NASA Federal Advisory Committees, 55017-55018 [2014-21877]

Agencies

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55017-55018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21877]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (14-092)]


NASA Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Annual invitation for public nominations by U.S. citizens for 
service on NASA science advisory subcommittees.

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SUMMARY: NASA announces its annual invitation for public nominations 
for service on NASA science advisory subcommittees. The five science 
advisory subcommittees report to the Science Committee of the NASA 
Advisory Council (NAC), a Federal Advisory Committee. U.S. citizens may 
submit self-nominations for consideration to fill unscheduled 
intermittent vacancies on NASA's science advisory subcommittees. NASA's 
science advisory subcommittees have member vacancies from time to time 
throughout the year, and NASA will consider self-nominations to fill 
such intermittent vacancies. Nominees will only be contacted should a 
vacancy arise and it is judged that their area(s) of expertise is 
appropriate for that unscheduled vacancy. NASA is committed to 
selecting members to serve on its science advisory subcommittees based 
on their individual expertise, knowledge, experience, and current/past 
contributions to the relevant subject area.
    The following qualifications/experience are highly desirable in 
nominees, and should be clearly presented in their self-nomination 
letters:
     At least 10 years post-Ph.D. research experience including 
publications in the scientific field of the subcommittee for which they 
are nominated, or comparable experience;
     Leadership in scientific and/or education and public 
outreach fields as evidenced by award of prizes, invitation to national 
and international meetings as speaker, organizer of scientific 
meetings/workshops, or comparable experience;
     Participation in NASA programs either as member of NASA 
mission science team, Research & Analysis program, membership on an 
advisory/working group or a review panel, or comparable experience;
     Good knowledge of NASA programs in the scientific field of 
the subcommittee for which they are applying, including the latest NASA 
Science Plan (available as a link from https://science.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/), or comparable experience; and,
     Knowledge of the latest Decadal Survey conducted by the 
National Research Council or other relevant advisory reports for the 
scientific field of the subcommittee.
    Nominees from any category of organizations or institutions within 
the U.S. are welcome, including, but not limited to, educational, 
industrial, and not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research 
and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research 
Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and 
other Government agencies. Nominees need not be presently affiliated 
with any organization or institution.
    These are not full-time positions and the likelihood that an 
unscheduled vacancy will occur in the coming year is unknown at this 
time. Successful nominees will be required to attend meetings of the 
subcommittee approximately two or three times a year, either in person 
(NASA covers travel-related expenses for this non-compensated 
appointment) or via telecon and/or virtual meeting medium. Successful 
nominees who are not already U.S. Government employees will become 
Special Government Employees (SGEs). All successful nominees will be 
required to submit a confidential financial disclosure form, and 
undergo a conflict of interest review by the NASA Office of the General 
Counsel, before their appointment is finalized.

DATES: The deadline for NASA receipt of all public nominations is 
October 1, 2014.

ADDRESSES: To be considered by NASA, self-nomination packages from 
interested U.S. citizens must be sent to NASA as an email and must 
include the name of the specific NASA science advisory group of 
interest. Self-nomination packages are limited to specifying interest 
in only one NASA science advisory subcommittee per year. The following 
information is required to be included as part of each self-nomination 
package: (1) A cover email including the name of the specific NASA 
science advisory subcommittee of interest; (2) a professional resume 
(one-page maximum, included as an attachment); and, (3) a professional 
biography (one-page maximum; included as an attachment). All public 
self-nomination packages must be submitted electronically via email to 
NASA to one of the addresses listed below; paper-based documents sent 
through postal mail (hard-copies) will not be accepted. Note: Self-
nomination packages that do not include the three (3) mandatory 
elements listed above will not receive further consideration by NASA.
    Please submit the nomination as a single package containing the 
cover email and both required attachments electronically to the 
specific email identified for the science subcommittee of interest:

Astrophysics Subcommittee (APS),_aps-execsec@hq.nasa.gov.
Earth Science Subcommittee (ESS)_ess-execsec@hq.nasa.gov.
Heliophysics Subcommittee (HPS)_hps-execsec@hq.nasa.gov.
Planetary Protection Subcommittee (PPS)_pps-execsec@hq.nasa.gov.
Planetary Science Subcommittee (PSS)_pss-execsec@hq.nasa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain further information on 
NASA's science advisory subcommittees, please visit the NAC Science 
Committee's subcommittee Web site noted below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA's five (5) current science advisory 
subcommittees are listed below. Additional information about these 
science subcommittees may be found at the NAC Science Committee's 
subcommittee Web site at https://science.nasa.gov/science-committee/subcommittees/:
     Astrophysics Subcommittee (APS)--The Astrophysics 
Subcommittee is a standing subcommittee of the NAC Science Committee 
supporting the advisory needs of the NASA Administrator, the Science 
Mission Directorate (SMD), SMD's Astrophysics Division, and other NASA 
Mission Directorates as required. The scope of the APS includes 
projects and observational and theoretical study of the origins, 
evolution, and destiny of the

