Ongoing Studies: Sustainability at the National Academies

VIEW ONGOING STUDIES BY SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS:

	Sustainability - the Issue		Natural Systems
	People & Their Communities		Institutions & Indicators
	Life Support Systems: Atmosphere, Water & Food		Sustainability, Research & Development
	Economy & Industry		Sustainable Energy

Sustainability - The Issue  

Sustainability at the U.S. EPA
An ad hoc committee under the Science and Technology for Sustainability Program (STS) will author a consensus report for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) to help define their efforts to incorporate sustainability concepts into agency programs. This study will build on existing sustainability efforts that ORD has conducted by strengthening the analytic and scientific basis for sustainability as it applies to human health and environmental protection within the Agency's decision-making process.

Sustainability Linkages in the Federal Government
The National Academies’ Science and Technology for Sustainability Program is undertaking a nationally-focused study entitled Sustainability Linkages in the Federal Government. The Linkages initiative will attempt to identify and describe the linkages among domains such as energy, water, and health that are not routinely considered in decisionmaking. The premise is that sustainability is a systems problem that cannot be achieved by separately optimizing its pieces. The study will build upon existing and emerging expertise throughout the scientific, technological, and policy communities, describing the nexus where domains intersect but existing institutions and disciplines do not. The committee will convene a series of fact finding meetings, commission expert-authored case studies, review the pertinent literature, and author an overall consensus report, which will include a decision framework that can be used by U.S. policymakers and regulators to help them examine the consequences, tradeoffs, synergies, and operational benefits of sustainability-oriented programs.

A Sustainability Challenge: Food Security for All
The National Academies' Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability will organize two public workshops in 2010 to help establish the dimensions of the food security challenge and explore how to sustainably meet growing food demands during the coming decades. The first workshop, Measuring Food Insecurity and Assessing the Sustainability of Global Food Systems, will examine the empirical basis for past trends, the current situation and projections for the future. The second workshop, Exploring Sustainable Solutions for Increasing Global Food Supplies , will examine a set of issues fundamental to assuring that food supplies can be increased to meet the needs of the world's growing population--now expected to grow to 9 billion by the year 2050.  (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program) 

Certification of Sustainable Products and Services: A Workshop
A steering committee organized a weeklong public workshop in January 2009 aimed at understanding the situation of those making key decisions to purchase and produce certified goods and services, and to clarify the scope and limitations of the scientific knowledge that might contribute to the economic success of certified products. The workshop began with a ground-clearing discussion of certification practices and panel discussions including NGOs active in certification and advocacy, scholars of the field, and people from business with substantial experience with certification and its corporate and public politics.  (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program) 

Expanding Biofuel Production - Sustainability and the Transition to Advanced Biofuels - Lessons from the Upper Midwest for Sustainability
An ad hoc committee organized a workshop in June 2009 that assessed the sustainability impacts of expanding biofuel production at a regional level. Workshop participants assessed lessons learned from dramatic increases in corn based fuels and identified the implications of advanced biofuel production, examining feedstock production, refining, distribution and use. The objective of the workshop was to inform local, state and federal decision-makers and to suggest policies that could be developed to encourage more sustainable practices and to mitigate potentially adverse impacts on specific regions of the country as the U.S. transitions to the next generation of biofuels. (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program) 

Pathways to Urban Sustainability: Lessons from the Atlanta Metropolitan Region
The National Academies will organize a workshop September 30-October 1, 2010 in Atlanta to foster discussion of the metropolitan region's approach to urban sustainability, with an emphasis on building the evidence base upon which policies and programs might be developed. Participants will explore how the interaction of various systems (natural and human systems; energy, water, transportation systems) affect the region's social, economic, and environmental conditions. Discussions will center on the challenges the region faces, innovative approaches to addressing these complex challenges, performance measures to gauge success, and opportunities to link knowledge with on-the-ground action. The event will be carried out in cooperation with local partners and hosted by the Georgia Institute of Technology, but will also engage local, state, and federal agencies in order to explore how their resources could best support sustainable improvements in the Atlanta metropolitan region. (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program)   

The National Academies' Second Sustainability R&D Forum, Transitioning to Sustainability: The Challenge of Developing Sustainable Urban Systems
The National Academies' Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability hosted a forum on September 23, 2009 to foster discussion of current and planned R&D activities on issues of sustainability in urban systems. More than half of the world's population now lives in urban areas and the share of urban residents is expected to grow. Cities are already strained in their capacities to provide healthy, safe, and affordable environments for living and working. The challenge is thus to develop more environmentally sustainable urban systems that also provide for sustainable economic growth. (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program) 

The Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability
The Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability provides a forum for sharing views, information, and analyses related to sustainability. Members of the Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability include senior decision-makers from the U.S. government, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations who are in a position to play a strong role in promoting sustainability. Through its activities, the Roundtable identifies new ways in which science and technology can contribute to sustainability. The goal for the Roundtable is to mobilize, encourage, and use scientific knowledge and technology to help achieve sustainability goals and to support the implementation of sustainability practices. (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program) 

Partnerships for Sustainability
The National Academies' Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability convened a symposium to examine the multi-stakeholder partnership record in addressing issues associated with sustainability. The symposium focused on the challenges that the partnerships have addressed, including: involvement of several sectors, action at varying scales, from local to global, a combination of public and private financing, and a complex set of science questions. (Science and Technology for Sustainability Program)  

People and Their Communities (back to top)

Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change through the Behavioral and Social Sciences
An ad hoc committee would plan and convene two public workshops. The focus would be on two areas about which insufficient attention has been paid to the potential contributions of behavioral and social sciences. The areas are incentives for mitigation (i.e., behavioral elements in a strategy to curb or reduce unwanted climate change) and facilitating adaptation (i.e., behavioral and social determinants of societal capacity to cope with unwanted climate change). (Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies) 

Assessing the Human Health Effects of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
The extent of the Gulf Coast oil spill is unprecedented, and the health effects on individuals—including workers, volunteers, residents, and visitors—in the affected regions are as yet unknown. What we know for certain is that there is much to learn. At the request of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) held a public workshop June 22-23, 2010 that drew on the best scientific expertise available to examine a broad range of health issues resulting from the oil spill.  (Studies under the IOM Executive Office)

Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Social and Political Stresses
The National Research Council is undertaking a study to evaluate the evidence on possible connections between climate change and U.S. national security concerns and to identify ways to increase the ability of the intelligence community to take climate change into account in assessing political and social stresses with implications for U.S. national security. The study panel will develop a conceptual framework for addressing such issues and develop findings and conclusions regarding the key climate-security connections and issues of assessment of climate-related security risks.  It will also identify variables that should be monitored and ways that indicators of climate change, impacts, and vulnerabilities might be developed and made useful to the intelligence community in assessing climate-related threats to U.S. national security. (Board on Atmospheric Sciences, DBASSE Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change)

Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions
The standing committee will examine, explore, and consider issues on the use of emerging science for environmental health decisions. For this process, it will provide a public venue for communication among government, industry, environmental groups, and the academic community about scientific advances in methods and approaches that can be used in the identification, quantification and control of environmental impacts on human health. The topics covered will build on recent NRC reports on toxicity testing and toxicogenomics and will explore new developments in toxicology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and related fields. Specifically, topics may include the use of information about gene-environment interactions in decisions regarding human health; the importance of environmentally mediated epigenetic modifications; use of mechanistic information about molecular pathways involved in toxicity; the impact of DNA repair processes on environmental health risks; application of technological advances in identifying chemical effects on gene, protein and metabolite expression; bioinformatics; computational and systems biology modeling; and methods for improving exposure assessment.  (Board on Life Sciences; Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology)

Envisioning a Strategy to Prepare for the Long-Term Burden of HIV/AIDS: African Needs and US Interests
The Institute of Medicine will convene an ad hoc committee to describe the long term trajectory for the global AIDS pandemic, why the problem is critically important to the U.S. and international interests and to highly affected countries, the relationship between current capacities and needed capacities, and provide consensus conclusions and recommendations for how the U.S. and other donor countries can innovatively respond to the challenge through institutional and human resource capacity building. (Board on Global Health)

Human Dimensions of Global Change
The Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change is a standing committee that was established in 1989 to help guide research in the United States on the interactions between human activity and global environmental change. Working in conjunction with other units of the National Research Council, the committee
serves as a source of broad scientific expertise and judgement for setting agenda for research on human environmental interactions. (Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies)

Preventing the Global Epidemic of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD): Meeting the Challenges in Developing Countries
The Institute of Medicine will convene an ad hoc committee to study the evolving global epidemic of cardiovascular disease and offer conclusions and recommendations pertinent to its control and to a range of public and private sector entities involved with global health and development. The proposed study should take advantage of the concept frameworks of the 1998 IOM report, the 2004 Earth Institute Report, the 2007 "Grand Challenges" report, and a series of global cardiovascular health declarations (Victoria 1992, Catalonia 1995, Singapore 1998, Victoria 2000, Osaka 2001, and Milan 2004). It should synthesize and expand relevant evidence and knowledge based on findings from research and development, with an emphasis to developing pertinent concepts of global partnership, collaborations, and recommending actions targeted at global governmental organizations, NGOs, policy and decision makers, funding agencies, academic and research institutions, and the general public.  (Board on Global Health)

Private-Public Sector Collaboration to Enhance Community Disaster Resilience
A National Research Council committee will assess the current state of the art in private-public sector partnerships dedicated to strengthening community resilience, identify gaps in knowledge and practice, and recommend research areas that could be targeted for research investment by the DHS Human Factors Division. (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Public Health Decision-Making under Uncertainty
An ad hoc committee will conduct a study and prepare a report for the Environmental Protection Agency on decision-making about environmental threats to human health under various types of uncertainty. The study will consider specific approaches from several areas of public health for informing decisions with quantitative analysis that reflects uncertainty in risks. In addition, it will consider methods for communicating uncertainty in risk information to a range of interested parties including environmental decision makers (in the EPA and their state-based partners) and citizens. (Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice)

Ranking FDA Product Categories Based on Health Consequences
An expert committee will develop and apply an evidence-based conceptual model and methods to rank product categories within the broad types of products addressed by programs of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The conceptual model and methods will focus on ranking product categories according to the potential ranges of magnitude of various health consequences to U.S. users of the products at individual and population levels, taking both adverse and beneficial effects into consideration.  (Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology) 

Review of the Federal Response to the Health Effects Associated with the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has requested that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) convene a committee of experts to provide periodic independent review of the federal response to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill as it relates to the surveillance and monitoring of acute and long-term physical and behavioral health effects of workers (e.g., workers and volunteers involved in efforts to stop the spill and environmental cleanup efforts) and the affected public.  (Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Board on Health Sciences Policy)

Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine
The Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine was established to provide a mechanism for parties interested in environmental health from the academic, industrial, and federal research perspectives to meet and discuss sensitive and difficult environmental health issues of mutual interest in a neutral setting. The purpose is to foster dialogue, but not to provide recommendations.   (Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice)

Socioeconomic Scenarios for Climate Change Impact and Response Assessments
An ad hoc panel will organize an international workshop in early 2010 to consider the current state of the science and approaches for developing socioeconomic scenarios and story lines as context for analyzing global and regional climate change vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation (VIA) responses. (Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies; Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate)

Standards of Care for Use in Disaster Situations
In response to a request from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response, the Institute of Medicine will convene an ad hoc committee to conduct a 2-phase activity on standards of care for use in disaster situations. The committee will focus attention on developing guidance to establish standards of care that should apply to disaster situations--both naturally-occurring and man-made--where there are scarce resources. Ethical principles will be incorporated into the standards. (Board on Health Sciences Policy)

The Causes and Impacts of Neglected Tropical and Zoonotic Diseases: Implications for Global Health and Opportunities for Novel Intervention Strategies
IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats will hold a workshop on Tuesday, September 21, to examine the scientific and policy dimensions of neglected tropical and zoonotic diseases (NTD). Speakers and participants will explore the the evolutionary, genetic, and ecological origins of NTDs and the impact these diseases have on human and animal health, economic productivity, and opportunities for medical diplomacy and global engagement.  (Board on Global Health)

The Effect of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality and Public Health
In response to a request from the US Environmental Protection Agency contained in EPA Solicitation No. PR-NC-09-10228, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences will conduct a study that evaluates the state of scientific understanding of the effects of climate change on indoor air quality and public health. General topics may include the likely impacts of climate change in the U.S. on the indoor environment, how these impacts may influence human exposure to chemical and biological agents and environmental stressors, possible public health consequences arising from these exposures, and priority issues for research and action.  (Board on the Health of Select Populations; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice)

The U.S. Commitment to Global Health
The IOM will convene a consensus committee to examine the case for why multiple elements of American society should invest in global health, what areas need the most attention, and how best to accomplish the ultimate objective.  The final report will highlight the committee's consensus on the most significant global health challenges, address the case for a deeper commitment to global health and associated aspects of human development by Americans, and communicate specific conclusions and recommendations that would pertain to not only the government in general and individuals of variable economic means, but also the public health and scientific research communities, the multinational commercial sector, the diplomatic and national security communities, the media, new and established foundations, a range of elements from the university community, and non-governmental organizations to include faith-based and international service organizations (e.g., Rotary).  (Board on Global Health) 

Toward Sustainable Critical Infrastructure Systems -- Framing the Challenges: A Workshop
An ad hoc committee will plan and conduct a public workshop to identify and frame fundamental challenges in moving toward critical infrastructure systems that are physically, socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable. The workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions. An agenda for the workshop will be developed that will focus on power, transportation, water supply, waste management, and telecommunications systems and on potential lines of inquiry/research that may be helpful in addressing these challenges. A report will be issued based on the workshop as the principal data-gathering event in the project. (Board Infrastructure & the Constructed Environment)

Underground Geoengineering for Sustainable Development
An ad hoc committee of the National Academies will conduct a study to explore the potential advantages of underground development in the urban environment, to identify the research needed to take advantage of these opportunities, and to develop an enhanced public and technical community understanding of the role of geoengineering in the sustainability of the urban built environment, specifically the minimization of consumption of nonrenewable energy resources, construction materials, and negative impact on the natural, built, and social environments.  

