Equity RFI Public Meeting - SMD Focus - Dr. Michael New Deputy Associate Administrator for Research NASA Science Mission Directorate Mary Sladek
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Equity RFI Public Meeting – SMD Focus Dr. Michael New Mary Sladek Deputy Associate Administrator for Research Program Specialist for Research NASA Science Mission Directorate NASA Science Mission Directorate July 13, 2021
Key Science Themes
PROTECT & IMPROVE SEARCH FOR LIFE DISCOVER SECRETS
LIFE ON EARTH & ELSEWHERE OF THE UNIVERSE
IN SPACE
SMD is committed to developing a scientific community that reflects the diversity of the
nation and to instilling a culture of inclusion across its entire portfolio
2
SCIENCE 2020-2024: A Vision for Scientific Excellence
Compelling science requires innovative management and excellent teams.
33
Science Vision 2020-2024
Excellence Through Inclusive, Diverse Teams
SMD believes its ability to build excellent
teams – where diversity of thought,
backgrounds and perspectives are welcomed
and celebrated - is critical to mission success.
As articulated in the 2020-2024 Science
Vision and in alignment with the NASA Core
Values, SMD seeks to increase the diversity
of thought and backgrounds represented
across the entire SMD portfolio and models
the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity
and accessibility (IDEA) in all policies,
systems, and programs.
SMD’s Scientific Competition Process
RESEARCH NOT NEEDING SPACEFLIGHT RESEARCH NEEDING SPACEFLIGHT
NASA Research Announcements (NRAs) Announcements of Opportunity (AOs)
• Type of Broad Agency Announcement • Another type of Broad Agency
(BAA) Announcement (BAA)
• Used to solicit unique research • Used to solicit science investigations that
programs and/or related activities to require a spaceflight mission; example:
achieve NASA’s desired objectives; Small Explorers
example: ROSES • Results in the award of contracts
• Usually results in award of grants • Deliverables include a spacecraft,
• No deliverables instruments, data, science results published
• Level of effort tasks in journals
5
Connection to Equity
• Remains one of NASA’s most direct mechanisms to impact the scientific
community and represents an opportunity to gauge and advance equity
• Seeks to reflect the diversity of the Nation in the pool of proposers, awardees,
reviewers and leadership of missions
• Aims to increase proposals from smaller institutions through meaningful
relationship building and transparent communication
• Provides flexibility and opportunity to better achieve work-life balance
SMD believes lack of experience and understanding of the NASA proposal processes are
among the significant barriers to participation - the results of the NASA Equity RFI, as well as other
SMD-led efforts will yield important insights about these, and other obstacles underserved
communities and individuals are facing when it comes to participating in these programs.
6
NASEM STUDIES TO MISSION PI
PROVIDE INDEPENDENT WORKSHOPS
INSIGHT
PRE-REVIEWS OF CODES OF CONDUCT
MISSION REVIEW FOR REVIEW PANELS &
PANELS CONFERENCES
NEW SMD BUILDING AN AWARD TERMS AND
EXCELLENT
ENGAGEMENT WORKFORCE CONDITIONS
STRATEGY
HARRASSMENT AND
DUAL-ANONYMOUS DISCRIMINATION
PEER REVIEW REPORTING FOR
GRANTEES
IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING NO DUE DATE RESEARCH
FOR ROSES PANELS SOLICITATION PILOT
NASEM STUDIES TO MISSION PI
PROVIDE INDEPENDENT WORKSHOPS
INSIGHT
CODES OF CONDUCT
PRE-REVIEWS OF
FOR REVIEW PANELS &
MISSION REVIEW
CONFERENCES
PANELS
NEW SMD BUILDING AN AWARD TERMS AND
EXCELLENT
ENGAGEMENT WORKFORCE CONDITIONS
STRATEGY
HARRASSMENT AND
DUAL-ANONYMOUS DISCRIMINATION
PEER REVIEW REPORTING FOR
GRANTEES
IMPLICIT BIAS NO DUE DATE RESEARCH
TRAINING FOR ROSES SOLICITATION PILOT
PANELSSMD Engagement Strategy
• HBCUs, MSIs, and HSIs listening sessions; beginning
Intentionally and thoughtfully engage underserved and sessions in July and additional sessions this Fall
1 underrepresented communities from academia, associations,
and businesses to join us in SMD activities
(sample)
• Howard University
• North Carolina A&T
Be transparent and purposefully inclusive so that the future end • Spelman College
