Appointment to NSF AC-GEO

I'm honored to report that I've been appointed to a 3-year term on the Advisory Committee for the Geoscience Directorate of the National Science Foundation, beginning immediately.

The Geoscience Directorate (GEO) includes the Earth Science (EAR), Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS), and Ocean Sciences (OCE) divisions. The Fiscal Year 2011 budget request for GEO is $955 million.

As the principal source of federal funding for university-based fundamental research in the geosciences, the Directorate for Geosciences addresses the Nation’s need to understand, predict, and respond to environmental events and changes. GEO-supported research also advances our ability to predict natural phenomena of economic and human significance, such as climate changes, hurricanes, and earthquakes.

The charge of the NSF Advisory Committee on Geosciences is to
· Provide advice, recommendations and oversight concerning support for the NSF's geosciences research and education portfolio.
· Be a base of contact with the scientific community to inform NSF of the impact of its research support and NSF-wide policies on the scientific community.
· Serve as a forum for consideration of geosciences initiatives and research thrusts.
· Provide broad input into long-range plans and partnership opportunities.
· Perform oversight of program management, overall program balance, and other aspects of program performance for geoscience activities.