contributions of NPGI to the application of scientific knowledge including technological innovation and economic competitiveness; and 5) recommend future research directions and objectives for NPGI.