Life Support Systems: Atmosphere, Water, and Food (back to top)

America's Climate Choices
In response to a request from Congress, the National Academies have launched America's Climate Choices, a suite of studies designed to inform and guide responses to climate change across the nation. Experts representing various levels of government, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and research and academic institutions have been selected to serve on four panels and an overarching committee.   (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate)

Assessment of the National Weather Service's Modernization Program
During the 1980s and 1990s, NOAA launched a major program to modernize the National Weather Service (NWS), investing $5 billion to modernize NWS technologies to advance weather forecasting. No complete assessment of the entire end-to-end NWS modernization enterprise has been done, thus Congress has asked the National Academy of Sciences to conduct an assessment of the now-completed National Weather Service modernization. The project should not only address the past modernization, but also focus on lessons learned to support future improvements to NWS capabilities.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate)

Assessment of Water Reuse as an Approach for Meeting Future Water Supply Needs
The Water Science and Technology Board proposes to undertake a comprehensive study of the potential for water reclamation and reuse of municipal wastewater to expand and enhance the nation's available water supply alternatives. This broad study will consider a wide range of uses, including drinking water, non-potable urban uses, irrigation, industrial process water, groundwater recharge, and water for environmental purposes. The study will consider technical, economic, institutional, and social challenges to increased adoption of water reuse, and it will provide practical guidance to decision makers evaluating their water supply alternatives. (Water Science and Technology Board)

A Workshop on Global Change and Extreme Hydrologic Events: Testing Conventional Wisdom
A two-day workshop on Global Change and Extreme Hydrology: Testing Conventional Wisdom will be planned and conducted by a small ad hoc planning committee under the auspices of the standing Committee on Hydrologic Sciences (COHS). The workshop will foster discussions among the science and applications community about the hydrologic and climatologic perspective on extreme hydrologic events. (Water Science and Technology Board)

Challenges and Opportunities in the Hydrologic Sciences
This study will identify the challenges and opportunities in the hydrologic sciences, including a review of the current status of hydrology and its subfields and of their coupling with related geosciences and biosciences, and the identification of promising new opportunities to advance hydrologic sciences for better understanding of the water cycle that can be used to improve water resources and environmental engineering and management. The goal is to target new research directions that utilize the capabilities of new technologies and not to critique existing programs at NSF or elsewhere. (Water Science and Technology Board)

Clean Water Act Implementation across the Mississippi River Basin
This committee will provide advice to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other relevant parties, on strategic priorities and alternatives for specific actions regarding Clean Water Act implementation across the Mississippi River basin. These other parties will include other federal agencies, state governments, U.S. congressional staff, municipalities, farmers and agricultural organizations, environmental groups, and the private sector. (Water Science and Technology Board)

Contaminated Drinking Water at Camp Lejeune
A committee of the National Research Council will review the scientific evidence on associations between adverse health effects and historical data on prenatal, childhood, and adult exposures to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The committee will assess the strength of evidence in establishing a link or association between exposure to trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and other drinking water contaminants and each adverse health effect suspected to be associated with such exposure. (Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology)

Ecological Impacts of Climate Change
The Board on Life Sciences will convene a committee to prepare a short (20-page) consensus, high-level report that presents a balanced summary of key examples of observed impacts of climate change on a variety of ecosystems. The committee will base its report on the recent report "Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerabilities" by Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as other NRC reports and published literature. The short consensus report will be used to derive dissemination products in the form of a public brochure and a teaching guide.  (Board on Life Sciences)

Evaluation of Chesapeake Bay Program Implementation for Nutrient Reduction to Improve Water Quality
The National Research Council (NRC) proposes to evaluate and provide advice on Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) nutrient reduction efforts.  To carry out this work, the NRC will appoint a multidisciplinary committee of experts that will provide advice to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the six states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the District of Columbia, other federal agencies, and other interested parties. The committee will review the CBP, identify technical and strategic shortcomings, and recommend options for improving the effectiveness of its nutrient reduction program in order to accelerate reaching the overall goals to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. (Water Science and Technology Board; Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Ocean Studies Board)

Food Insecurity and Obesity
Researchers and the public increasingly are recognizing that obesity and food insecurity co-exist in the same families, communities, and even the same individuals. For example, recent research suggests that household food insecurity may be related to increased weight in women. Some researchers also suggest an association between food insecurity and increased weight in young children and men. At the request of the United States Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Services, the IOM will hold a public workshop to explore the relationship between food insecurity and obesity, the current state of research, and new data and analysis needed to further understand this relationship. The workshop will be held in fall 2010.  (Food and Nutrition Board)

Frontiers in Understanding Climate Change and Polar Ecosystems: A Workshop
An ad hoc committee will plan and conduct a worksop to explore what is known about the impacts of climate change on polar ecosystems and identify what gaps or unknowns exist that will be "frontiers" for future science. The workshop topics will explore a selected field of science with special polar relevance: climate change and polar ecosystems; consider accomplishments in that field to date; identify emerging or important new questions; identify important unknowns or gaps in understanding; and allow workshop participants to identify what they see as the anticipated frontiers for future research in the field, including challenges and opportunities. (Polar Research Board; Board on Life Sciences)   

Management and Effects of Coalbed Methane Development and Produced Water in the Western United States
Coalbed methane (CBM) has accounted for an increasing proportion of total annual U.S. natural gas production over the past decade. This study will examine the effects of CBM development and produced water on water and soil resources in the western United States (Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, North Dakota, and Wyoming) including the effects of CBM produced water and its treatment, use, storage, and/or disposal.  (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources; Water Science and Technology Board)

Methods for Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions (to support monitoring international commitments on climate change)
The National Academy of Sciences is helping facilitate the increased involvement of scientists in answering questions related to climate, energy, and environmental change. The goal is both to advance scientific understanding of global climate and other environmental and disaster-related phenomena, and consider the implications for both fundamental scientific understanding and national security. (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate)

Nutrient Requirements of Fish and Shrimp
A committee will prepare a report that evaluates the scientific literature on the nutrient requirements of fish and shrimp in all stages of life. The report will focus on the species that are most important commercially (e.g., catfish, tilapia, bass, trout, salmon, sea bass and sea bream, and shrimp), but other emerging species (e.g., halibut, Atlantic cod, and winter flounder) may be included.  (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources)

Preparing for the Third Decade (Cycle 3) of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program
The project will provide guidance to the U.S Geological Survey on the design and scope of the NAWQA program as it enters its third decade of water-quality assessments. The committee will assess accomplishments of the NAWQA program since its inception in 1991 by engaging in discussions with the Cycle 3 Planning Team, program scientists and managers, and external stakeholders and users of NAWQA data and scientific information. The committee will also review USGS internal reports on the program's current design for monitoring, assessments, research, and relevance to key water topics. (Water Science and Technology Board)

Review of the Food and Drug Administration's Role in Ensuring Safe Food
An ad hoc committee of the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council will undertake a study to examine gaps in public health protection provided by the farm-to-table food safety system under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and identify opportunities to fill those gaps. The study will address the recommendations of the November 2007 FDA Food Protection Plan by evaluating the plan and identifying gaps and opportunities (recommendations) to fill the gaps. The committee's consensus report will include legislative, regulatory, and administrative recommendations and estimates of costs of such recommendations, as feasible.  (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Food and Nutrition Board)

