NSF Update

1. NSF Update AAAC 8 February 2007

2. Update Topics • FY2007 Budget Situation • FY2008 Request • Senior Review Status and Town Meetings

3. Looking towards AAAC Annual Report • Senior Review report accepted • AST implementation underway • GSMT Program restructured • Interagency implications of Senior Review recommendations • Plans beginning for next Decade Survey

4. FY2007 Budget Request • FY2007 Request for AST $215.11M • (FY2006 + 7.7% or $15.5M) • NSF request shaped by American Competitiveness Initiative • Facilities base operations budgets held level pending outcome of senior review • Increases for: • GSMT ($5M, up $3M) • TSIP ($4M, up $2M) • AODP ($1.5M, restored) • Physics of the Universe activities enhanced • Elementary Particle Physics - dark energy, dark matter studies (with Physics Division) • Research grants programs up overall • Gemini future instrumentation

5. MPS by Division

6. Current FY2007 Budget Situation • Continuing Resolution through 15 Feb • Activities funded at FY2006 levels • No new starts • Post Feb 15 – Continuing Resolution for Remainder of Year at 2007 Request? • Rules? • New starts?

7. FY 2008 Request

8. Call for Reinvestment in STEM • Increase US talent pool • Strengthen basic research • Develop, recruit & retain best/brightest • Ensure innovation in America

9. ACI • Emphases • Tie fundamental discoveries to marketable technologies. • Facilities and instrumentation • World class science and engineering workforce • Focus on Phys Sci & Engineering • Doubles NSF, DOE-OS, NIST over 10 years • Biggest federal response since Sputnik

10. FY 2008 MPS Focus Areas • Physical sciences at the nanoscale • Science beyond “Moore’s Law” • Physics of the universe • Complex systems • Fundamental mathematical and statistical science • Sustainability • Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation

11. MPS by Division

12. MPS Facilities in Operation 1The NOAO total includes funding for instrumentation programs that build public-private partnerships. In FY 2008, the Telescope System Instrumentation Program is funded at $5 million. The Adaptive Optics Development Program is funded at $1.5 million, level with FY 2007 request, but moves into the disciplinary instrumentation program and so no longer appears in the NOAO budget in FY 2008. The base NOAO/NSO program funding increases by $3.63 million over the FY 2007 request .

13. Facilities in Development and Under Construction Design and Development: • DUSEL: will begin formally in FY 2008, total $6.0M, building on previous Discovery Research. • Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope: level $5.0M. • LSST development as planned at $1.3M Facilities under Construction: • ALMA: reflects new baseline, early operations increases to $8.2 million. • IceCube: operations initiated at $1.5M level • Advanced LIGO: construction begins FY 2008.

14. MREFC Request

15. Status of Other Interagency Efforts • VERITAS • NHPA consultation termination in process • Work on Kitt Peak resumes ~ March? • ATST • PDR in Nov - Ready for Construction • EIS and NHPA process continues • NVO • No new starts in FY2007 – FY2008 issue

16. Polar Programs

17. Senior Review Status • AST has begun implementation plan • Consult facilities managers • Consult agency partners, CAA, AAAC,… • AST will take implementation plan to community • Town meeting series started in Seattle at AAS • Other meetings • Ann Arbor – 26 January • Washington, DC - 16 February • Santa Cruz - 8 March • Princeton - 16 March • Atlanta - 23 March • Tucson – 5 April • Welcome constructive comments to email address: astsenior-review@nsf.gov

18. Developing an NSF Response and Implementation Plan • AST is working closely with facilities to understand implications of recommendations as we consider possible implementation • NSF is active in encouraging and engaging in discussion with other possible partners in facility operations, including international partners and other funding agencies. • AST is working with the community and NOAO to determine where re-investment in existing OIR facilities should occur and in the development of an integrated and coordinated “System”

19. Developing an NSF Response and Implementation Plan • AST is undertaking detailed cost reviews of each observatory necessary to understand where cost reductions can be made • Understand operational costs, appropriate staffing levels • Consider other operational and business models • Hope to complete within next 6 to 8 months • Explore costs and legal issues associated with recommendations e.g. environmental, deconstruction, divestiture, termination costs – engaging outside studies over the next year • Many changes will take several years to implement – Budget implications in FY2009

20. Cost Reviews • We have a 50 year tradition of operations that we must examine, both for now and for future facilities • Can current level of service be delivered for less? • Some opinions based on university-scale ops • Hidden subsidies, etc. • We all must understand the costs thoroughly • NSF, facilities, and community must look at different service models • Changes similar to those at NAIC may be necessary at all AST facilities • NSF will support efforts towards implementation of recommendations by managing organizations.

21. Senior Review Recommendations Implications at this meeting • GSMT program restructuring • Arecibo • VLBA • Gong ++

22. Community Input is Essential • AST Web site for the Senior Review: (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/ast_senior_review.jsp) • The Senior Review Report: (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/seniorreview/sr-report.pdf) • Email input astsenior-review@nsf.gov • Decade Survey planning input Astro2010@nas.edu