A Space Physics Paradox Why Has Increased Funding Been Accompanied by Decreased Effectiveness in the Conduct of Space Physics Research? (1994) / Chapter Skim
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7 Conclusions and Recommendations
7 Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 71-80
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From page 71... ...
Advisory Council report t3] recognizes a decreasing number of research opportunities, increasing time scales for research projects, and the scientific community's need for a variety of research opportunities of different sizes.
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However, the net effect has been the establishment of a system that causes major implementation delays; disproportionate study, planning, selling, documentation, and administrative activities; inadequate funding profiles for planned programs; and a less effective core research program. All of these findings are consistent with the increased levels of frustration sensed through discussions with colleagues throughout the space physics community.
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From page 73... ...
1: The effectiveness of the base-funded space physics research program has decreased over the past decade. We saw in Chapter 4 that the size of the space physics research community has increased at a rate roughly commensurate with the general increase in research funding described in Chapter 3.
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cost burden for an already stressed core research program. Small science, carried out by an intellectually diverse, flexible community of independent investigators, provides unique capabilities for performing certain kinds of research.
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Because of their broad goals and national visibility, these projects have been easier for funding agencies to sell than the base research program. However, the complex and ambitious character of big science projects also has its downside, including frequent cost overruns.
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From page 76... ...
It has also led to a steady decrease in experimental opportunities (including balloon; rocket, and satellite flights and instruments) and a space physics community too often diverted from direct scientific research into peripheral management activities, or writing multiple proposals for the scarce dollars left in the base-funded program.
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Recommendation No. 1: The scientific community and the funding agencies must work together to increase the proportionate size and stability of the base-funded research program.
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4: The management and implementation pro cesses for the space physics research program should be streamlined. Management and implementation processes must be tailored to the size of a given program: big science management techniques should not be applied to little science programs.
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From page 79... ...
Such priorities will also aid the funding agencies in their programmatic decisionmaking. For their part, funding agencies must work with the scientific community to streamline management procedures, consult with the scientific community as they make programmatic decisions, and clearly convey, and then fulfill, their level of commitment throughout the development of a program.
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