Future Roles and Opportunities for the U.S. Geological Survey (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Future Challenges
Future Challenges
Pages 119-136
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From page 119... ...
This chapter discusses some of the administrative challenges that the USGS will face: priority setting, research program, external guidance, human resources, coordination and collaboration, reimbursable programs, and budget and funding. PRIORITY SETTING The mission of the USGSis to provide "the Nation with reliable, impartial information to describe and understand the earth" SAGS, 1996a)
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From page 120... ...
As one example of this problem, the BRD's Bureau Information Needs process, which helps set priorities for serving DOI land management bureaus, seems to have led to unreasonably high expectations by promising more than could be done and, in some instances, leading to customer disappointment and disaffection. Third, although USGS priority setting must be responsive to customer needs, the scope of the response must be restricted to the agency's basic mission.
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From page 121... ...
Information supplied to the committee indicates that discussions about future science directions at the USGS tend to focus on well-known issues and their incremental advancement, not on the kinds of integrative research and process elucidation in which the USGS must excel to successfully address complex science problems in the future. The committee believes that the USGS must develop objectives for a long-term core research program that is supported programmatically by the Executive Leadership Team.
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122 Future Roles and Opportunities for the USGS ,~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~.~ ~ i: ~~ ~ ..
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The solution to many of these problems requires a research framework based on integrative science science committed to bridging barriers that separate traditional modes of inquiry (Gunderson et al., 1995; Houghton et al., 1996d, l999j; Houghton et al., 1996; Johnson, et al, 1998~. Nevertheless, not all complex science problems require a broad, integrative multidisciplinary research framework; therefore, the choice of research framework must fit the specific research problem.
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From page 124... ...
Thus, the evolution of science priorities should be developed through continuing consultation with other parts of the DOI, federal and state agencies, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, congressional staff, research universities, relevant private sector groups, nonprofit organizations, and public interest groups. The result should be a portfolio of planned and coordinated core and problem-specific research activities appropriate to USGS expertise, with broad support inside and outside the agency.
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From page 125... ...
The committee suggests advisory committees and specially constituted review panels. Charges for these advisory committees, as suggested by the NRC Committee to Review the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (NRC, 1999k)
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. A major advantage of standing advisory committees is that they have organizational memory, but because they need to have broad expertise, they may not be as well suited to reviewing specific aspects of a program as specially constituted review panels.
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The report indicated that a number of "CMGP staff voiced concerns that the current reward system does not adequately recognize efforts that enhance overall CMGP stature but do not result in classic peer-reviewed publications" (NRC, l999k)
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From page 128... ...
Although it is likely that the USGS will continue to have large regional centers with a few smaller offices, the committee believes that consideration should be given to the colocation of scientists from different disciplines in order for them to conduct integrative science projects more efficiently. COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION Even if the professional staff of the USGS were to increase substantially in the future, the increase would probably be insufficient for the agency to accomplish its goals solely through in-house activities.
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From page 129... ...
Although the USGS works with virtually every federal government department, including Agriculture, State, Commerce, DOD, NSF, EPA, FEMA, DOE, NOAA, and NASA, communication tends to be more ad hoc than systematic, and there appears to be little coordination between the USGS and other federal agencies. In the 1 970s, there was a successful coordinating committee between the USGS and NOAA, but for reasons rooted in history, there is now an absence of strong coordinating committees between the USGS and other agencies with conspicuous natural science components in their missions.
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For federal coordination, the Committee on the Formation of the National Biological Survey recommended an interdepartmental committee, which would include the heads of the essential federal agencies and departments (NRC, 1993b)
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By contrast, universities lean toward long-term research. It would be to the benefit of the overall USGS research program to increase interactions with both academe and industry.
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REIMBURSABLE PROGRAMS The USGS commonly enters into cooperative programs with regional, state, and local agencies, Native American tribes, and other organizations. Usually, cooperative programs are stimulated by requests from other entities for scientific knowledge and data.
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From page 133... ...
However, the issue of USGS funding through reimbursable work deserves review with regard to its effects on customer relations and with regard to the USGS mission and strategic plan. The committee believes that the USGS should place more emphasis on whether potential cooperative projects meet mission and strategic plan objectives.
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From page 134... ...
Although the committee has no basis on which to recommend a specific funding level, it urges the USGS Executive Leadership Team to estimate the amount of funding required to develop long-term, innovative, high-priority projects. These estimates, which could be validated by an agency-level external advisory cornrnittee, could be used to justify future budget requests.
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From page 135... ...
experienced work force to develop and provide science information. in view of many upcoming retirements, the USGS should devote substantial efforts to recruiting and maintaining excellent staff.
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From page 136... ...
Without adequate funding to support the research emphases outlined in this report, problems associated with such issues as natural hazards and water scarcity will remain understudied, with profound affects on the welfare of the citizens of the United States. The committee also recommends that discretionary funds be available to the director of the USGS as a way to mobilize new integrative science initiatives as needed.
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