Review of the National Science Foundation’s
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Draft Science Goals and Objectives
Statement of Task
An ad hoc NRC committee will review the draft Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) draft science goals and objectives in a two‐part process (Phase 1 and 2). The following key questions will be used by the committee, initially (in Phase 1) to organize a public workshop that will feature invited presentations and discussions of the draft goals and objectives and later by the committee itself (in Phase 2):
- Are the goals and objectives clear and appropriate?
- Are there any content areas missing from the draft that should be present if AGS is to achieve its overall vision and mission?
- Are there adequate mechanisms for coordinating and integrating issues that involve multiple disciplines and multiple divisions within NSF and other agencies within the atmospheric and geospace sciences enterprise?
Phase 1 will consist of planning and hosting a public workshop to engage the atmospheric sciences community and others as appropriate to provide feedback on the draft. The workshop will be designed to seek specific input on the draft by asking invited workshop speakers and other participants to share their views in the context of the questions above. In addition to addressing the questions above, the workshop will also include a brief, forward‐looking session where participants will discuss “research frontiers” AGS might consider pursuing in light of the goals and objectives that have been identified (and those that have been acknowledged as missing). A recap of workshop will be produced by staff.
In Phase 2, the committee will write a letter report reviewing the AGS draft goals and objectives by addressing the questions above from its own standpoint.