[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65016-65018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26100]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice: (12-084)]


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: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public 
Law 92-463, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, and in accordance with the Memorandum for the Heads of 
Executive Departments and Agencies signed on December 17, 2010, signed 
by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), 
Executive Office of the President, NASA announces its annual invitation 
for public nominations for service on NASA science advisory 
subcommittees. These science advisory subcommittees report to the 
Science Committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). U.S. citizens may 
nominate individuals and

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also submit self-nominations for consideration as potential members of 
NASA's science advisory subcommittees. NASA's science advisory 
subcommittees have member vacancies from time to time throughout the 
year, and NASA will consider nominations and self-nominations to fill 
such intermittent vacancies. 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 nomination letters:
     At least ten years (10) post-Ph.D. research experience 
including publications in the scientific field of the subcommittee 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 they are applying for, including the latest NASA 
Science Plan (available as a link from http://science.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/), or comparable experience;
     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. Successful nominees will be 
required to attend meetings of the subcommittee approximately two to 
four times a year, either in person (NASA covers travel-related 
expenses for this non-compensated appointment) or via telecon/WebEx. 
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 and clearance by the NASA Office 
of the General Counsel before they are officially appointed.

DATES: The deadline for NASA receipt of all public nominations is 
November14, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Nominations and self-nominations from interested U.S. 
citizens must be sent to NASA in letter form, be signed, and must 
include the name of specific NASA science advisory subcommittee of 
interest for NASA consideration. Nominations and self-nomination 
letters are limited to specifying interest in only one (1) NASA science 
advisory subcommittee per year. The following additional information is 
required to be attached to each nomination and self-nomination letter 
(i.e., cover letter): (1) Professional resume (one-page maximum); (2) 
professional biography (one-page maximum). All public nomination 
packages must be submitted electronically via email to NASA; paper-
based documents sent through postal mail (hard-copies) will not be 
accepted. Note: Nomination letters that are noncompliant with inclusion 
of the three (3) mandatory documents listed above will not receive 
further consideration by NASA.
    Please submit the nomination as a single package containing cover 
letter and both required attachments electronically to the specific 
email address identified below for the science subcommittee of 
interest:

Astrophysics Subcommittee (APS)
    [email protected]
Earth Science Subcommittee (ESS)
    [email protected]
Heliophysics Subcommittee (HPS)
    [email protected]
Planetary Protection Subcommittee (PPS)
    [email protected]
Planetary Science Subcommittee (PSS)
    [email protected]

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. For any questions, 
please contact Ms. Marian Norris, Advisory Committee Specialist, 
Strategic Integration & Management Division, Science Mission 
Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, (202) 358-4452.

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 http://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 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 NAC Science Committee 
supporting the advisory needs of the NASA 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 NAC Science Committee supporting the

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advisory needs of the NASA 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 NAC 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 NAC Science Committee 
supporting the advisory needs of the NASA 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. 2012-26100 Filed 10-23-12; 8:45 am]
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