APD Responses to Decadal
The following table provides a snapshot of Astrophysics Division accomplishments and plans in response to the 2020 decadal survey “Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s”. We employ the shorthand notation used in the report’s tables S-1 through S-6 for the recommendation name. The column titled APD Response briefly indicates the current plan or strategy for that recommendation. The final two columns list where documentation for the APD action can be found and when the next update on that recommendation will be reported if appropriate.
| Brief Recommendation Description (from report Tables S-1 through S-6) | APD Response | Latest Action Date/Community Update Links | Next Planned Action Date/Community Update |
| Faculty diversity and early career faculty awards | APD may seek new initiatives through the FY24 budget process | Release of President’s FY24 Budget Request for NASA (Feb 2023); Community update at APAC meeting (Mar 2023) | |
| Workforce development/diversity, bridge programs and minority serving institutions partnerships | APD will participate in the SMD bridge program | Call for SMD Bridge Seed Funding 4/24/2023 | Anticipated award start date 10/2023 |
| Undergraduate and graduate "traineeship" funding | APD may seek new initiatives through the FY24 budget process | Release of President’s FY24 Budget Request for NASA (Feb 2023); Community update at APAC meeting (Mar 2023) | |
| Independent postdoc fellowship | NASA supports postdoctoral researchers through its Hubble Fellowships and the NASA Postoctoral Program | See the Hubble Fellowship Report | Release of President’s FY24 Budget Request for NASA (Feb 2023); Community update at APAC meeting (Mar 2023) |
| Treat discrimination and harassment as professional misconduct | The NASA Office of the Chief Scientist is developing an agency-wide policy on this topic | NASA reviewing revised document with OSTP | Expected update from review in Q2 2023 |
| Collecting, evaluating and reporting demographic data and indicators pertaining to equitable outcomes | Regular reports for R&A program demographics are presented at Astrophysics Advisory Council (APAC) meetings as well as Winter and Summer AAS meetings | See charts presented at 3/29-30/2023 APAC meeting | NASA Town Hall, Summer AAS meeting |
| Include diversity in evaluation of funding awards | Inclusion plans are being piloted in several APD ROSES 2023 elements | Inclusion Plan Best Practices Workshop (Nov 2022) | Inclusion Plan Resources, and ROSES 2023 Release (2/14/2023) |
| Establish community astronomy model for observatory sites | IRTF participating through Maunakea Observatories, Cultural Heritage of Maunakea | ||
| Mitigation of radio-frequency and optical interference from sources including satellite constellations | The NASA Science Mission Directorate monitors and mitigates risks for the agency associated with satellite constellation interactions with NASA science missions. This ongoing effort includes monitoring the increased danger from satellite conjunctions, satellites in the field of view for celestial observations, and interference from satellites that fly under active-sensing Earth-observing missions (e.g., laser and lidar). | ||
| Climate change mitigations actions | All proposal reviews are conducted remotely, reducing travel requirements for thousands of reviewers annually | ||
| Compile and regularly report on proposal submissions and success rates | R&A submission and success rates reported regularly at APAC and AAS meetings | See charts presented at 3/29-30/2023 APAC meeting | NASA Town Hall, Summer AAS meeting |
| Augmentation and restoration of annual proposal call for ATP | Plans reflected in budget requests | Release of President’s FY24 Budget Request for NASA (Feb 2023); Community update at APAC meeting (Mar 2023) | |
| Improve coordination among U.S. data centers supported by NSF and NASA | NASA and NSF are working together on this recommendation | “The Future of Astrophysical Data Infrastructure” workshop was held Feb 13-16. A ‘Roadmap’ report will be available by April. | A smaller group will meet during AAS 242 to work on Roadmap findings. |
| Augmentation and improved coordination of laboratory astrophysics funding | Joint Laboratory Astrophysics study with NSF | Charts presented at September 26-27, 2022 AAAC meeting | Next AAAC meeting |
| End SOFIA operations by 2023 | SOFIA operations ended | NASA's Press Release 9/30/2022 | Action complete |
| Augmentation to NASA R&A program | Plans reflected in budget requests | Release of President’s FY24 Budget Request for NASA (Feb 2023); Community update at APAC meeting (Mar 2023) | |
| Continue SAT program and expand eligibility to Explorer and Probe mission development | SAT program will continue but will not cover Explorer programs by design. Explorer mission technology development is funded through the APRA program. | Action complete | |
| Review balloon program for optimal balance | Balloon Program review process begun. Final report due 12/2023 | See charts presented at 3/29-30/2023 APAC meeting | |
| Great Observatory Mission and Technology Maturation program | GOMaP discussions underway within NASA, Precursor Science workshops held April, October 2022 | See charts presented at 3/29-30/2023 APAC meeting | |
| Near-IR/Opt/UV telescope with high-contrast imaging capability | (part of GOMaP program) | ||
| TDAMM | APD formulating plans for how its current and future programs will enhance the community's capability to perform time domain and multi-messenger astrophysics | See charts presented at 3/29-30/2023 APAC meeting | NASA Town Hall, Summer AAS meeting |
| Probe Missions Program | Draft Probe Announcement of Opportunity issued | 8/16/2022 Draft Call for Proposals | Probe Call, July 2023 |