2 state for SMD reflects true inclusion and is representative of
national demographics
• Activities with institutions, associations, agencies,
affinity groups (sample)
• AAU Panel on Agency Efforts to Promote DEI in
Extramural Programs (NASA, NSF, NIH) – April 2021
3
Model and engage stakeholders with diverse and inclusive teams
at all levels
• NESTA Spring Conference – April 2021
• Community College of Allegheny County – June
2021
Demonstrate leadership commitment and accountability through • California State University - Fullerton/ MUREP
4 policy, messaging, and behavior that advances diversity and
inclusion goals and objectives
Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO) PI
Workshop – August 2021
Outcome: Long-term relationships with new, diverse partners leading to a SMD and SMD partners
that are more representative of the diversity of the nation.
9Dual-Anonymous Peer Review
• Beginning in 2020, all Astrophysics Guest Observer
and Guest Investigator (GO/GI) programs were
“The results of SMD’s pilot directed to use Dual-Anonymous Peer Review (DAPR)
• The intent of DAPR is to reduce the implicit or explicit
implementation of dual-anonymous
biases peer review panelists may have, creating a shift
peer review in ROSES-2020 is from the proposing investigator to a discussion of the
scientific merit of a proposal, ensuring the proposal
consistent with improvements, both
review is performed with competence and quality in an
in terms of the overall quality of the equitable and fair manner
review process, as well as in the • In 2020, SMD began applying DAPR to five GO/GI
programs offered in ROSES and piloted its application
demographics of awardees.”
in four other research solicitations
• In 2021, SMD expanded the use of DAPR to a total of
nine GO/GI programs and 11 other programs
10PI Launchpad Workshops
In 2019, NASA SMD organized a PI Launchpad Workshop for researchers and engineers
interested in submitting a NASA space mission proposals. The goal was to broaden the pool of
potential NASA space mission principal investigators (PIs) and make the process more
transparent and accessible.
This year, the PI Launchpad was held virtually and designed to increase diverse participation and
inform the next generation of mission PIs on SMD’s emphasis on inclusion and diversity:
• Occurred over a two-week period in smaller segments of time to encourage broader
participation with captioning provided; presentations and panels were recorded and posted
online
• Engaged more heavily with professional associations and affinity groups to encourage
participation
• Built a stronger social media campaign surrounding the application process
• Increased the amount of time to submit applications
• Requested past participants to help promote the event and encourage those they might know to
apply
11Codes of Conduct and Inclusive Behavior
SMD continues to encourage mission teams and review panels to demonstrate the inclusive
behaviors NASA and SMD expect as part of our collective DNA, articulating and living our values
and accountability on diversity and inclusion
• Starting with ROSES 2021, all peer review panels are required to adopt a standard “Code of
Conduct” for peer reviewers and panel chairs.
• Since 2017, SMD began promoting team diversity for PI-led mission teams through new
language in Announcements of Opportunity (AOs)
• Developing new evaluation factor on the processes used to form and manage mission teams,
including how IDEA will be maintained
• Program Officers will soon begin tracking some demographics associated with the pool of
potential peer reviewers and those individuals who agree to serve on the panel
12Opportunity for Public Input
What challenges, issues, or obstacles
have been encountered with the scientific
competition and award implementation
processes, especially the challenges,
issues, or obstacles that impact
underserved communities?
13Opportunity for Public Input
What opportunities are there for NASA to
leverage its data, expertise, and missions
to better serve and help underserved
communities?
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