NSF-NAC Jim Ulvestad, Division Director, MPS/AST 09/10/2016 NSF Astronomy and the NSF Commitment to Diversity NAC Meeting September 10, 2016 Jim Ulvestad, Division Director, MPS/AST ALMA

National Science Foundation NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 National Science Foundation NSF is the primary federal agency that funds basic research in the non-medical sciences Created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense.” NSF annual budget is $7.5 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Funding source for 24 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by U.S. colleges and universities. Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST), within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), has a budget of $246.7 million in FY 2016. This is slightly less than 0.01 percent of the U.S. federal budget. AST is the primary federal funding source for ground-based astronomy. DOE funds research that utilizes ground-based astronomical sensors, and often collaborates with NSF (AST and Division of Physics) in astrophysics-related programs. NASA is the primary federal funding source for space-based astronomy (also involving collaborations with DOE). 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF Jim Ulvestad

High-Level Summary Outstanding science opportunities offered/developed NSF-NAC High-Level Summary 09/10/2016 Outstanding science opportunities offered/developed ALMA, EVLA, Dark Energy Camera, GPI Constructing DKIST and LSST ~115 projects/yr in AAG, plus MSIP, ATI, AAPF, REU, PAARE, CAREER Interagency: DES, DESI, NN-EXPLORE (plus LSST, of course) NSF spent ~$100M on AST facility construction in FY 2016 Partnerships with NASA and DOE have strengthened Data-enabled science continues to grow in importance Impact of LIGO detection of gravitational waves Mid-decadal review released in August Unknown prospects for budget increases this decade Next 1.5 yr are critical for divestment activities Management of large facilities is becoming more complex Continued progress at the science frontiers 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF

Hypothetical Budget Runouts for AST NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 Hypothetical Budget Runouts for AST The sand chart shows the 2017-2023 budget distribution under assumptions that (1) no facility reductions occur beyond collaborations already in place, and (2) the Mid-Scale + Individual Investigator Programs grow by 2.5%/yr. Red lines show the upper budget envelope under the assumptions of overall flat budgets or 2.5%/yr increases. 2009 ARRA AST=2.5%/yr AST=0.0%/yr Mid-scale+IIA LSST DKIST Gemini NSO NOAO ALMA EVLA NOAO+NSO GBO+VLBA NRAO AO 1995 2000 2005 2008 2010 2015 2020 2023 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF

NSF INCLUDES Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science Comprehensive initiative to enhance U.S. leadership in science and engineering by seeking and developing STEM talent from all sectors and groups in our society Long-term goal Support innovative models, networks, partnerships, and research that enable the U.S. science and engineering workforce to thrive by ensuring that all groups are represented in percentages comparable to their representation in the U.S. population FY 2016: NSF 16-544, 16-081, $15.5M FY 2017 Budget Request $16M Comprehensive initiative to have IMPACT at SCALE in BP

Three Essential Components of NSF INCLUDES INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilots Proposal deadline has passed INCLUDES Alliances INCLUDES Backbone Organization Alliance-specific Backbone NSF INCLUDES National Network Backbone

NSF INCLUDES Alliances Up to five NSF INCLUDES Alliances will be funded beginning in FY 2017 Alliances will involve the most promising launch pilot activities Design and Development Launch Pilots may be reconfigured by adding new partners, collaborators or networks = new Alliance team Alliances may focus on emerging fields in science and engineering or established fields - key is to advance BP Each Alliance to be funded for 5 years at $2.5M per year We expect that a group of design and development pilots would be positioned to form Alliances as early as FY 2017 The most promising launch pilots activities, will have a clear, ambitious and compelling BP challenge goal, and strong leadership, leading to formation of Alliances. This may require that teams are reconfigured, with new partners leading to an Alliance team.

NSF INCLUDES National Network PILOTS ALLIANCE This is another perspective on backbone orgs and that because of the complexity, we will have a DCL to have the field contribute to the vision for the NSF INCLUDES backbone Mini-backbone to support each Alliance National Backbone to support the Network of Alliances (INCLUDES National Network) INCLUDES National Backbone Org Shared data, knowledge, best practices On-ramp mechanisms Monitor progress at national level Turner, Merchant, Kania & Martin, 2012.

AST Broadening Participation Programs NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 AST Broadening Participation Programs Partnerships in Astronomy and Astrophysics Research and Education (PAARE): $1-2 million/yr Partnerships between Minority-Serving Institutions and research institutions, including academic institutions, private observatories, and AST-supported facilities PAARE has funded programs at SCSU/Clemson, CUNY/AMNH/Columbia, Fisk/Vanderbilt, CP Pomona/CSU/UC/nationwide, CSUF/Syracuse, Tenn State/UCB Scientific Exploration Beneath the Life-Bringing Sun (DKIST cultural mitigation); pipeline for Native Hawaiian STEM students: $2 million/yr Research Experiences for Undergraduates: $2 million/yr Most sites have specific goals for broadening participation Education and Special Programs (one-off proposals). Examples: Akamai Workforce Initiative, and follow-ons Columbia Bridge Program Also, NSF-wide programs include AGEP (Alliances in Graduate Education for the Professoriate) supplements for graduate students from underrepresented groups 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF Jim Ulvestad

General AST Research and Training Programs NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 General AST Research and Training Programs 10-year summary: FY 2004 to FY 2013 % URM Awards % URM Pool % Female Awards % Female Pool Research Grants 3.6 ± 0.6 4.2 ± 0.3 19 ± 2 19 ± 1 CAREER 9.2 ± 3.9 5.4 ± 1.1 39 ± 9 25 ± 3 Postdoc 11.0 ± 3.9 6.9 ± 1.2 42 ± 8 39 ± 3 Total 4.4 ± 0.6 4.5 ± 0.3 22 ± 2 22 ± 1 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF Jim Ulvestad

NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 Backup Slides 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF Jim Ulvestad

Decadal Surveys in Astronomy NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 Decadal Surveys in Astronomy AST relies on National Research Council (part of the National Academies) decadal surveys to set priorities for ground-based astronomy program Such NRC studies have been carried out every 10 years since 1960 and are viewed as a successful model for building consensus in a scientific community Most recent survey, New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (NWNH), was released in 2010 NWNH assumed a 4%/year rise in AST purchasing power over decade NWNH recommended “Senior Review” be carried out to prioritize existing vs. new activities in lower budget scenarios 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF Jim Ulvestad

Historical Funding Breakdown NSF-NAC 09/10/2016 Historical Funding Breakdown Facilities Assumes flat budget, currently planned facility evolution. 09/10/2016 NAC/NSF