Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science (2022) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 58-74
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From page 58... ...
There are multiple initiatives that NASA, as an agency, has undertaken to collect demographic data on its populations: • The Office of the Chief Scientist uses an OMB approved form where grant applicants can identify their gender (three options: male, female, other) and other demographic information.
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From page 59... ...
Another complication is the level of support NASA provides to each PI. How the demographic data captures and reports on PIs whose NASA grants comprise a smaller percentage of their funding compared with those for PIs whose NASA grants comprise most or all their funding, or how PIs with multiple grants are counted could be critical.
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From page 60... ...
DATA ANALYSIS As described in several previous decadal surveys and in previous chapters of this report, a healthy and vital research community for SMD benefits from a balance of the science being done at NASA centers and the broader academic and external community. This diversity of thought, career stage, and perspective has resulted, to date, in an innovative, creative, and relevant body of space and Earth sciences.
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From page 61... ...
Recommendation: NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) should collect relevant culture and demographic data to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the longitudinal health and vitality of the relevant space and Earth science communities.
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From page 62... ...
NASA could also require institutions that receive a specified level of grant funding to conduct their own culture surveys and provide the findings to NASA. If the agency does so, it will be important to be clear what the agency wants to see from such surveys and why it is interested in the data.
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From page 63... ...
Using Human Resources or other similar organizations to compile the demographic information, the PI would provide data on the information on members of their team. There would still be the complications of de-duping for people working on more than one grant and accounting for the level of support NASA provides to each.
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From page 64... ...
Some possible lists to include are the following: • Divisions of the American Astronomical Society, including the following: -- Division on Dynamical Astronomy -- Division for Planetary Sciences -- Solar Physics Division -- High Energy Astrophysics Division • American Society for Gravitational and Space Research • American Meteorological Society • Geological Society of America -- Earth Science Information Partners • Sections of the American Geophysical Union -- Section on Atmospheric and Space Electricity -- Section on Earth and Planetary Surface Process -- Section on Earth and Space Science Informatics -- Section on Planetary Sciences -- Section on Atmospheric Sciences -- Section on Cryosphere Sciences -- Section on Global Environmental Change -- Section on Hydrology -- Section on Ocean Sciences -- Section on Space Physics and Aeronomy • The Meteoritical Society Members of the NASA workforce may have additional societies to consider. Simply examining the number of people in only one society, section, or division and examining the distribution of people in mul tiple societies, sections, or divisions could provide insight into the magnitude of different disciplines within a community without conducting a survey.
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From page 65... ...
This totality of the NASA research workforce spans from NASA-employed civil servants to direct contractors to independent grant recipients. This network of people works within an ecosystem of different organizations, each contributing to the stated science missions.
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From page 66... ...
should collaborate on multiple fronts: • SMD should collaborate with the Space Technology Mission Directorate, Office of the Chief Scientist, Office of STEM Engagement, Office of Chief Human Capital Management, and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Opportunity should work together to expand the questions on the Office of the Chief Scientist demographic survey and seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget for employment of their resultant proposed survey. • SMD should work with the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Office of Personnel Management, NASA Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, NASA Office of Diversity and Inclusion, NASA Office of General Counsel, and other relevant government organizations, to identify and eliminate barriers to the collection of more relevant data.
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From page 67... ...
IMPLEMENTABLE MEASURES FOR ASSESSING THE HEALTH AND VITALITY 67 SUMMARY OF METRICS AND INDICATORS Table 6-1 summarizes key metrics and indicators relevant to each of the six tenets. The table includes both data captured within NASA and SMD systems and data available through collaboration with organizations beyond NASA and possible actions.
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From page 68... ...
population population • Consider many facets of an individual • Compile main list of members of the • Examine the data with guidance from community beyond NASA to collect social scientists demographic information for comparison • Consider many facets of an individual • Examine the data with guidance from social scientists Outreach, acceptance, and • Implement the Science Workforce • Outreach to historically under-served development Plan communities • Examine results from culture surveys • Develop Bridge programs and assess (perhaps the Federal Employee success Viewpoint Survey) to identify • Work with professional societies to reach weaknesses people from minoritized groups • Prepare and assess professional development plans • Examine access to opportunities and resources across SMD • Compile data from outreach programs Establishing supportive funding • Ensure internal review panels are • Use doubly anonymous review panels diverse, including all facets of an • Work with academic institutions to individual leverage funds with institutional match • Use doubly anonymous review panels within NASA • Develop fiscal dashboard Resilience to emerging challenges • Use results from culture data to ensure • Examine demographics of teams on all voices are heard external proposals to ensure that all voices • Examine decision-making points and are included participants for inclusion • Work with professional societies to • Examine meeting agendas to ensure examine the culture at meetings and all voices are heard workshops • Ensure equal access to opportunities • Work with institutions to examine the and resources culture • Make regular use of the Delphi technique to envision future issues and solutionsa • Encourage virtual peer-review panels Community standards of conduct • Examine code of conduct within • Require institutions supported by NASA NASA to ensure clarity in reporting funds to endorse a common code of and consequences conduct that has a clear reporting structure • Use results from culture survey to and consequences examine consonance with code of • Work with professional societies to develop conduct community standards of conduct for • Examine methods of verifying data meetings and workshops a See, for example, C
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From page 69... ...
, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS; primarily the National Institutes of Health 1 NASA, 2022, "Dual Anonymous Peer Review (DAPR) ," NASA Science Mission Directorate, https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/ dual-anonymous-peer-review.
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From page 70... ...
Discussion of practices will proceed by tenet and Table 7-1 captures a summary of these opportunities by topic, summarizing existing initiatives and promising practices that may serve as tutorial methods, guidance, or anecdotal evidence. PROMISING PRACTICES: CLARITY OF SCIENCE FOR EFFICIENT RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SUPPORT Key attributes and indicators include (1)
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From page 71... ...
Successful implementations have been accomplished by a few states, for example, the Washington State Municipal Research and Service Center provide examples of how to support proposal and plan development specifically focused on DEIA.8 Promising practices on demographics and attributes are demonstrated by multiple agencies in the collection, transparency, monitoring, and actionable efforts associated with relevant population demographics. In addition, at the beginning of the Biden administration, the Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, was issued with the intent of setting an expectation "to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the nation." As the order notes, "a first step 4 The White House, 2021, Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equityand-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government.
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From page 72... ...
These data provide insight into entries for career paths. In addition, the SRC has data on people who are in minoritized groups in physics and astronomy.
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From page 73... ...
OPM has conducted surveys of Senior Executive Service employees.14 These might provide guidance for exit interviews. PROMISING PRACTICES: SUSTAINING A DIVERSE SCIENCE ENTERPRISE THROUGH OUTREACH, ACCEPTANCE, AND DEVELOPMENT Key attributes and indicators include (1)
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From page 74... ...
component of the Space Technology Research Grants Program awards grants to accredited U.S. universities on behalf of outstanding faculty researchers early in their careers.
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