| NSF Org: |
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 7, 2018 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 1, 2020 |
| Award Number: | 1827264 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Eric DeWeaver
edeweave@nsf.gov (703)292-8527 AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2018 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2021 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $750,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $750,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2019 = $300,000.00 FY 2020 = $225,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
2101 CONSTITUTION AVE NW WASHINGTON DC US 20418-0007 (202)334-2254 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
500 5th Street NW Washington DC US 20001-2721 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
Climate & Large-Scale Dynamics, Atmospheric Sci Cluster Prgrm |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001920DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002021DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
The Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) provides a locus for National Research Council (NRC) activities on major atmosphere, weather, and climate-related science, engineering, and policy issues. BASC provides guidance to many federal agencies, offers a venue for advancing science and policy related to these topics, oversees development and oversight of ad hoc NRC studies on relevant subjects, and conducts outreach, education, and international engagement activities. The Board provides oversight to the NRC Committee to Advise the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and serves as the US National Committee to the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). It strives overall to help atmospheric science remain vibrant and have a broader impact on society.
This award provides support for the core functions of the Board for a three-year period. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provide additional funds toward BASC's core operations and activities. This base level support is essential for enabling BASC to quickly respond to emerging needs from the sponsor community, draw attention to new issues identified by the scientific community, and engage broadly in the national and international discourse related to atmospheric and climate science. In addition it will enable the Board to hold two "summer study" workshops on topics of emerging interest. The award also supports the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship, a 10-12 week educational and training opportunity for early career scientists. Mirzayan fellows support a range of Board activities, including background research for BASC studies and helping to organize the board meetings.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC or Board) is the focal point within the National Academies for activities related to the atmospheric and climate sciences, engineering, and related services. Through its meetings, study committees, and other activities, BASC strives to advance understanding of atmospheric science, meteorology, and climate and supporting technologies; foster application of this knowledge to benefit the public and decision makers; advise U.S. research programs so they are responsive to scientific opportunities and the needs of the nation; and ensure that government decision making benefits from independent scientific input. Activities include discussion forums; program reviews; assistance in setting priorities and identifying research opportunities; evaluation of relevant technologies; analyses of controversial and nationally important topics; and other tasks as needed. BASC does not conduct research, but works to give research a broader impact on society, both in the United States and internationally.
The Board typically convenes two in-person or virtual meetings a year and an additional larger workshop every other year. Board meetings are designed to provide an open forum to highlight important atmospheric science issues. Agency officials are encouraged to participate, and efforts are made to engage a diverse cross-section of scientists and stakeholders. The recent pivot to virtual events during the past year has greatly increased public participation and allowed for a greater emphasis on inclusivity. During the award period, specific topics addressed at Board meetings and workshops include:
- The Future of Climate Services
- Equity and Justice in the Nation's Weather, Water, and Climate Services
- Wildland Fires: Towards Improved Understanding and Forecasting of Air Quality Impacts
- Earth System Predictability Research and Development
- Federal Updates on Activities Relevant to Weather, Climate, or Atmospheric Chemistry
- Air Quality, Climate Variability, and COVID-19
- Future Use of Airborne Platforms to Advance Earth Science Priorities
- Climate Modeling Status and Future Priorities
- Reflections on the 40th Anniversary of the Charney Report
In addition to the work of the Board itself, BASC has overseen the development and execution of focused activities carried out by ad hoc committees. The Board's role in design and oversight of studies is a key part of its work. The Board designs activities primarily in response to specific federal or state agency requests, and thus the nature of its work varies based on what is requested. In addition, the Board is proactive in identifying issues that merit attention. The following are some examples of these types of activities and the reports are available on the National Academies Press website (http://www.nap.edu/):
- Airborne Platforms to Advance NASA Earth System Science Priorities: Assessing the Future Need for a Large Aircraft (2021)
- Global Change Research Needs and Opportunities for 2022-2031 (2021)
- Reflecting Sunlight: Recommendations for Solar Geoengineering Research and Research Governance (2021)
- Review of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management "Air Quality Modeling in the Gulf of Mexico Region" Study (2019)
- Negative Emissions Technologies and Reliable Sequestration: A Research Agenda (2019)
In addition, the Board has contributed to efforts to improve public understanding of climate change through the Climate Communications Initiative and related activities to which it has contributed. In February 2021 the monthly Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action webinar series was launched to convene high-level cross-cutting, nonpartisan conversations about issues relevant to national policy action on climate change. Recent conversations have centered on the topics of extreme events, climate security, infrastructure, and the cost of carbon. BASC also coordinates the Climate at the National Academies web presence (https://www.nationalacademies.org/climate) and Board activities are often highlighted in the Climate Change at the National Academies newsletter that reaches more than 10,000 people.
The Board is a mechanism to develop scientific consensus, solicit expert opinions on technical questions, and propose priorities to help public policy-makers. The Board's overall mission is not to conduct research, but to focus and integrate information and thus give atmospheric and climate research more visibility and a broader impact on society, both in the United States and internationally. The Board will continue to seek ways to encourage public engagement and educational opportunities that will help advance knowledge of the atmospheric and climate research areas.
The BASC website (https://www.nationalacademies.org/basc/board-on-atmospheric-sciences-and-climate) contains information about the mission and objectives of the Board, as well as information about all BASC activities and links to other resources.
Last Modified: 11/04/2021
Modified by: Amanda Staudt
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