NSB-03-60
May 23, 2003
SUBJECT: Preliminary Report of the May 21, 22, 2003 Meeting
The major actions of the Board at its 374th meeting on May 21, 22, are summarized for the information of those members absent and as a reminder to those present.
1. Board Elections
The Board elected Dr. Delores Etter and Dr. Robert Richardson as members of the Executive Committee to two-year terms ending May 10, 2005.
2. Board Actions
a) The Board received the annual report of the Executive Committee (NSB/EC-02-14) from the Chair, Dr. Rita Colwell.
b) The Board approved holding an off site meeting to visit LIGO and Xavier University in Louisiana during the February, 2004 Board meeting..
c) The Board approved the management response to the Inspector General's Semi-Annual Report.
d) The Board approved the report on National S&E Workforce Policies (NSB-03-69) for posting on the Web for public comment for 30 days.
e) The Board was asked to e-mail comments on the revised NSF Strategic Plan (NSB-03-70) to Paul Herer by Friday, May 30.
f) The Board recommended that the NSF initiate a process to engage the broader atmospheric sciences community in a strategic review of the mechanisms most appropriate to move the nation's current and future science and educational goals forward. The review should evaluate specific modes of support for facilities, research, and education. This process shall be completed in the next 30 months. Periodic reports on this process shall be made to the CPP.
g) The Board made the following statement in connection with resolution NSB-03-64: The IceCube project presents the exciting prospects of understanding the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays and opening a new window on the universe. The Phase I project will implement the ice drill at the South Pole and prepare for Optical Module construction. The Project Director and full project management are being put in place during implementation of Phase I. Active monitoring of Phase I is advised to minimize the short-term risks to cost, schedule, Q/A, integration, etc. A robust project management should be in place before Phase II funding is approved.
2. Awards
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The Board approved the following awards: |
Amount not |
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Division of Atmospheric Sciences |
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$45,000,000 |
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Division of Earth Sciences |
$100,000,000 |
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EarthScope - Operation and Maintenance for |
$14,646,871 |
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Division of Earth Sciences |
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(NSB-03-63) |
$548,000,000 |
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Amount |
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Division of Advanced Computational Infrastructure |
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$33,500,000 |
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$33,500,000 |
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Office of the Director |
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Office of Polar Programs |
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(NSB-03-64) |
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3. NSB Committees
The Chairman discharged the Vannevar Bush Award Committee, with thanks to the Chair, Dr. Langford, members Drs. Miller, Rossmann and Savitz and Executive Secretary, Ms. Fannoney.
The Chairman discharged the Committee on NSB Nominations for 2010, with thanks to the Chairman, Dr. Wrighton, and members Drs. Miller, Natalicio, Richardson and White.
Committee Reports
(Materials for committee summaries are provided by executive secretaries.)
a. Audit & Oversight (A&O)
At the closed session OIG gave a briefing on the status of an ongoing investigation and a security issue. The OIG Semiannual Report was presented and the Management Response to OIG Semiannual report was approved. Robin Nazarro of GAO discussed her agency's role vis a vis NSF and scientific research. OIG staff provided an update on the settlement of a court case involving an NSF awardee. Dr. Pitts gave an overview of the FY 2002 Merit Review Report. The CIO and Deputy CFO gave updates on their respective activities. Mr. Sieverts reported on the launch of the NAPA review.
b. Education and Human Resources (EHR)
Dr. Joseph Miller, Chairman, Task Force on National Workforce Policies, reviewed completion of the task force report. The working groups on K-12, Undergraduate and Graduate programs have now been provided with background information and a meeting with NSF Staff will be arranged shortly. Dr. Penny Firth, Acting Deputy Director, Division of Environmental Biology, was the speaker in the Focus on the Future series. She reported on Biology Education for the 21st Century; A Strategic Plan for the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate. Dr. Judith Sunley discussed the National Academy Report on Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists (BIO 2010). She reported that steps are planned toward a proposal solicitation on this topic in FY 2004.