Review of the Scientific Accomplishments and Assessment of the Potential for Future Transformative Discoveries with U.S.-Supported Scientific Ocean Drilling
The National Science Foundation has requested that the National Research Council appoint an ad hoc committee to review the scientific accomplishments of U.S.-supported scientific ocean drilling (Deep Sea Drilling Project [DSDP], Ocean Drilling Program [ODP], and Integrated Ocean Drilling Program [IODP]) and assess the potential for future transformative scientific discoveries.  (Ocean Studies Board; Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Review of the St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study
An NRC committee overseen by the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Academies will review the progress of the St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study (WSIS). Communities in the St. Johns River watershed in east central Florida are facing future drinking water supply shortages that have prompted the St. Johns River Water Management District (the District) to evaluate the feasibility of surface water withdrawals. At the current time, drinking water is almost exclusively supplied by withdrawals from groundwater. Reliance on groundwater to meet growing the growing need for public supplies is not sustainable. The St. Johns River and the Lower Ocklawaha River are being considered as possible alternatives to deliver up to 262 million gallons of water per day to utilities for public supply.  (Water Science and Technology Board)

Review of Water and Environmental Research Systems (WATERS) Network
In response to NSF’s request, the WSTB Committee on the Review of the Water and Environmental Research Systems (WATERS) Network will: 1. Review the draft report on conceptual design for the WATERS Network and associated planning documents, including project office committee reports and reports prepared by CUAHSI to be supplied as “background” information. 2. Review the WATERS Science Plan, and the associated documents to be provided (e.g., WATERS Network Project Office committee reports on education, modeling, etc.), to assess whether the Science Plan makes a compelling case for establishing the WATERS Network with Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) funding. 3. Advise the WATERS Network Project Office and NSF on how the WATERS Network can be integrated efficiently and effectively with the observational programs related to water resources of other federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector, considering the different missions of these agencies (including NSF, whose “mission” is to support fundamental research and education).  (Water Science and Technology Board)

Stabilization Targets for Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Concentrations
The stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and the avoidance of serious or irreversible impacts on the earth’s climate system are a matter of critical concern in both scientific and policy arenas.  Using the most current science available, this study will evaluate the implications of different atmospheric concentration target levels and explain the uncertainties inherent in the analyses to assist policy makers as they make decisions about stabilization target levels for atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate; Division on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education)

Strategies and Methods for Climate-Related Decision Support
A study panel working under the Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change would elaborate a framework for organizing and evaluating decision support activities for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, with special attention to sectors and issues of concern to the sponsors. The panel would examine the objectives of decision support evident in the CCSP Strategic Plan and in the activities of key CCSP agencies. It would consider the range of relevant decisions, decision makers, decision contexts, and spatial and temporal frames. It would consider the strategies and activities now being used for organizing decision support efforts to meet such objectives, as well as other plausible strategies and applicable tools.  (Human Dimensions of Global Change)

Sustainable Water and Environmental Management in the California Bay-Delta
At the request of Congress and the Departments of the Interior and Commerce, a committee of independent experts will be formed to review the scientific basis of actions that have been and could be taken to simultaneously achieve both an environmentally sustainable Bay-Delta and a reliable water supply. In order to balance the need to inform near-term decisions with the need for an integrated view of water and environmental management challenges over the longer-term, the committee will undertake two main projects over a term of two years resulting in two reports. (Water Science and Technology Board)

The Significance of International Transport of Air Pollutants
This study will summarize the state of knowledge regarding the international flows of air pollutants into and out of the United States and across its various regions, on continental and intercontinental scales. It will also consider the impact of these flows on the achievement of environmental policy objectives related to air quality or pollutant deposition in the United States and abroad and impacts on regional and global climate change. The pollutants to be considered include ozone and its precursors, fine particles and their precursors, mercury, and persistent organic pollutants.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate; Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology)

Water Resources Activities at the U.S. Geological Survey
This study will help the USGS evaluate the relationship between Water Resources Discipline (WRD) research and information collection and dissemination activities and its overall WRD agenda. It will cover all of the major topical areas of WRD activities: ground water and surface water, water quality and quantity issues, hydrologic hazards, water availability, water use, and aquatic ecology. Key aspects of WRD science and operation will be covered, including long-term data collection and dissemination, interpretive studies, methods development, including development of hydrologic models, and basic research. (Water Science and Technology Board) 

Economy and Industry (back to top)

Chemical Sciences Roundtable
The Chemical Sciences Roundtable (CSR) was established in 1996 by the National Research Council (NRC) and its Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology  (BCST). The CSR held its first meeting in February 1997, and it now meets three times annually. As a neutral and credible forum for communication among all segments of the chemical enterprise, the CSR provides great potential for enhancing the future well-being of the chemical sciences. The realm of the chemical sciences and technology not only span the science and engineering disciplines but also encompass a major segment of U.S. industry.   (Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology).

Competitiveness and Workforce Needs of U.S. Industry
Congress in the FY 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Act asked the Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy (STEP) to examine diverse industrial sectors, assess prospects for the international distribution of high-value added activities in those industries, and identify corresponding changes in workforce composition, location, and management. Using the methodology of a previous study of 11 industrial sectors, a committee will select a number of manufacturing and service industries, develop an analytical framework, and commission studies of each of these industries by leading academic experts.

Economic and Environmental Impacts of Increasing Biofuels Production
The NRC will appoint a committee of approximately 15 experts to examine and synthesize information on projections of future U.S. biofuels production and its impacts. To inform its analysis, the study committee will seek the input of feed grain producers; food animal producers; producers of other food products; energy producers (renewable and petroleum-based fuel producers, fuel blenders); forest owners and forest products manufacturers and users; individuals and entities interested in nutrition, or in the relationship of the environment to energy production; producers and users of renewable fuel feedstocks; users of renewable fuels; and experts in agricultural economics from land grant universities. (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Board on Energy & Environmental Systems)

Strategic Directions for the Geographical Sciences in the Next Decade
An ad hoc committee will formulate a short list of high priority research questions in the geographical sciences that are relevant to societal needs. The questions will be written in a clear, compelling way and will be supported by text and figures that summarize research progress to date and outline future challenges. (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Strategic Planning for the Florida Citrus Industry: Citrus Greening and the Future
An NRC committee will be appointed to develop a strategic plan to use science and technology to respond to Citrus Greening and other diseases that threaten the Florida citrus industry. The plan will define key objectives for finding and implementing a solution to citrus greening, including major basic and applied research themes, technology development and distribution strategies, approaches for controlling the spread of the disease and sustaining the industry, and options for strengthening the ability of the industry to respond in a comprehensive way to citrus greening and future disease threats.  (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources)

The Impact of Biotechnology on Farm Economics and Sustainability
An NRC committee will study the farm-level impacts of biotechnology, including the economics of adopting genetically engineered crops, changes in producer decision-making and agronomic practices, and farm sustainability.  (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources)

