Astro2010: The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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General Questions about the survey
Q: How are members of committees and panels chosen?
Q: Will the Survey Committee request information from the research community?
Q: How can I feed unsolicited input to the Survey Committee?
Q: I’d like to present to one of the committees? Can I do that?
Q: Can I participate in future Town Hall meetings?
Q: When are the Survey Committee and its panels meeting next?
Q: May I attend a closed session of the committee?
Q: Which open sessions of the committee may I attend?
Q: I want to attend a meeting of the committee or its panels.  Is there travel support available?
Q: Is registration required to attend an open session?
Q: I see the Keck Center of the National Academies given as a meeting location.  Where is it?
Q: I see the National Academy of Sciences building is given as a meeting location.  Where is it?
Q: I see the Beckman Center of the National Academies given as a meeting location.  Where is it?
Q: When will the survey be completed?
Q: How can I get a copy of previous astronomy & astrophysics surveys?
Q: How do I get in touch with NRC staff?

Questions on Input to Program Prioritization Panels (PPPs)
Q: What was the purpose of the Notice of Intent (NOI)?
Q: What was the Request for Information for Activities that was due April 1st 2009?
Q: What are the white papers on technology development?
Q: What are the white papers on Theory, Computation, and Laboratory Astrophysics?
Q: Will all project panel presentations be at the June AAS? How is it decided who gets to give project panel presentations?
Q: Do I have to register for the AAS meeting in Pasadena to attend the PPP meetings in June?
Q: Is there any other opportunity for any input to PPPs if you are not chosen for presentation?
Q: Will the projects be informed of the Committee on Astro2010’s key science questions before they present to the PPPs?
Q: Will the projects have an opportunity to provide a response to the independent cost estimates?
Q) What details will be expected of Teams that are asked to present at the June 8-11, 2009 meeting?

Questions on Input to Science Frontiers Panels (SFPs)
Q: What is a science white paper?
Q:  Will the SFPs endorse development of specific research activities?
Q:  If no white paper is submitted on a particular science question, does that mean it will not be discussed?
Q:  My science area does not seem to fit into any of the science panels? Does that mean it will not be discussed?
Q: What is the boundary between the "Galactic Neighborhood" panel and the "Galaxies Across Cosmic Time" panel?

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General Questions about the survey

Q: How are members of committees and panels chosen?
A:  From a shortlist drawn from suggestions for committee and panel members supplied by the earlier open solicitation for input from the astronomy and astrophysics community (over 300 suggestions were made and considered) as well as suggestions from the Board on Physics and Astronomy, the Space Studies Board, Sections 12 and 13 of the National Academy of Sciences, all committee and appointments are made by the Chair of the National Research Council, Dr. Ralph Cicerone.

Q: Will the Survey Committee request information from the research community?
A: Yes.  By the beginning of April the committee received close to 600 white papers, position papers and responses to call from activities.  The survey committee and panels are very appreciative of the effort that went into the production of these documents which are providing valuable input to the survey deliberations.

Q: How can I feed unsolicited input to the Survey Committee?
A: You can always send your comments to the committee using the mailbox for public input at astro2010@nas.edu.  Note that all public comments sent to the survey committees and panels will be posted on the Community Feedback Web page as it is received and listed on the survey’s public access file which is maintained by the NRC as mandated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Q: I’d like to present to one of the committees? Can I do that?
A: The committees has solicited input from the community in several ways.  Keep checking the Astro2010 web page and look out for emails from the committee through the AAS listserv regarding calls for any future input.
 

Q: Can I participate in Town Hall meetings?
A: Town Hall meetings will be held at professional society meetings and hosted by various other institutions around the country.  Information on upcoming and past town halls is available on this web site.
 

Q: When are the Survey Committee and its panels meeting next?
A: See the Events Calendar for details.- Back to the top -

Q: May I attend a closed session of the committee?
A: Unless you are a committee member, a consultant to the committee, or an agent of the NRC, and invited to a particular closed session, you may not attend a closed session.
 

