Standing Committees The standing committees provide strategic direction and oversee activities of ad hoc study committees, interact with sponsors, and serve as a communications medium between the government and the scientific community. The SSB is also the U.S. National Committee to the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), a member committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU). COSPAR was established in 1958 by the International Council for Science (ICSU) to "provide the world scientific community with the means whereby it may exploit the possibilities of satellites and space probes of all kinds for scientific purposes, and exchange the resulting data on a cooperative basis." COSPAR's main purpose is to hold a scientific assembly every other year at which scientists in space-related disciplines from around the world present their research. The SSB, under the aegis of the National Academy of Sciences, serves as the U.S. National Committee to COSPAR and manages COSPAR activities for the United States. The U.S. representative votes on behalf of SSB interests on the Council, COSPAR's highest body, and is an elected member of the Bureau, the managing body. Dr. Edward C. Stone, the David Morrisroe Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology and former member of the SSB, is the U.S. Representative and Vice President. David Smith, SSB senior program officer, is the U.S. Executive Secretary. Carmela Chamberlain is the Program Associate.
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