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Attributes of a First-in-Class Environmental Program: A Letter Report
Pages 1-48

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From page 1...
... The report describes attributes identified by the committee of a first-in-class, use-inspired, management-oriented science program (in this case BOEM's Environmental Studies Program) , including its relationship to management activities (BOEM's environmental assessments and agency decision making)
From page 2...
... The guidance contained in this report is offered to BOEM as a starting point for developing more detailed processes for evaluating and improving its program. Sincerely, Craig Johnson, Chair Committee on the Assessment and Advancement of Science in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Environmental Studies Program
From page 3...
... Clearly Identifies studies needed to address Facilitates identification of the Identifies current and emerging science- research most likely to have impact; Science Needs related questions collaboratively and uses frameworks for eliciting input articulates those questions clearly. from users, stakeholders, rights holders, and affected communities to ensure their input is most effective.
From page 4...
... 3. Encourages Encourages and solicits proposals Allows the studies program to Diverse from a broad and diverse range of benefit from performance excellence Investigators qualified investigators and ensures facilitated by participation from proposals are fairly reviewed and a deeply diverse community of evaluated with criteria articulated in investigators.
From page 5...
... 3. Implements Implements a system to move Improves the capability to provide an Innovation an innovation strategy forward, the best scientific information Strategy including resources, skills, time, available to users, external partners, and space dedicated to supporting and other communities.
From page 6...
... The Goal of First-in-Class Status BOEM's Environmental Studies Program (ESP) -- one component of BOEM's broader environmental program -- is guided by the following vision statement (BOEM, 2020a)
From page 7...
... The OEP also participated in the workshop series described below. • Consultation with DOI's Office of Planning and Performance Management (OPPM)
From page 8...
... . The examples from other agencies show that there is no single correct way to conduct an environmental studies program.
From page 9...
... The environmental program is responsible for achieving BOEM's environmental mission by supporting BOEM decision making and compliance under regulatory and statutory requirements (including the National Environmental Policy Act [NEPA] , the Endangered ­Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and others)
From page 10...
... 3. Advancing Environmental Justice: Advance environmental justice groups historically disadvantaged by injustice, inequality, or exclusion, including initiatives advancing employment and economic enterprises.
From page 11...
... 11 The Division of Environmental Sciences oversees the Environmental Studies Program (ESP)
From page 12...
... Some methods currently used by BOEM to measure the effectiveness of its environmental program include surveys and other forms of invited feedback from staff on the studies development plan process; use of the ESP Program Assessment Tool for staff to evaluate whether studies met their objectives, have a use, were on time and in budget, and were peer reviewed; and use of the Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS) for tracking and sharing study outputs.
From page 13...
... Workshop series speakers were asked to describe their organization's program design and evaluation activities in each area. Several workshop presentations highlighted the importance of innovation as part of a use-inspired program throughout the entire program process.
From page 14...
... A scientific studies program that aspires to be recognized as first-in-class will make a commitment to quality and quality improvement that encompass every
From page 15...
... The three features described in the preceding paragraph can be used to evaluate a studies program in relation to its peers and the nature of its potential impact. The Process phase of the conceptual model is an essential precursor to program Outputs.
From page 16...
... Without this and a concomitant ability to articulate and operationalize its unique responsibility in and necessity to fulfilling the national policy agenda, an organization risks both internal disorganization stemming from a lack of clear guidance as to its needed contribution to national purpose, and external undervaluation stemming from questions as to the organization's overall relevance to its responsibilities. Thus, BOEM would determine how to execute the mission of its studies program -- to provide information to assess and manage impacts to human, marine, and coastal environments from OCS energy and mineral development -- in a manner that best contributes to achieving policy objectives related to energy, climate, and conservation set forth at the national level.
From page 17...
... For this process to work effectively, USGS headquarters develops an annual guidance document for a particular mission area to drive the message of key DOI priorities to the science centers and field programs, including an expression of both mission and program goals. This includes potential adjustments to previous focus areas, including areas to increase, reduce, or maintain (from workshop presentation by Mona Khalil, June 22, 2021)
From page 18...