21st Century Systems Agriculture
In an update of the report, Alternative Agriculture, an NRC committee will study the science and policies that influence the adoption of farming practices and management systems designed to reduce the costs and environmental effects of agricultural production. A set of case-studies will be used to examine farming systems that address those concerns and to explore the factors that affect their implementation, economic viability, and success in meeting environmental and other goals of sustainability.  (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources)

Natural Systems (back to top)

A Review of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro (WH&B) Management Program
At the request of the Bureau of Land Management, the National Research Council (NRC) will conduct an independent, technical evaluation of the science, methodology, and technical decision-making approaches of the WH&B Program. In evaluating the program, the study will build on findings of three prior reports prepared by the NRC in 1980, 1982, and 1991 and summarize additional, relevant research completed since the three earlier reports were prepared. Relying on information about the program provided by BLM and on field data collected by BLM and others, the analysis will address the following key scientific challenges and questions: estimates of the WH&B populations, genetic diversity in WH&B herds, predator impact on WH&B population growth, as well as others. (Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources)

Best Practices for Shellfish Mariculture and the Effects of Commercial Activities in Drake's Estero, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California
An ad hoc committee will be formed to produce two reports on shellfish mariculture in coastal areas. In the first report, the committee will assess the scientific basis for the National Park Service (NPS) presentations and the report (including revisions), "Drake's Estero: A Sheltered Wilderness Estuary," on the ecological effects of the Drake's Bay Oyster Company operations on Drake's Estero, Pt. Reyes National Seashore in California. (Ocean Studies Board)

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: A Symposium
An ad-hoc committee will plan and conduct a symposium and author a workshop report on the importance of biodiversity to human well being in the future. The two-day symposium will be held in early 2009, in conjunction with the Darwin bicentenary anniversary. The symposium will feature invited presentations and discussions that will focus on the intersection of biodiversity and ecosystem services through three issues: climate change and energy, trade and invasive species, and food security. (Board on International Scientific Organizations)

Challenges and Opportunities in Earth Surface Processes
Earth's surface is a dynamic interface where physical, chemical, biological, and human processes cause and are affected by forcings in the Earth System. This impact-feedback loop occurs over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. It binds the Earth's surface to a host of scientific and societal issues. (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Development of an Integrated Science Strategy for Ocean Acidification Monitoring, Research, and Impacts Assessment
Among the many potential direct and indirect impacts of greenhouse gas emissions (particularly CO2) and global warming, this study will examine the anticipated consequences of ocean acidification due to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on fisheries, protected species, coral reefs, and other natural resources in the United States and internationally. The committee will recommend priorities for a national research, monitoring, and assessment plan to advance understanding of the biogeochemistry of carbon dioxide uptake in the ocean and the relationship to atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, and to reduce uncertainties in projections of increasing ocean acidification and the potential effects on living marine resources and ocean ecosystems.  (Ocean Studies Board)

Increasing National Resilience to Hazards and Disasters
An ad hoc committee will conduct a study and prepare a report that integrates the natural, physical, technical, and social sciences knowledge bases to increase resilience to extreme events and hazards in the United States. Specifically, the committee will: Articulate a primary problem statement that frames issues related to national resilience to hazards and disasters in the United States; Draw from the body of scientific and technical knowledge on policies and practices to describe the state of knowledge about resilience to hazards in the United States; Outline additional information or knowledge that is needed to increase resilience to hazards in the United States; and Present conclusions about what is needed to increase national resilience to hazards and disasters in the United States.  (Division on Earth and Life Studies; Policy and Global Affairs)

Missouri River Recovery and Associated Sediment Management Issues 
An ad hoc committee, formed and overseen by the Water Science and Technology Board, will carry out a comprehensive study of sediment in and from the Missouri River basin. Sediments from the Missouri River basin affect ecology and contaminant and nutrient loadings throughout the basin. Issues associated with Missouri River basin sediment influence water management decisions within the greater Mississippi River watershed and extend as far as the Louisiana coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, Missouri River sediment and sediment management has a broad geographic context, with effects that reach from the Missouri River's headwaters in Montana to its mouth north of St. Louis and beyond to the Gulf of Mexico.  (Water Science and Technology Board)

Review of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration (LACPR) Program
This NRC committee will review the evaluations being conducted as part of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration (LACPR) program. These studies are being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in close coordination with the State of Louisiana. Congress has directed the Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, in partnership with the State of Louisiana, to compile a 24-month technical comprehensive hurricane risk reduction analysis and design. The Corps and the State of Louisiana thus are evaluating a wide range of flood control, coastal restoration, and hurricane protection measures in this study. The LACPR study began in early 2006 and an interim report was issued in July 2006. The LACPR team plans to issue a draft report in December 2007 and a final report in Spring 2008. (Board Infrastructure & the Constructed Environment, Ocean Studies Board, Water Science and Technology Board)

Review of the Tsunami Warning and Forecast System and Overview of the Nation's Tsunami Preparedness
The committee will review progress towards tsunami preparedness in response to "Tsunami Risk Reduction for the United States" (National Science and Technology Council, December 2005) and the Tsunami Warning and Education Act (P.L. 109-424, December 2006). The NSTC report, spurred by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, called for a broad range of federal, state, and local efforts to reduce future losses from tsunamis in the United States. P.L. 109-424 authorized improvements to tsunami warning systems, community-based hazard mitigation programs, public education, scientific research, and international coordination. (Ocean Studies Board)

The Importance of Deep-Time Geologic Records for Understanding Climate Change Impacts
The geologic record contains physical, chemical, and biological indicators of a range of past climate states. As recent changes in atmospheric composition cause earth's climate to change, and amid suggestions that future change may cause the earth to transition to a climatic state that is dramatically different to that of the recent past, there is an increasing focus on the geologic record as a repository of critical information for understanding the likely parameters and impacts of future change.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate, Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Institutions and Indicators (back to top)
  
Ecological Risk Assessment Under FIFRA and ESA
A committee of the National Research Council (NRC) will examine scientific and technical issues related to the methods and assumptions used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct scientific assessments of ecological risks from pesticides registered by EPA under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The range of scientific studies needed to make such assessments will be considered, including ecological, agricultural, hydrological, toxicological, and exposure studies.  The committee will develop conclusions reflecting the use of scientific principles and to facilitate a more holistic approach to assessing risks across the agencies, considering the intent of the ESA and of FIFRA. (Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology)

Analysis of Causes of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion, Fire, and Oil Spill to Identify Measures to Prevent Similar Accidents in the Future
At the request of the U.S. Department of the Interior, a National Academy of Engineering/National Research Council (NAE/NRC) committee will be convened to examine the probable causes of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, fire, and oil spill in order to identify measures for preventing similar harm in the future.  The NAE/NRC committee's review will focus on an assessment of technologies and practices involved in the probable causes of the explosion, including the performance of the "blowout preventer" and related technology features, which ultimately led to an uncontrolled release of oil and gas into the Gulf of Mexico; and identify and recommend available technology, industry best practices, best available standards, and other measures in the United States and around the world related to oil and gas deepwater exploratory drilling and well completion to avoid future occurrence of such events. (Studies and Special Programs Division; Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology)

