[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 175 (Monday, September 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 53779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17958]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


External Advisory Panel for NOAA's Oceans and Human Health 
Initiative

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice of solicitation of members for an external advisory 
panel for the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Oceans and Human Health Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-447) 
created a national, interagency research program to improve 
understanding of the role of the oceans in human health. Section 903(a) 
of this Act authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish an Oceans 
and Human Health Initiative (OHHI) to coordinate and implement research 
and activities of NOAA related to the role of the oceans, the coasts, 
and the Great Lakes in human health. The OHHI is further authorized to 
provide support for (1) Centralized program and research coordination, 
(2) an advisory panel, (3) one or more NOAA national centers of 
excellence, (4) research grants, and (5) distinguished scholars and 
traineeships. Section 903(b) of the OHH Act further authorizes the 
Secretary of Commerce to establish an oceans and human health advisory 
panel to assist in the development and implementation of the NOAA OHHI. 
This advisory panel is to provide for balanced representation of 
individuals with multi-disciplinary expertise in the marine and 
biomedical sciences and is not subject to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
    Nominations to the OHHI advisory panel are being solicited herein. 
The intent is to select from the nominees. However, NOAA retains the 
prerogative to name people to the advisory panel who were not nominated 
if it deems it necessary to achieve the desired balance. Once selected, 
NOAA will post the review panel, with abridged resumes, at http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/aaoffice/OHHI/.

DATES: Nominations should be sent to the address specified and must be 
received within 30 days following the date of publication of this 
announcement.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be submitted electronically to Dr. Paul 
Sandifer ([email protected]) or mailed to Dr. Paul Sandifer, c/o 
Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South 
Carolina 29412.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Paul Sandifer (843) 762-8814.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Panel members shall not be employed by NOAA. 
Nominations should describe the nominees's contact information and 
qualifications relative to the criteria given below, or include a 
resume. Anyone is eligible to nominate, and nominations from 
organizations and self-nominations are encouraged. The advisory panel 
is expected to have up to a maximum of 15 members, with a variety of 
backgrounds (recognizing that it will not be practical to have all 
backgrounds represented), with respect to:
    1. Particularly relevant areas of marine and biomedical sciences, 
such as:
    a. Conservation medicine, diseases of humans, diseases of marine 
organisms;
    b. Epidemiology and human health sciences;
    c. Harmful algal bloom (HAB) impacts on public health;
    d. Source tracking and environmental microbiology;
    e. Marine pharmaceuticals and other natural products;
    f. Marine organisms and habitats as models for biomedical research 
and/or indicators of environmental condition;
    g. Pollutants, contaminants, and ecological chemistry;
    h. Seafood safety;
    i. Remote sensing, observing systems; and predictive models;
    j. Ecosystem science and services;
    k. Climate change and variability;
    l. Genomics and proteomics;
    m. Biomaterials, bioengineering, and other techniques for producing 
marine products, including chemical, aquaculture, and recombinant DNA;
    n. Outreach and education; and
    o. Social sciences relevant to human health.
    2. Experience in academia, within mission-oriented government 
agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector;
    3. Familiarity with NOAA's mandates; and
    4. Being a science provider to key generic groups of stakeholders, 
science interpreter to groups of stakeholders, or stakeholder with a 
history of interaction with science providers.
    The advisory panel members should have the following 
qualifications:
    1. National and international recognition within their profession;
    2. Knowledge of the scientific, technical, and biomedical 
information needed to support NOAA's Oceans and Human Health 
Initiative, coupled with broad familiarity with NOAA's mission;
    3. Knowledge of, and experience with, the organization and 
management of complex, mission-oriented scientific and/or public health 
programs; and
    4. Ability to represent views of academia, government agencies, 
non-governmental organizations, or the private business sector.
    The qualifications of individuals are expected to be outstanding 
with respect to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the criteria. 
Because of the limited size of the advisory panel, management 
organization expertise must include expertise directly related to 
ecosystem condition or human health or the very special features of 
science applied to government decision-making.
    The purpose of the OHH advisory panel is to advise NOAA with regard 
to:
    1. Development of overall vision, mission and goals for its OHHI;
    2. Preparation and periodic updating of a NOAA OHHI Research Plan;
    3. Communication, coordination and integration of OHHI activities 
with other programs and partners, including but not limited to the NSF/
NIEHS Centers of Oceans and Human Health, the Inter-Agency Task Force 
on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia, human health academic and medical 
communities, and state environmental, health and natural resource 
agencies;
    4. OHHI performance and progress;
    5. Effectiveness of NOAA's education and outreach efforts; and
    6. Such other matters as may be identified.
    Initial appointments to the advisory panel will be for three-year 
terms, and the panel is expected to meet twice yearly.

    Dated: August 30, 2005.
John L. Hayes,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-17958 Filed 9-9-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-M