... • What is the role of diverse users, stakeholders, rights holders, and affected communities internal and e­ xternal to the agency in providing input on agency priority policy areas, and thus inputs to the research agenda itself? • What proportion of the research agenda is influenced by policy inputs from these diverse groups?
From page 19...
... The FARS "format is designed to be easy to update to accommodate frequent updates and revisions to align with the rapid pace of scientific advancement as well as evolving priorities and research activities" (workshop presentation by Tina Morrison, June 22, 2021)
From page 20...
... The National Oceanographic Partnership Program facilitates resource leveraging within and beyond the federal government. Collaborators are individuals and groups who work directly with studies programs to identify the studies that are needed (i.e., "co-production")
From page 21...
... Diversity also provides a foundation for the kind of innovation that is characteristic of first-inclass studies programs. Specifically, the type of diversity that drives excellence in organizational performance is not diversity based on characteristics such as age, gender, and race/ethnicity (sometimes called "surface-level," "demographic," "ethnic," or "bio-demographic" diversity)
From page 22...
... It will not consider achieving environmental justice outcomes to be a matter of compliance but one of assessing the impacts of the studies it funds on a wide range of communities and groups. Examples: NOAA's Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan 2020–2024 includes a policy statement that communicates a commitment to fully integrating diversity and inclusion into its business practices and culture (NOAA, 2020a)
From page 23...
... Attributes That Apply to the Process Phase The process phase of the committee's conceptual model encompasses the scientific studies program's procedures to identify questions that warrant a study, translate those questions into requests for proposals (RFPs) , and select those intended for funding or undertaking.
From page 24...
... This is particularly true for science needs associated with emerging issues, where there may be a feeling of concern but not an urgent need.  A first-in-class scientific studies program works with external audiences to ensure that they communicate their science needs in ways that can be translated into clearly articulated, structured questions to facilitate (1) RFP formulation, (2)
From page 25...
... Activities of the CIRNAC provide wellestablished models for inclusion of rights holders and affected communities in all phases of a science program. For example, the Northern Contaminants Program's4 health and environmental research is driven by concerns related to human exposure to contaminants through ingestion of animals that compose tradi­tional diets.
From page 26...
... Process Attribute 2: Appraises and Translates Research Needs -- Critically appraises the needs identified by users and ensures that these needs are translated into requests for proposals. Description: A first-in-class scientific studies program uses subject-matter experts to critically evaluate science needs and questions and uses them to inform a research plan.
From page 27...
... Additionally, the program continuously reviews its list of science questions to determine whether they have been answered or if they are still relevant, informing the next period of research planning (workshop presentation by David Hedgeland and Jürgen Weissenberger, June 24, 2021)
From page 28...
... Marine Mammal Biology Program described the program's approach to fostering a diverse and inclusive community of scientists (workshop presentation by Mike Weise, June 24, 2021)
From page 29...
... Meetings that occur while studies are in progress can also include stakeholders, rights holders, and affected communities and can help develop trust between these groups, policy makers, and researchers. These mechanisms for collaboration can be implemented at the initiation of the studies to identify collaborations early on.
From page 30...
... • What mechanisms exist for annual progress reports and identification of difficulties encountered? Attributes That Apply to the Outputs Phase The outputs phase of the conceptual model covers the products of the studies conducted by a studies program.
From page 31...
... . BOEM uses the ESP Program Assessment Tool to evaluate whether studies met their objectives, had a clear use, were conducted on time and in budget, and were subjected to peer review (workshop presentation by BOEM staff, June 22, 2021)
From page 32...
... Outputs Attribute 2: Encourages Tailored Products -- Encourages or develops an array of outputs and communication strategies for a study tailored to specific uses by broad and various audiences. Description: The products of a studies program can be of use to a wide range of groups.
From page 33...
... This approach may be especially important where industry and other interest groups may have different levels of experience understanding the findings of scientific studies. Sample Evaluation Questions: • How are plans for product development and distribution encouraged or developed prior to the study completion?
From page 34...