[[Page 55018]]

universe and the search for and study of Earth-like planets and 
habitable, extrasolar environments. In addition to scientific research, 
the scope encompasses considerations of the development of near-term 
enabling technologies, systems, and computing and information 
management capabilities, developments with the potential to provide 
long-term improvements in future operational systems, as well as 
training of the next generation of astronomers, and education and 
public outreach.
     Earth Science Subcommittee (ESS)--The Earth Science 
Subcommittee is a standing subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council's 
(the Council) Science Committee supporting the advisory needs of the 
Administrator, the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), SMD's Earth 
Science Division (ESD), and other NASA Mission Directorates as 
required. The scope of the ESS includes the advancement of scientific 
knowledge of the Earth system through space-based observation and the 
pioneering use of these observations in conjunction with process 
studies, data assimilation and modeling to provide the Nation with 
improved capability to: predict climate variability, global change, and 
weather; mitigate and respond to natural hazards; and improve the 
scientific basis for policy decisions. In addition to observations and 
scientific research, the scope encompasses the development of computing 
and information management capabilities and other enabling 
technologies, including those with the potential to improve future 
operational satellite and ground systems.
     Heliophysics Subcommittee (HPS)--Heliophysics Subcommittee 
is a standing subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council's (the Council) 
Science Committee supporting the advisory needs of the Administrator, 
the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), SMD's Heliophysics Division 
(HPD), and other NASA Mission Directorates as required. The scope of 
the HPS includes all aspects of heliophysics, including the dynamical 
behavior of the Sun and its heliosphere; the dynamical behavior of the 
space environments of the Earth and other solar system bodies; the 
multi-scale interaction between solar system plasmas and the 
interstellar medium; and energy transport throughout the solar system 
and its impact on the Earth and other solar system bodies. In addition 
to scientific research, the scope encompasses considerations of the 
development of enabling technologies, systems, and computing and 
information management capabilities, as well as developments with the 
potential to provide long-term improvements to future space weather 
operational systems.
     Planetary Protection Subcommittee (PPS)--Planetary 
Protection Subcommittee is a standing subcommittee of the NASA Advisory 
Council's (the Council) Science Committee supporting the advisory needs 
of the Administrator, the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), SMD's 
Planetary Science Division, NASA's Planetary Protection Officer and 
other NASA Mission Directorates as required. The scope of the PPS 
includes programs, policies, plans, hazard identification and risk 
assessment, and other matters pertinent to the Agency's 
responsibilities for biological planetary protection. This scope 
includes consideration of NASA planetary protection policy documents, 
implementation plans, and organization. The subcommittee will review 
and recommend appropriate planetary protection categorizations for all 
bodies of the solar system to which spacecraft will be sent. The scope 
also includes the development of near-term enabling technologies, 
systems, and capabilities, as well as developments with the potential 
to provide long-term improvements in future operational systems to 
support planetary protection. Outside the scope of the Subcommittee's 
responsibilities are issues that pertain solely to the quality and 
interpretation of scientific experiments and data in support of solar 
system exploration.
     Planetary Science Subcommittee (PSS)--Planetary Science 
Subcommittee is a standing subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council's 
(the Council) Science Committee supporting the advisory needs of the 
Administrator, the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), SMD's Planetary 
Science Division (PSD), and other NASA Mission Directorates as 
required. The scope of the PSS includes all aspects of planetary 
science, scientific exploration of the Moon and Mars, the robotic 
exploration of the solar system, astrobiology, space- and ground-based 
research, technology development, planning, and training required to 
support these science areas. In addition to scientific research, the 
scope encompasses considerations of the development of near-term 
enabling technologies, systems, and computing and information 
management capabilities, as well as developments with the potential to 
provide long-term improvements in future operational systems. 
Responsibility for biological planetary protection is outside the 
purview of the PSS and resides with the Planetary Protection 
Subcommittee (PPS).

Patricia D. Rausch,
Advisory Committee Management Officer, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-21877 Filed 9-12-14; 8:45 am]
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