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AST Portfolio Review. AAAC Telecon Meeting May 6, 2011 Tom Statler , AST. Why Do It and What Is It?.
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AST Portfolio Review AAAC Telecon Meeting May 6, 2011 Tom Statler, AST
Why Do It and What Is It? • NWNH advised: “If …budget is truly flat…there is no possibility of implementing …the recommended program…without…enacting the recommendations of the first 2006 senior review and/or …a second more drastic…review before mid-decade.” (p. 240) • Not a repeat of Senior Review, which was confined to facilities. • Examine balance across entire portfolio of activities AST supports. • Enable progress on central science questions (Ch. 2 of NWNH), balancing recommendations for new facilities & instrumentation with capabilities of existing facilities & programs. AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Review Philosophy • Goal: Define the astronomical landscape for the coming decade. • 2 “mapping” steps: • Determine critical capabilities needed in 2015, 2020, 2025 to address key science questions from NWNH SFPs. • Determine how to achieve these capabilities through combination of • New facilities & instrumentation • Evolution of existing facilities & programs AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Review Philosophy • Note that review is explicitly forward-looking • Key question re: existing facilities is • Can the facility be evolved so as to provide a critical future capability? • --- not --- • Has the facility earned the right to survive by virtue of past performance? • Avoid overburdening facilities with demand for statistics or overburdening committee with need to invent metrics of productivity. AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Other Boundary Conditions • Multiple budget scenarios through 2025 to be provided by AST. Consider costs of delivering/evolving existing capabilities and costs of new facilities. • No revisiting/rehashing Astro2010 process or recommendations. • Consider consequences for domestic, international partnerships and on state of the profession. AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Charge to Committee • Recommend balance of investments in new & existing grants programs and facilities in 2015, 2020, 2025 to enable progress on science questions identified by Astro2010. • Prioritize with sufficient granularity to permit adjustments in response to variations in Federal funding. • Recommendations should be viable and lead to vigorous and sustainable future for US astronomy. • Portfolio should support & develop requisite workforce to exploit recommended research and education investments. • Report by 31 March 2012 in order to inform FY2014 budget. AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Inputs • NWNH • Budget scenarios for 2015, 2020, 2025 • Documents used by Astro2010 WG on Status of the Profession • Budget breakdowns (last 10 yrs) • Facilities’ Long Range Plans & Program Plans + other TBD • Statistics from Individual Investigator Programs (last 5 yrs) • Budget growth opportunities (e.g. CIF21, EARS, etc.) AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Community Engagement • Assemble diverse committee with regard to wavelength, observation/theory/computation/instrumentation, facility users, institution type/size, career stage, gender, geography. • Invite nominations (including self-nominations) from community, submitted by email; also from MPSAC, AAAC, BPA. • Allow unsolicited community input via email. • Report progress through AAS Newsletter & similar mailings, updates at AAS meetings (5/11 & 1/12). • Progress briefings to MPSAC, AAAC, BPA, OSTP, OMB. AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review
Timeline • End May: nominations open • Mid July: committee formed • Early August: Meeting #1 • October: Meeting #2 • Oct 13-14: update for AAAC • Nov 3-4: update for MPSAC • December: Meeting #3 • Jan 8-12: update for AAS • February: Meeting #4 • Late March: Meeting #5, draft report complete • April: brief MPSAC, OSTP, OMB • April-May: Public comment period • June: Finalize report AAAC May 2011 - AST Portfolio Review