A National Strategy for Advancing Climate Modeling
Climate models are the foundation for understanding and projecting climate and climate-related changes and are thus critical tools for supporting climate-related decision making. This study will develop a strategy for improving the nation's capability to accurately simulate climate and related Earth system changes on decadal to centennial timescales. The committee's report is envisioned as a high level analysis, providing a strategic framework to guide progress in the nation's climate modeling enterprise over the next 10-20 years. (Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate)

Assessment of Intraseasonal to Interannual Climate Prediction and Predictability
This study will review the current state of knowledge about estimates of predictability of the climate system on intraseasonal to interannual timescales, assess in what ways current estimates are deficient, and recommend ways to improve upon the current predictability estimates. The study will also recommend research and model development foci and efforts that will be most beneficial in narrowing the gap between the current skill of predictions and estimated predictability limits. The review of predictability estimates to be addressed will include oceanic and atmospheric variables such as sea surface temperature, sub-surface heat content, surface temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture, as well as indices like Nino 3.4 sea surface temperatures or the phases of the Madden-Julian Oscillation.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate)

A Framework and Guidance for Health Impact Assessment
An NRC/IOM committee will develop a framework, terminology, and guidance for conducting health impact assessment (HIA) of proposed policies, programs, and projects (for example, transportation, land use, housing, agriculture) at federal, state, tribal, and local levels, including the private sector. The committee will assess the value and potential value of such assessments; the impediments and countervailing factors that have limited the practice of HIA to date; the circumstances and criteria for conducting them; the concepts, tools, and information required; and the types, structure, and content of HIAs.  (Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice)

Developing Metrics for Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Research: A Study
An ad hoc committee will conduct a study to develop a framework of metrics to enable the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Directorate of Science and Technology to better plan and evaluate its research activities and efficiency in balancing economic costs versus increased security. Part of the process of creating this framework involves articulating a rationale for supporting basic science in a mission oriented agency, including establishing an appropriate mix of the types of scientific research pursued by the agency, and applying that rationale to the Department, its mission, and its long-term needs.  (Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences; Committee on Law and Justice; Computer Science & Telecommuncations Board)

Human and Environmental Exposure Science in the 21st Century
An NRC committee will develop a long-range vision for exposure science and a strategy with goals and objectives for implementing the vision over the next twenty years. It will include development of a unifying conceptual framework for advancement of exposure science to study and assess human and ecological contact with chemical, biological, and physical stressors in their environments. In developing the vision and strategy, the committee will consider exposure assessment guidelines and practices used by EPA and other federal agencies, the use and development of advanced knowledge and analytic tools, and ways of incorporating more complete understanding of exposure into risk assessment, risk management, and other applications for human health and ecological services. (Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology)

Improving Principles and Guidelines for Federal Water Resources Planning
This study will advise the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on proposed revisions to the federal Principles and Guidelines (P&G). Originally, this project was part of response to a 2007 congressional mandate to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to revise the federal Principles and Guidelines. The P&G document contains the basis for federal water resources project planning. The CEQ will provide the committee proposed revisions to a portion of the P&G.  (Water Science and Technology Board)

Indicators for Understanding Global Climate Change
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), through its National Research Council (NRC), will facilitate the increased involvement of scientists in answering questions related to climate and environmental change, energy, natural disasters, and national security.  The goal is both to advance scientific understanding of global climate and other environmental and disaster-related phenomena, and consider the implications for both fundamental scientific understanding and national security.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate; Division on Earth and Life Studies) 

Offshore Oil and Gas Platform Inspection Program of the Minerals Management Service: A Review
This study will review the US Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) Inspection Program for offshore facilities to assess its effectiveness in protecting human safety and the environment. The study committee appointed to conduct the review will examine changes in the inspection program and process since the 1990 study by the Marine Board; review available trend data on inspections, safety, and environmental damage; examine analogous safety inspection programs in other regulatory agencies and other nations for lessons that could be applied to MMS inspections; and consider the effects of the current inspection program on offshore safety and environmental protection. (Transportation Research Board)

Review of EPA's Title 42 Hiring Authority for Highly Qualified Scientists and Engineers
The National Research Council will convene an expert committee to evaluate the effectiveness of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Title 42 program. On the basis of available information, theory, and experience, the committee will evaluate the effectiveness of the program in meeting its original objectives, as implemented by EPA and relative to its application in other federal scientific agencies. The committee will comment on EPA’s recruitment and retention of highly qualified environmental research scientists and engineers, and it will evaluate in general terms the overall quality and impact of EPA’s Title 42 appointees.  (Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology)

Spatial Data Enabling USGS Strategic Science in the 21st Century
This study will examine progress made in establishing spatial data infrastructures and the challenges faced by those infrastructures, within the context of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The study will examine the role that the USGS can play in continuing to ensure access to high quality geospatial data and support its use in scientific analyses and decision-making through a spatial data infrastructure (SDI) construct.   (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Sustainability Research and Development (back to top)

A New Biology for the 21st Century: Ensuring that the United States Leads the Coming Biology Revolution
An ad hoc committee will examine the current state of biological research in the United States and recommend how best to capitalize on recent technological and scientific advances that have allowed biologists to integrate biological research findings, collect and interpret vastly increased amounts of data, and predict the behavior of complex biological systems.  (Board on Life Sciences)

A Research Strategy for Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials
The National Research Council will develop and will monitor the implementation of an integrated research strategy to address the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanomaterials. This study will create a conceptual framework for environmental, health, and safety-related research; develop a research plan with short- and long-term research priorities; estimate resources necessary to implement this research plan; and subsequently evaluate research progress over a three year period. (Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology; Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology; National Materials Advisory Board)

Assessment of the Department of Energy's Methane Hydrate Research and Development Program: Evaluating Methane Hydrates as a Future Energy Resource
The Energy Policy Act of 2005, Section 968, calls for the Secretary of Energy to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to (1) conduct a study of the progress made under the methane hydrate R&D program, and (2) make recommendations for future methane hydrate R&D needs.  (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources; Ocean Studies Board; Polar Research Board)

Challenges and Opportunities in Earth Surface Processes
Earth's surface is a dynamic interface where physical, chemical, biological, and human processes cause and are affected by forcings in the Earth System. This impact-feedback loop occurs over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. It binds the Earth's surface to a host of scientific and societal issues, and within this context the committee will: 1. Assess the state-of-the-art of the disciplinary field of Earth surface processes and the fundamental research questions in the field; 2. Identify rate-limiting challenges or opportunities for making significant advances in the field; and 3. Identify the necessary intellectual collaborations and high-priority needs to meet these challenges. (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources) 

Competing in the 21st Century: Best Practice in State & Regional Innovation Initiatives - Subcommittee on Electric Drive Battery Research and Development Activities
An ad hoc subcommittee will plan and conduct two public workshops (symposia), and summaries of the events will be prepared capturing the respective presentations and discussions. The symposia will feature invited presentations and discussions to review and analyze the potential contributions of public-private partnerships and identify other relevant issues for the Department of Energy, Office of Vehicle Technologies, Energy Storage Team's activities in the energy storage research and development area, and to draw lessons from these and other domestic and international experiences to help inform DoE as to whether its activities are complete and appropriately focused. Additional topics that emerge in the course of the research and discussions may also be addressed at the symposia as required.  (Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy)