Q: Which open sessions of the committee may I attend?
A: Any of them but we ask that you email astro2010@nas.edu to let us know you plan on attending since some of our meeting rooms have limited capacity.

Q: I want to attend a meeting of the committee or its panels.  Is there travel support available?
A: Unfortunately, there is not.
 

Q: Is registration required to attend an open session?
A: Registration is not required, but it greatly helps the staff plan for the meeting (example: ensuring there is adequate seating and coffee), and it can facilitate going through security stations at certain meeting locations.  Certain rooms also have limited capacity.  Please e-mail astro2010@nas.edu to let us know you plan on attending.

Q: I see the Keck Center of the National Academies given as a meeting location.  Where is it?
A: 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Map)

Q: I see the National Academy of Sciences building is given as a meeting location.  Where is it?
A: 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC (Map)

Q: I see the Beckman Center of the National Academies given as a meeting location.  Where is it?
A: 100 Academy Way, Irvine, California, 92617 (Map)
 

Q: When will the survey be completed?
A: The committee hopes to have the unedited, prepublication version of its report released to the public in mid 2010.

Q: How can I get a copy of previous astronomy & astrophysics surveys?
A: You can purchase it through The National Academies Press website.

Q: How do I get in touch with NRC staff?
A: You can contact the staff at astro2010@nas.edu.

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Questions on Input to Program Prioritization Panels (PPPs)

Q: What was the purpose of the Notice of Intent (NOI)?
A: The NOIs were used for planning purposes.  Gathering this information was intended to help the Committee on Astro2010 understand the interests of the community and the areas in which activities are being proposed.  This information was used to ensure that the Program Prioritization Panels are composed in such a way that all areas of interest are covered.  This call is now closed and a list of the NOIs received are available on this web site.

Q: What was the Request for Information for Activities that was due April 1st 2009
A: The Subcommittee on Programs issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Activities responses to which were due by April 1st, 2009.  Activities are missions, telescopes, laboratories, specific technology development programs, etc.  The RFI sought information on Key Science Goals, the Technical Overview, the Technology drivers, the Activity Organization, Partnerships, and Current Status, the Activity Schedule, and the Cost Estimate for the activity.  Over 100 responses were received.  Activities from which further information is needed for the prioritization process will be invited to make more detailed submissions in a second round and then meet with the Program Prioritization Panels in June. A major feature of these second round submissions will be the assessment of the costs of construction and full operations, including the support of the science, and the identification of risk. The panels and committee will be assisted by independent contractors and consultants in our assessment process.

Q: What are the white papers on technology development?
A: The Committee on Astro2010 issued a call for technology development white papers to address specific technologies of interest. Technology development white papers describe how developing a specific technology in the upcoming decade will enable advances in astronomy in the future.  The Committee also asked that statements on the importance of general technology development should be directed to the Infrastructure Study Groups which in turn issued a call for state of the profession position papers from the community.  The technology development white papers called for will help the survey committee and the survey’s panels understand and communicate the appropriate balance between focused initiatives and general technology development. The committee noted in the call that white papers will be of most use to the survey if they identify specific critical observations and opportunities to be addressed by the suggested technology development. A discussion of current state of the art in the suggested study area and how the new technology will depart from that state will be helpful as well as an indication of the level of effort required and the time scale for the realization of the new technology.  An indication of intermediate outputs or milestones along the way to achieving the final technology goals should be included if relevant.  This call is now closed and the papers are available on this web site.

Q: What are the white papers on Theory, Computation, and Laboratory Astrophysics?
A: The Committee on Astro2010 issued a call for white papers on Theory, Computation, and Laboratory Astrophysics.  The call noted that these papers should identify areas or research problems in theoretical, computational, or laboratory astrophysics that would benefit from targeted investments, including investments on scales larger than normally possible through existing grants programs.  White papers authors were asked to identify what resources are likely to be required and why the scientific areas identified are ripe for development. The committee suggested that white papers that argue for broad support for theory, computation, or laboratory astrophysics were to be submitted through the previously issued call for State of the Profession Position Papers.  In addition, the committee suggested that if the idea involved proposing a large, focused initiative or center with a well developed plan including costs, then the authors should instead respond to the Program Subcommittee’s current Request for Information on activities.

