National Science Board to meet November 19-20, 2019 in Alexandria, VA

November 12, 2019

The National Science Board (NSB, Board) will meet November 19-20, 2019, to address science and engineering policy issues relevant to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Members of the media and the public are invited to open portions of the meeting, which is also available to watch live via webcast.

The public meeting agenda is available is here.

Meeting highlights include a guest presentation on research collaboration in an era of strategic competition, a portfolio review of NSF’s Education and Human Resources directorate, and the 2018 Merit Review digest.

Open meeting sessions on Tuesday, November 19, 2019:

NSB Plenary (9:00 – 11:30 a.m.)

OSTP Director Kelvin Droegemeier will update the Board on the work of the Joint Committee on Research Environments. Board members and the NSF Director will share updates since the last meeting. Also in this session: the agency’s Education and Human Resources Assistant Director will present a portfolio update and Stephanie Segal, Senior Fellow with the Center for Strategic & International Studies, will give a presentation on research collaboration in an era of strategic competition.

Committee on Awards & Facilities (2:30 – 3:30 p.m.)

On the agenda are presentations on the use of Cooperative Agreements for large awards and updates on the Mid-scale Research Infrastructure program and Regional Class Research Vessels Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction project.

In closed session, the committee will discuss the report of the Chief Officer for Research Facilities and will be briefed on the High Luminosity upgrades to the ATLAS and CMS detectors and on construction and operations of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

Committee on Oversight (3:30 – 4:45 p.m.)

NSF’s Merit Review report modernization initiative will be presented and discussed. The committee will review the 2018 Merit Review digest with the goal of referring it to the full Board for approval and the Board’s preface to the digest for discussion and possible approval.  The committee will be briefed on the Semiannual Report and Management Response, the Financial Statement Audit, the Federal Information Security Management Act report, and the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act Audit.

Open meeting sessions on Wednesday, November 20, 2019:

Task Force on Vision 2030 (9:00 – 9:30 a.m.)

The task force will review the latest draft of the Vision 2030 document.

Committee on External Engagement (9:30 – 10:00 a.m.)

The committee’s agenda includes updates on recent activities including an Arizona State University event for Members of Congress that highlighted NSF research and researchers, rollout of the Board’s Skilled Technical Workforce report, and a Senate hearing on research and innovation at which NSB Chair Diane Souvaine and NSB member Sethuraman Panchanathan testified.

Committee on Strategy (10:00 – 10:15 a.m.)

NSF’s Budget Division Director will brief the committee on the fiscal year (FY) 2020 budget.

The FY 2021 budget is on the agenda for the committee’s closed session.

Closed sessions of Plenary and Plenary Executive will include closed committee reports and discussion of NSB 2020 Honorary Awards recommendations.

Committee on National Science and Engineering Policy (12:15 – 1:00 p.m.)

The agenda will feature updates on the Science and Engineering Indicators 2020 thematic reports and the state of U.S. science and engineering summary report. The committee will also discuss rollout plans and possible NSB policy messages coming from Indicators 2020.

National Science Board Plenary (1:00 – 1:30 p.m.)

Agenda items include updates from committee chairs, votes on the 2018 Merit Review digest and NSB’s preface to the digest, and on the Semiannual Report and Management Response.

About the National Science Board

The National Science Board and the National Science Foundation's Director jointly head NSF. NSB identifies issues critical to NSF's future and establishes the Foundation's policies. The NSB also provides the President and Congress with Science and Engineering Indicators, a biennial report on the state of science and engineering in the United States. Members are appointed by the President for six-year terms and selected for their eminence in research, education and records of distinguished service.

Note: Reporters are invited to attend all open sessions, subject to provisions of the Government in the Sunshine Act. All sessions will be held at the NSF headquarters—please note our address is 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia.  Journalists interested in attending and covering the meeting should contact Nadine Lymn at (703) 292-2490 or nlymn@nsf.gov.

Useful NSB Web Sites:

Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb
Media Contact: http://www.nsf.gov/staff/staff_bio.jsp?lan=nlymn&org=NSF
News: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/news
Meetings: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/meetings
Publications: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/publications
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalScienceBoard
Twitter: Twitter: https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=NSF_NSB
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkrHRzuGSrPp2haQs0T_Pww