Dr. Norman Bradburn, Assistant Director for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences reported on education and diversity activities in that Directorate. Quantitative improvements in diversity were cited, with plans for further improvement, and new directions in education are in the planning stages. Dr. Judith Ramaley, Assistant Director for Education and Human Resources, discussed the new Teacher Professional Continuum program and Teacher Institutes for the 21st Century. Mr. Gerard Glaser completed the agenda with an update of the NSB Workshop on Broadening Participation In Science and Engineering Research and Education to be held on August 12, 2003 at the National Science Foundation
c. Subcommittee on National S&E Workforce Policy (NWP)
The Task Force on Workforce Policies for Science and Engineering discussed three items: The comments received from Board members in response to the report transmitted by the EHR Committee on May 9 to the full Board with the recommendation for approval as a Board Draft for public comment; the Outreach Plan to encourage comment on the Draft over a 30 day period following release by the Board; the schedule to the August meeting, when the revised report will be brought to the NSB for final approval.
d. Science and Engineering Indicators (SEI)
The subcommittee completed preliminary review of 5 chapters. This follows teleconferences May 12 and May 14 to discuss reviews of two other chapters (No. 1 -- Elementary and Secondary Education -- and No. 8 -- State S&E Indicators), and keeps the subcommittee on schedule to circulate the Orange Book (the complete final draft) before the August Board meeting.
The members judged that Chapter 4, U.S. and International R&D,
Chapter 6, Industry, Technology and the Global Marketplace, and
Chapter 7, Public Attitudes and Public Understanding, were ready
to proceed to final drafts in the Orange Book.
The subcommittee asked to look at Chapter 2, Higher Education in
S&E, and Chapter 3, S&E Workforce, once more before they
are put in final drafts.
The subcommittee anticipates follow-on teleconferences in June with the subcommittee members and those who reviewed Chapters 2 (Higher Education) and 3 (S&E Workforce); a teleconference on chapter 5 (Academic R&D), and a follow-on teleconference on the State S&E chapter to consider some alternative indicators.
e. Programs and Plans (CPP)
In closed session, the Committee considered and approved the following action items:
Also in closed session, the Committee heard a presentation on one information item, the Recompetition of the Management of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NSB/CPP-03-10).
In open session, the Committee heard a presentation on the Spring Meeting of the MREFC Panel. Dr. Bordogna presented the Committee with progress to date on the MREFC running list items, and informed the Committee of upcoming actions.
The Committee considered the final report from the CPP Infrastructure Task Force; discussion focused on the approval of the report.
At the NSB Open Plenary Session, CPP recommended an off-site meeting in February 2004 to take place at the Louisiana LIGO facility site.
f. Subcommittee on Polar Issues (PI)
The Subcommittee on Polar Issues received an update on staff changes at the Office of Polar Programs; information on the intent of OPP and EHR to continue to link K-12 teachers with polar researchers; and an acknowledgement of upcoming anniversaries such as the anniversary of both the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958) and the first International Polar Year (1887-1888) in 2007. OPP also shared its response to the Antarctic Program's safety and health audit and briefed the subcommittee on recent e-mail intrusion into the South Pole computer systems. The subcommittee heard presentations on the Arctic Social Science Program's portfolio and on the status of polar class icebreakers. Finally, the subcommittee discussed an award action in closed session.
g. Committee on Strategy and Budget (CSB)
The Committee reviewed the status of the development of the draft NSF strategic plan, and made additional suggestions to improve the draft document, including providing additional emphasis on the importance of support for cross-disciplinary tools and international collaboration activities.
The Committee then received a presentation from Dr. Colwell on NSF long range planning. Following her presentation, CSB members discussed a number of planning issues at length, including NSF workload and staffing pressures, funding mechanisms NSF uses to seed new initiatives and opportunities, and budget trade-offs between increasing the average grant size, average grant duration, and award funding rates.
The Committee discussed plans to develop a long-range planning document that the Board is required to submit to Congress next December. (This report is requested in Section 22 of the NSF Authorization Act.) The Committee reviewed a draft outline and schedule for developing the report. In order to obtain the input of the full Board, CSB would like to schedule a two-hour planning session at the August meeting, to which all Board members will be invited.
The Committee then held a closed session to discuss the initial planning of the development of the FY 2005 budget request. The CSB will schedule a telephone conference in July to review the status of the budget development, and will provide additional input at that time. The FY 2005 budget request to OMB will be presented at the August Board and, following NSB discussion and approval, will be submitted to OMB in September, and ultimately by the President to Congress in February.
h. CPP Task Force on S&E Infrastructure (INF)
The Task Force reviewed and selected artwork, photographs, and illustrations to be included in the printed version of its report, Science and Engineering Infrastructure for the 21st Century. The publication of the printed report is still scheduled for July 1, 2003. Mr. Herer reported on the status of the action plan for disseminating and marketing the final report. On April 9, 2003, the final report was placed on the NSF/NSB Web site. On that date, the NSB hosted a reception to announce the report, which was attended by representatives from the press, national academies, and other professional organizations. Since then there has been expressed interest in the report from OMB, OSTP, Congress, and many other institutions, including international organizations. NSB members and NSF staff will continue to be proactive in discussing the report with the S&E community. For example, there are plans to make a presentation to President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).