Computing Research for Environmental and Societal Sustainability
Computing has many potential "green" applications including improving energy conservation, enhancing energy management, reducing carbon emissions in many sectors, improving environmental protection (including mitigation and adaptation to climate change), and increasing awareness of environmental challenges and responses. An ad hoc committee would plan and conduct a public workshop to survey sustainability challenges, current research initiatives, results from previously-held topical workshops, and related industry and government development efforts in these areas.  (Computer Science & Telecommuncations Board)

Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability
Cupful by cupful, the people of Bangladesh and other developing countries are being poisoned by their drinking water from tube wells. Tens of millions of Bangladeshis—as much as a quarter of the total population—use tube wells that provide water containing 10 to 50 times the amount of arsenic considered safe. It is unclear how many tube wells there are in Bangladesh, but since 1998, an additional four million have been installed. To help solve this massive public health problem, the National Academy of Engineering with the generous support of The Grainger Foundation, offered Grainger Challenge Prizes of $1,000,000, $200,000, and $100,000 for first, second, and third place for the design and creation of a workable, sustainable, economical, point-of-use water treatment system for arsenic-contaminated groundwater in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and other developing countries.  (National Academy of Engineering)

Grand Challenges for Engineering
In a fourteen-month project, the NAE will convene a select, international committee to evaluate ideas on the greatest challenges and opportunities for engineering. The committee will draw upon many sources of engineering expertise (including the NAE membership and foreign associates, the NAE's international Frontiers of Engineering program, and engineering societies worldwide) as well as ideas from the broader public.  (National Academy of Engineering)

Panel on Materials Science and Engineering
The Panel on Materials Science and Engineering will assess the scientific and technical work performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory. The panel is one of nine panels constituted under auspices of the standing Committee on National Institute of Standards and Technology Technical Programs (CNISTTP) within the Laboratory Assessments Board (LAB).  (Laboratory Assessments Board)

National Earthquake Resilience - Research, Implementation, and Outreach
A National Research Council committee will develop a roadmap for earthquake hazard and risk reduction in the United States. The committee will frame the road map around the goals and objectives for achieving national earthquake resilience in public safety and economic security stated in the current, publically available strategic plan of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) submitted to Congress in 2008. This roadmap will be based on an analysis of what will be required to realize the strategic plan's major technical goals for earthquake resilience within 20 years. (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources; Board Infrastructure & the Constructed Environment; Disasters Roundtable)

New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences at the National Science Foundation
An ad hoc committee will identify new research opportunities in Earth science as they relate to the responsibilities of the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Science (EAR). The committee will identify high-priority new and emerging research opportunities in the Earth sciences over the next decade, including surface and deep Earth processes and interdisciplinary research with fields such as ocean and atmospheric sciences, biology, engineering, computer science, and social and behavioral sciences. (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Progress and Priorities of US Weather Research and Research-to-Operations Activities
This study will explore the status of weather research and the research-to-operations activities at the federal level.  It will discuss whether USWRP priorities remain relevant and how they might evolve to better meet current interagency needs.  The goal is not to critique USWRP documents written more than a decade ago or to provide a formal review of current planning documents, but rather to identify emerging agency priorities and opportunities for interagency collaboration.   (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate)

Review of Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies
The National Research Council Space Studies Board, in cooperation with the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, shall conduct a two-part study to address issues in the detection of potentially hazardous NEOs and approaches to mitigating identified hazards. Both tasks should include an assessment of the costs of various alternatives, using independent cost estimating. Options that blend the use of different facilities (ground- or space-based), or involve international cooperation, may be considered. Each study phase will result in a report to be delivered on the schedule provided in the contract.  (Aeronautics & Space Engineering Board; Space Studies Board)

Research Frontiers in Bioinspired Energy: Molecular-level learning from Natural Systems: A Workshop
An ad hoc committee will explore the molecular-level frontiers of energy processes in nature through the development and implementation of an interactive, multidisciplinary, public workshop. The workshop will feature invited presentations and include discussion of key biological energy capture, storage, and transformation processes, gaps in knowledge and barriers to transitioning the current state of knowledge into applications, and underdeveloped research opportunities that might exist beyond disciplinary boundaries. The agenda for the workshop will be developed to focus on a variety of energy processes such as chemosynthesis, motility, and cellular functions, which serve as inspiring models for future energy systems.  (Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology)

Study on Research Universities
An ad hoc committee will author a consensus report with findings and recommendations that answers the question: "What are the top ten actions that Congress, the federal government, state governments, research universities, and others could take to assure the ability of the American research university to maintain the excellence in research and doctoral education needed to help the United States compete, prosper, and achieve national goals for health, energy, the environment, and security in the global community of the 21st century?"  (Board on Higher Education & Workforce)

The Earth System Context for Hominin Evolution
Earth scientists, paleoanthropologists, and archaeologists who study human evolution have long recognized the likelihood that environmental parameters, particularly paleoclimate, significantly impacted the evolution of our species. Nevertheless, many of the details of the paleoenvironmental context for the more than 7 million years of hominin evolution are poorly constrained, making inferences concerning the nature and extent of such impacts problematic.  (Board on Earth Sciences & Resources)

Transit Research and Development: Federal Role in the National Program
This project will provide an independent review and assessment of the needs of the public transportation industry that could be met through future investment in a national research and technology program. The committee will advise the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as the agency develops a strategic agenda for transit research and will dentify the roles that FTA and industry stakeholders could play in carrying out that agenda.  (Studies and Special Programs Division)

Sustainable Energy (back to top)

Alaska's Oil and Gas Pipeline Infrastructure: Risk Assessment Peer Review
This TRB/NRC committee will provide a peer review of a proposed design for a comprehensive risk assessment of Alaska's oil and gas infrastructure. The risk assessment will include: 1) a one-time engineering-oriented appraisal of the condition of the infrastructure; 2) an identification, quantification, and evaluation of current and future significant risks from a systems-level perspective; and 3) a methodology by which mitigation and management options can be evaluated.  (Transportation Research Board)

America's Energy Future
There is a growing sense of national urgency about the role of energy in long-term U.S. economic vitality, national security, and climate change. The U.S. has the resources to combat this energy challenge; the dilemma is to identify which solutions will be right for our country, and how to address the massive technological and social changes to come. To fill this information gap, the National Academies launched the America’s Energy Future study in 2007. This four-year project will explore energy technologies, providing authoritative estimates and analysis of the current and future supply of and demand for energy; new and existing technologies to meet those demands; their associated impacts; and their projected costs.  (Division on Earth and Life Studies; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; National Academy of Engineering; Transportation Research Board)

Assessment of Fuel Economy Technologies for Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicles
The committee will conduct an assessment of fuel economy technologies for medium and heavy-duty vehicles. According to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Section 108, the study is to develop a report evaluating medium-duty and heavy-duty truck fuel economy standards. Based on the language in Section 108, the NRC committee formed to carry out this study will address the following tasks, all of which will be discussed with the DOT/NHTSA representatives, as well as any relevant Congressional staff, at the committee's first meeting.   (Board on Energy & Environmental Systems; Transportation Research Board)

