Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science (2022) / Chapter Skim
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4 Ensuring a Healthy People Enterprise
4 Ensuring a Healthy People Enterprise
Pages 23-37
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, Planetary Science Institute (PSI) , Universities Space Research Association (USRA)
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For example, career-stage structure is not something that the agency has much ability to affect, considering that most members of the space, Earth and biological and physical sciences research communities primarily work for non-NASA institutions such as universities which have a direct impact on the careers of their employees via their hiring and retirement policies, among others. SMD received internal informal feedback that the civil servant science workforce was unclear about career paths, leadership development, and roles and responsibilities.
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Finding: The Agency Science Workforce Study provides an excellent resource for career planning within NASA. Recommendation: NASA's Science Mission Directorate should implement the recommendations from the agency Science Workforce Study.
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Sample surveys of the key constituent populations beyond scientists should also be considered as part of assessing the health of the overall community. ACTIONS: ENCOURAGING REPRESENTATION This study recognizes that while diversity can be a driver of innovation, the science enterprise can be at its most innovative only when it finds the means to maximize and fully utilize the broadest range of human talent (Hewlett et al.
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. • Numerous studies have shown that effective mentorship for students from underrepresented groups enhances recruitment into and retention in research-related career pathways (NASEM 2019b)
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To this end and motivated by a successful study conducted for the Hubble Space Telescope, SMD is evaluating proposals submitted to numerous ROSES program elements approaches using dual anonymous peer review (DAPR)
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. The goal of the study is to recommend actions to increase DEIA in the leadership of space mission proposals submitted to SMD competed space mission programs by mapping the current space mission proposal system, identifying barriers or bottlenecks, using proposer data to identify gaps, and recommending practical actions.
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The way the current system is set up, it can be hard to "succeed" in a truly interdisciplinary way. Even the space science decadal surveys are largely set by discipline, although Earth science has sought to be more interdisciplinary.
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Recommendation: NASA's Science Mission Directorate should continue support of interdisciplinary efforts and collaborative science by incentivizing implementation of programs similar to the SmallSats/ CubeSats programs. DIVERSITY OUTREACH Achieving uniform recognition and acceptance of equity and inclusion can be achieved through enterprisewide investments in effective pre-degree and post-degree professional development.
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10 American Astronomical Society, 2019, "Performance Metrics for NASA's SMD EPO Programs," https://aas.org/advocacy/how-aasadvocates/performance-metrics-for-nasas-smd-epo-programs; NASA, "Welcome," NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation, smdepo.org. 11 Recommendation 5 in NASEM (2020b)
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This has always been the case but, given the likely rapid expansion in Earth observing and space studies, the needs that can be anticipated from decadal surveys and congressional directives should inform current hiring and be communicated to colleges and universities who are educating the workforce of tomorrow. The larger question of improving the inflow of students and postdocs, among the best and the brightest of young people, including those from abroad, so that it is well matched to the opportunities within and beyond NASA is of central importance but beyond the purview of this committee.
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That very diversity is one of NASA's greatest strengths. To sustain and ensure its long-term performance in a changing world, SMD will need to remain cognizant and initiative-taking in striving toward the human, organizational, and cultural dynamics that make for a healthy and vital research science enterprise.
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Many of these challenges were met with the engagement and guidance of social scientists. SMD plays a significant role in driving the future health and vitality of the broader space and Earth sciences community beyond its researchers.
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, and white papers submitted to planetary science decadal survey 2023-203213) • SMD key data to include demographics, funding, proposal success rates, employment type, university programs, K-12 programs (Astro2010, Astro2020, Earth sciences [NRC 2007b]
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• SMD to implement a code of conduct: Reassessing discrimination and harassment and inclusive professional practices, including issues concerning quality of life that impact work -- for example, access, childrearing, service work, awareness of bias, workplace culture, etc. (Astro2020, and white papers submitted to planetary science decadal survey 2023, Diniega [2021]
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