[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 35 (Thursday, February 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11481-11483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03541]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice: (17-009)]


NASA Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Annual Invitation for Public Nominations by U.S. Citizens for 
Service on NASA Federal Advisory Committees on Science.

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SUMMARY: NASA announces its annual invitation for public nominations 
for service on four new Federal advisory committees of NASA that advise 
NASA on science. The four new committees,

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formerly subcommittees of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) Science 
Committee (NAC SC), have been established under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA), and will advise four divisions of the NASA 
Science Mission Directorate (SMD). On December 2, 2016, NASA published 
a notice in the Federal Register announcing their establishment 
[Federal Register, Vol. 81, No. 232, pages 87082-87083].
    U.S. citizens may submit self-nominations for consideration to fill 
vacancies on these four new committees. There will be member vacancies 
from time to time throughout the year, and NASA will consider self-
nominations to fill such intermittent vacancies. Nominees will only be 
contacted should a vacancy be available and it is judged that their 
area(s) of expertise is appropriate for that specific vacancy. NASA is 
committed to selecting members to serve on these committees based on 
their individual expertise, knowledge, experience, current/past 
contributions to the relevant subject area and overall diversity of the 
committee. All member appointments are non-compensated. However, NASA 
does cover travel and per diem expenses for all member appointments.

DATES: The deadline for NASA receipt of all public nominations is March 
8, 2017.

ADDRESSES: To be considered by NASA, self-nomination packages from 
interested U.S. citizens must be sent to NASA as an email and must 
include the name of the specific committee of interest. Self-nomination 
packages are limited to specifying interest in only one committee per 
year. The following information is required to be included as part of 
each self-nomination package: (1) A cover email including the name of 
the specific committee of interest; (2) a professional resume (one-page 
maximum, included as an attachment); and, (3) a professional biography 
(one-page maximum; included as an attachment). All public self-
nomination packages must be submitted electronically via email to NASA 
at one of the addresses listed below; paper-based documents sent 
through postal mail (hard-copies) will not be accepted. Note: Self-
nomination packages that do not include the three (3) mandatory 
elements listed above will not receive further consideration by NASA.
    Please submit the nomination as a single package containing the 
cover email and both required attachments electronically to the 
specific email address identified for the committee of interest:

 Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC): [email protected]">a[email protected]
 Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC): [email protected]
 Heliophysics Advisory Committee (HPAC): [email protected]">h[email protected]
 Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC): [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain further information on these 
committees, please visit the Web sites noted below for each. For any 
questions, please contact Ms. DaMara Belson, Science Mission 
Directorate, NASA Headquarters, (202) 358-2457; or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    The following qualifications/experience are highly desirable in 
nominees, and should be clearly presented in their self-nomination 
packages:
     Substantial (7-10 years post-Ph.D.) research experience 
including publications in the scientific field of the committee for 
which 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 and 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 committee for which they are applying, including the latest NASA 
Science Plan (available as a link from http://science.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/); and,
     Knowledge of the latest Decadal Survey conducted by the 
National Academies or other relevant advisory reports for the 
scientific field of the committee.
    These are not full-time positions and the likelihood that a vacancy 
will occur in the coming year is unknown at this time. Committee 
members will be required to attend meetings of the committee 
approximately two or three times a year, either in person or via 
telecon and/or virtual meeting medium. Each nominee of potential 
interest to NASA will be required to submit a Confidential Financial 
Disclosure Report (OGE Form-450) to NASA, and undergo conflict of 
interest review and clearance by the NASA Office of the General Counsel 
prior to formal appointment. Committee members will be formally 
appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs), unless they are 
Regular Government Employees (RGEs).
    An overview of each of the four committees is listed below.
     Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC) (science.nasa.gov/science-advisory_committees/apac)--The Astrophysics Advisory Committee 
is a new FACA committee of NASA, and replaces the Astrophysics 
Subcommittee of the NAC SC. The APAC shall draw on the expertise of its 
members to provide advice and make recommendations to the Director, 
Astrophysics Division, SMD, on astrophysics programs, policies, plans 
and priorities. The scope of the APAC 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 Advisory Committee (ESAC) (science.nasa.gov/science-advisory_committees/esac)--The Earth Science Advisory Committee 
is a new FACA committee of NASA, and replaces the Earth Science 
Subcommittee of the NAC SC. The ESAC shall draw on the expertise of its 
members to provide advice and make recommendations to the Director, 
Earth Science Division, SMD, on Earth Science programs, policies, plans 
and priorities. The ESAC's recommendations and analysis can be used to 
inform decisions on the programmatic scope and priorities, as well as 
the implementation of Earth science programs. In addition, the ESAC

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will provide a regular forum for broad discussion of Earth science and 
the role of Earth science within and outside of NASA.
     Heliophysics Advisory Committee (HPAC) (science.nasa.gov/science-advisory_committees/hpac)--The Heliophysics Advisory Committee 
is a new FACA committee of NASA, and replaces the Heliophysics 
Subcommittee of the NAC SC. The HPAC shall draw on the expertise of its 
members to provide advice and make recommendations to the Director, 
Heliophysics Division, SMD, on heliophysics programs, policies, plans 
and priorities. The scope of the HPAC includes all aspects of 
heliophysics, including the dynamical behavior of the Sun and its 
heliosphere; the dynamical behavior of the magnetosphere, ionosphere, 
and upper atmosphere of Earth and other planets; the multi-scale 
interaction between solar system plasmas and the interstellar medium; 
energy transport and coupling throughout the heliophysics domain; and 
space weather. 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 Science Advisory Committee (PAC) 
(science.nasa.gov/science-advisory_committees/pac)--The Planetary 
Science Advisory Committee is a new FACA committee of NASA, and 
replaces the Planetary Science Subcommittee of the NAC SC. The PAC 
shall draw on the expertise of its members to provide advice and make 
recommendations to the Director, Planetary Science Division, SMD, on 
planetary science programs, policies, plans and priorities. The scope 
of the PAC includes all aspects of planetary science, scientific 
exploration of the Moon and Mars, the robotic exploration of the solar 
system, astrobiology, exoplanet research, 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 PAC.

Patricia D. Rausch,
Advisory Committee Management Officer, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-03541 Filed 2-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7510-13-P