Assessment of Technologies for Improving Light-Duty Vehicle Fuel Economy
The committee formed to carry out this study will provide updated estimates of the cost and potential efficiency improvements of technologies that might be employed over the next 15 years to increase the fuel economy of various light-duty vehicle classes.   (Board on Energy & Environmental Systems)

Climate, Energy, and National Security
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), through its National Research Council (NRC), will facilitate the increased involvement of scientists in answering questions related to climate and environmental change, energy, natural disasters, and national security. The goal is both to advance scientific understanding of global climate and other environmental and disaster-related phenomena, and consider the implications for both fundamental scientific understanding and national security.  (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate)

Energy Efficiency Standards: Alternative Approaches to Measurement
The National Research Council will appoint a committee to conduct a review of the U.S. Department of Energy's appliance standards program. The committee's task is to evaluate or critique the methodology used for setting energy conservation standards for the purpose of determining whether site (point of use) or source (full fuel cycle) energy efficiency measures best serve the goals of energy conservation standards.  (Board on Energy & Environmental Systems)

Health, Environmental, and Other External Costs and Benefits of Energy Production and Consumption
An NRC committee will define and evaluate key external costs and benefits--health, environmental, security, and infrastructure--associated with the production, distribution, and consumption of energy from various selected sources that are not or may not be fully incorporated into the market price of such energy, or into the Federal tax or fee or other applicable revenue measures related to such production, distribution, or consumption. Although the committee will carry out its task from a U.S. perspective, it will consider broader geographic implications of externalities when warranted and feasible.   (Board on Energy & Environmental Systems; Board on Environmental Studies & Toxicology; Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy)

High-Performance Green Federal Buildings: Strategies and Approaches for Meeting Federal Objectives
The National Research Council will appoint an ad hoc committee of experts to plan and conduct a public workshop and prepare a report that identifies strategies and approaches for achieving a range of objectives associated with high-performance green federal buildings. (DEPS Board Infrastructure & the Constructed Environment; DEPS Computer Science & Telecommuncations Board; DEPS Board on Energy & Environmental Systems)

Offshore Wind Energy Turbine Structural and Operating Safety
This study will provide guidance to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) on the direction and intent of its proposed approach to overseeing the development and safe operation of offshore wind turbines. The focus of the study will be limited to the safety of structural and operational characteristics of offshore wind turbines, including turbine design, fabrication, installation, electrical transmission, decommissioning, and inspection and repair.  (Transportation Research Board)

Potential Energy Savings and Greenhouse Gas Reductions from Transportation
This project, funded by the Transportaton Research Board, will estimate the potential energy savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions that might be realized from transportation. All GHG emissions resulting from transportation will be included. It will review policies and strategies to affect behavior and improve fuel economy for passenger and freight vehicles across all modes. Analyses of alternative fuels will include the full fuel cycle. Scenarios will be developed to illustrate potential savings over a 25-50 year time horizon for the United States. Safety, economic, transportation finance, and environmental trade-offs of energy-saving measures will be included in the analysis.  (Transportation Research Board)

Relationships among Development Patterns, Vehicle Miles Traveled, and Energy Consumption
Consistent with the congressional request in Section 1827 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the study will consider: 1. the correlation, if any, between land-development patterns and increases in vehicle miles traveled (VMT); 2. whether petroleum use in the transportation sector can be reduced through changes in the design of development patterns; and 3. the potential benefits of: a. Information and education programs for state and local officials (including planning officials) on the potential for energy savings through planning, design, development, and infrastructure decisions; b. Incorporation of location efficiency models in transportation infrastructure planning and investments; and c. Transportation policies and strategies to help transportation planners manage the demand for and the number and length of vehicle trips, including trips that increase the viability of other means of travel.  (Board on Energy & Environmental Systems; Transportation Research Board)

Review of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Research and Development Partnership, Phase 3
The National Academies' National Research Council (NRC) will establish a committee to conduct an independent review of the research and development program of the FreedomCAR (Cooperative Automotive Research) and Fuel Partnership, a program undertaken by the U.S. government in collaboration with the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) and five energy companies.   (Board on Energy & Environmental Systems)

Review of U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Study and Implementation of Changes to the Section 4(f) Process
Pursant to the USDOT Act of 1966, the transportation regulatory review process known as "Section 4(f)" protects the taking of land from significant publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife refuges, and historic properties for transportation projects unless a feasible and prudent alternative is not available. In 2005 transportation reauthorization legislation, Congress made two important changes to the Section 4(f) process. First, it simplified and streamlined the approval of certain uses of properties covered under 4(f) that are determined to have "de minimis" impacts. Second, it required the USDOT to issue regulations that clarify the factors and standards to be applied in determining the feasibility and prudence of avoidance alternatives. Implementation of these provisions will require USDOT to make trade-offs that are controversial. As required by Congress, a USDOT study (conducted by a contractor) will evaluate the impact of implementing these provisions.  (Transportation Research Board)

Transportation Research Programs to address Energy and Climate Change
This project will develop research program proposals that would address major questions and technical issues regarding transportation strategies to mitigate energy consumption and GHG emissions, replace or supplement fuel taxes with an alternative user fee system, and adapt to expected climate changes. Given the relatively short time frame available for the project, the research program proposals will be conceptual in nature. Nonetheless, they will have enough detail to provide policy makers with information about the nature of the research programs that are needed, the approximate cost of these programs, and how they could be most effectively organized to deliver implementable results in a timely manner.  (Transportation Research Board)

US-China Cooperation on Electricity from Renewables
The U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with CAS and CAE, will conduct a joint study to assist their countries in developing strategies to meet renewable energy goals, to highlight prospects for technology transfer between countries, and to identify areas ripe for future cooperation. This study is intended to aid the national governments, their relevant agencies/ministries, and private industries in assigning priorities for substantial and meaningful cooperation in developing and utilizing electricity from renewable energy.  (Science & Technology for Sustainability Program; National Academy of Engineering)

Other Activities (back to top)

Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellowship Program
The Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program within the Policy and Global Affairs Division of the National Academies is designed to engage its Fellows in the analytical process that informs U.S. science and technology policy.  Fellows develop basic skills essential to working or participating in science policy at the federal, state, or local levels.  Graduate and professional school students and those who have completed graduate studies (degree awarded) within the last five years may apply.  Areas of study may include any social/behavioral science, medical/health discipline, physical or biological science, any field of engineering, law/business/public administration, or any relevant interdisciplinary fields.  (The Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program)

PNAS Sustainability Science, Special Features
PNAS has launched a new section of the journal dedicated to sustainability science, an emerging field of research dealing with the interactions between natural and social systems, and with how those interactions affect the challenge of sustainability: meeting the needs of present and future generations while substantially reducing poverty and conserving the planet's life support systems. PNAS seeks original research contributions for this new section on both the fundamental character of interactions among humans, their technologies, and the environment, and on the use of such knowledge to advance sustainability goals relevant to water, food, energy, health, habitation, mobility, and ecosystem services.