Q: Will all project panel presentations be at the June AAS? How is it decided who gets to give project panel presentations?
A: The Astro2010 Committee and the Program Prioritization Panels (PPP) will use the responses to the RFI to select the projects that will make presentations to the PPPs.  Those presentations will take place at NRC-organized panel meetings June 8-11, 2009 in Pasadena, CA.

Q: Do I have to register for the AAS meeting in Pasadena to attend the PPP meetings in June?
A: No.  The meetings will be held at the same venue but are being organized separately.  Information on the PPP meetings and their agendas will be announced on the Astro2010 website.  Presentations will be made in open session.  General attendance at the open sessions will be limited only by room capacities.

Q: Is there any other opportunity for any input to PPPs if you are not chosen for presentation?
A: Outside of the calls for white papers etc, other written input may be submitted via the astro2010@nas.edu e-mail address, but no guarantee is made that additional information will be considered by the panels.  All written inputs circulated to the survey committee or panels will be made publicly available.

Q: Will the projects be informed of the Committee on Astro2010’s key science questions before they present to the PPPs?
A: No.  Projects should present their strongest science case to the panels based on their assessment of the field and their proposed project’s capabilities.

Q: Will the projects have an opportunity to provide a response to the independent cost estimates?
A: We will provide additional information on the cost estimation process as it is available.

Q: What details will be expected of Teams that are asked to present at the June 8-11, 2009 meeting?
A: The June meeting presentations will be used to explore the topics covered in the responses to the first RFI in more depth, and in person with the PPPs.  Particular areas of interest to the PPPs will be identified in the invitation to the June meeting.

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Questions on Input to Science Frontiers Panels (SFPs)

Q: What is a science white paper?
A: The Astro2010 Subcommittee on Science, and the Astro2010 Science Frontier Panels (SFPs) invited interested parties from the broad community to submit white papers focusing on how our understanding of the scientific frontiers in astronomy may be advanced in the future. Authors were asked to specifically and succinctly identify new science opportunities and compelling science themes, place those in the broader scientific context, and describe the key advances in observation, experiment and theory necessary to realize those scientific opportunities within the decade 2010-2020.  Papers were submitted to one of the Science Frontiers Panels.

Q: Will the SFPs endorse development of specific research activities?
A: No. In understanding the intent of the science white papers, it is important to keep in mind the context of the SFPs in the overall Astro2010 process. The SFPs are charged with developing the science case; the Program Prioritization Panels (PPPs) will review proposed major research activities. The SFP reports will feed into the PPP process.

Q: If no white paper is submitted on a particular science question, does that mean it will not be discussed?
A: No. The SFPs are expected to develop their own lists of exciting science questions.

Q: My science area does not seem to fit into any of the science panels? Does that mean it will not be discussed?
A: No. The SFPs are expected to develop their own lists of exciting science questions and the Astro2010 Science Subcommittee is tasked to insure that all relevant science is covered by the appropriate SFP. You may also write comments to astro2010@nas.edu.

Q: What is the boundary between the "Galactic Neighborhood" panel and the "Galaxies Across Cosmic Time" panel?
A: It has been decided that the GAN panel will focus on studies of the properties and state of the Milky Way and other galaxies and their stellar populations and interstellar media in general at the present cosmological epoch, whereas the GCT panel will consider how galaxies have evolved over time.  The GAN panel will consider science questions associated with galaxies at redshifts less than about 0.1 (a fuzzy limit).  If you have questions about which panel to submit your white paper to, please write to astro2010@nas.edu and someone will try to assist you.  Note that the SFP panel chairs and members of the Astro2010 Science Subcommittee will work in close coordination to make sure that one or the other panel will consider all science areas, as appropriate.  These boundaries are meant for practical convenience; we won't let them interfere with our task.

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