... Attributes That Apply to the Impact Phase The Impact phase of the conceptual model encompasses all of the processes a scientific studies program uses to assess the impact or influence of the studies it funds. A first-in-class scientific studies program actively assesses the impact or influence of individual studies, collections of studies, and the studies' program generally on agency assessments, agency decisions, the state of scientific 9 See https://gulfresearchinitiative.org/gomri-synthesis/workshops-events.
From page 35...
... Description: A first-in-class scientific studies program will assess the impact of its outputs on the users, stakeholders, rights holders, and affected communities who requested the studies or whose science needs inspired the studies. Before new information, findings, and ideas can influence decisions, the information has to spread through an organization and other social systems, then it has to be adopted by individuals who then integrate this new information into their work, decisions, or recommendations (Mascia and Mills, 2018; Rogers, 1962)
From page 36...
... NOAA Fisheries' Office of Science and Technology employs national ­metrics and feedback to evaluate impacts of its science on sustainable harvest of managed species, effective management of protected species, and supporting partners in understanding environmental impacts from planned work or ecosystem changes (workshop presentation by Evan Howell, June 22, 2021)
From page 37...
... A studies program that addresses current and emerging science-related questions collaboratively; that relies on systematic reviews, data syntheses, and meta-analyses to identify questions that warrant study; and that articulates science needs as research questions or hypotheses (see Process Attribute 1) will be particularly impactful.
From page 38...
... will be more representative of the impacts of individual articles, authors, or a program on the scientific community. Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients identify the proportion of an author's or program's citation counts that are associated with specific articles; lower Gini coefficients mean that a higher proportion of articles have high citation counts.
From page 39...
... . A scientific studies program whose primary purpose is to inform assessments of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the activities a federal agency authorizes and, through those assessments, inform policy decisions on the development of energy and mineral resources on the OCS, can bridge this gap if it is credible and respected by the public, including stakeholders, rights holders, and affected communities.
From page 40...
... • Does the study program explicitly include a stakeholder outreach element? • How has the studies program considered impacts to minority, low income, and Indigenous or local populations?
From page 41...
... Example: USACE has an explicit goal to "foster innovative technology development and implementation within USACE" (workshop presentation by Todd Bridges, June 22, 2021)
From page 42...
... This will require scientific studies programs that can balance a need to produce information that supports contemporary management decisions with a need to produce information that anticipates and responds to future management questions and decisions. To be responsive to future needs, agencies will have to think strategically and invest in developing new study designs, sampling methodologies, analytical methods, system modeling, and forecasting procedures that improve understanding of changing environments and policy responses.
From page 43...
... These investments include development of low-cost air quality sensor technology, energy system models, and electronic health records, all of which support current concerns related to energy system transitions, wildland fires, and disproportionate impacts in communities with environmental justice concerns (workshop presentation by Bryan Hubbell, June 22, 2021)
From page 44...
... Implementing such a system increases the potential for successful innovation, and as a result improves the capability of the agency to provide the best scientific information available to its users, partners, stakeholders, rights holders, and affected communities. Example: Innovation is a key component of FDA's Office of Regulatory Science and Innovation, an office of the chief scientist that provides strategic leadership to foster excellence and innovation throughout the agency (workshop presentation by Tina Morrison, June 22, 2021)
From page 45...
... External evaluation allows for broader feedback from subject-matter experts and can build on the self-evaluation. Recommendation: BOEM should develop procedures and conduct regular evaluations to assess whether and how well its environmental program meets the attributes of a first-in-class program and to identify areas for improvement.
From page 46...
... Staff participation in evaluation and improvement efforts should be embedded in their annual performance plans and evaluations, and care should be taken to incentivize staff to make positive changes to agency programs. Presentations from the committee's workshop series illustrated that evaluation occurs throughout federal agencies and other science programs under varying approaches.
From page 47...
... Subsequent improvement actions will vary immensely and may result in changes in organizational structures, processes, and priorities. Appendixes A Statement of Task B Committee on the Assessment and Advancement of Science in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Environmental Studies Program C Workshop Series Agenda D Acknowledgments E References


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