Fieldwork Resources for Planetary Science Division Proposers
Effective with the release of ROSES-24, proposers conducting field research must include a description of how the research plan addresses the following elements (A-E). This description must be placed in a maximum of 2 additional pages (with the exception of any letters obtained to address the elements), in the proposal PDF immediately following the open science and data management plan (OSDMP), which is placed after the references and citations for the science and technical management (S/T/M) section of the proposal. If the proposal is being submitted to a dual anonymous peer review (DAPR) program, this information is to be placed only in the separate "Expertise and Resources Not Anonymized" document, not to exceed 2 pages in length (with the exception of any letters obtained to address the elements). The fieldwork plan must address elements A-E below. Indicators of successful alignment with each element is also included to aid in preparation of fieldwork plans. All fieldwork plans for ROSES-24 and ROSES-25 will be reviewed and feedback provided to proposers via the “Comments to Proposer” section of the proposal evaluation.
A. Environmental Protection of the Site
Indicators of Successful Alignment with this Criterion:
- The proposal indicates that the site is well understood by the research team.
- The proposal describes the potential or probable environmental impacts of the proposed research.
- The proposal discusses the measures to be taken to mitigate those impacts, and evidences the likelihood of success of the measures of mitigation.
- The proposal cites relevant documentation such as any Environmental Impact Reports on file for the site or other applicable federal, state, or local laws or statutes.
B. Access and Permitting
Indicators of Successful Alignment with this Criterion:
- The proposal indicates that the permitting process is well understood by the research team.
- The proposal clearly outlines the steps to be taken to obtain permits or includes permits that have already been obtained to conduct the proposed research.
- The proposal details efforts to be taken to ensure permit guidelines are followed by all members of the research team.
- If permits have not already been obtained and provided in the proposal, the proposal provides a clear communication plan for how this information will be provided to NASA prior to the start of fieldwork.
C. Safety of the Field Party
Indicators of Successful Alignment with this Criterion:
- The proposal details specific policies, codes of conduct, and/or ground rules (policy) to ensure both the psychological and physical safety of the field party.
- The proposal outlines steps to be taken to ensure all members of the research party are aware of, agree to abide by the policy, and understand consequences if they do not.
- The proposal details activities to monitor behavior and enforce the policy as needed.
D. Relationships and Collaborations with Tribes and Indigenous Communities
Indicators of Successful Alignment with this Criterion:
- The proposal demonstrates free, prior, and informed consent from the Tribe or Community via a letter of acknowledgement from the relevant community organizations and/or tribal leadership. The proposal describes an existing relationship with the Tribes and/or Indigenous Communities on whose lands, waters, and/or skies the research will take place, or details a plan to develop such a relationship.
- The proposal describes existing or planned collaborative efforts with the Tribe or Indigenous Community that engages them in the research activities in a meaningful way (versus as porters, drivers, security personnel, etc.).
- In the Budget/Budget Justification section, the proposal names (i.e., Collaborator, Co-I, etc.) and budgets for the participation of members of the Tribes and/or Indigenous Communities appropriately.
- If the proposal does not identify any Tribes or Indigenous communities, a description of the process to obtain that information revealing that there are not any such groups is included.
E. Cultural and Historical Heritage
Indicators of Successful Alignment with this Criterion:
- The proposal acknowledges that there are other groups with a relationship to the site, or describes the process to obtain that information revealing that there are not any such groups.
- The proposal describes activities to engage members of those groups toward an understanding of the impact of the research.
- The proposal indicates that members of groups with a relationship to the site are aware of and condone the research plan, as indicated by a letter of commitment or acknowledgement and/or as named members of the proposal team (Collaborator, Co-I, etc.).
- The proposal references the National Historical Preservation Act (NHPA) as appropriate.
Resources for proposers when developing their description of how the research plan addresses element A-E are below. Proposers are also encouraged to reach out to the appropriate program officer for the program they plan to propose to should they need additional support. Proposers should refer to Section 3.14 in C.1 Planetary Science Research Program Overview ROSES-2024 for a complete description of the requirement.
Ethics and Research Integrity/Environmental Protection of the Site:
- Ethical Considerations for Responsible Geological Fieldwork and Sampling, from the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG)
- Co-Creating Ethical Practices and Approaches for Fieldwork, in AGU Advances
- National Environmental Policy Act, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- U.S. Antarctic Environmental Stewardship, from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic, from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Guidelines for Promoting Scientific and Research Integrity, from NASA’s Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS)
Safety of the Field Party/Equity and Inclusion:
- Goddard Instrument Field Team (GIFT), of NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center’s Solar System Exploration Division (templates for Field Code of Conduct, Field Bill of Rights, Field Safety Plans)
- Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research Plans, from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (OS)
- Executive Order on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government, from the U.S. White House
- Inclusion Plan Resources and Links (Formulating an Inclusion Plan, Inclusive Language Guide, etc.), from NASA ROSES/NSPIRES. Although this document was created for F.10 Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM), there are numerous resources provided that proposers conducting fieldwork may find useful as well.
- Inclusion Plan Resources, from NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD)
Relationships and Collaborations with Tribes and Indigenous Communities:
- Relationships First and Always: A Guide to Collaborations with Indigenous Communities, in the Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society
- Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge, from the Executive Office of the President of the United States – Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and a webinar from January, 2023 presenting this Guidance
- Native Land Digital, a Map of Indigenous Territories, Treaties, and Languages
- Tribal Leaders Directory (for U.S. Federally Recognized Tribes), from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
- Tribal Liaison Officers and Points of Contact, from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
- Tribal Climate Resilience Liaison Network, a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
- Directory of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers
- The Ethical Space of Engagement, in Indigenous Law Journal
- A Global Assessment of Indigenous Community Engagement in Climate Research, in Environmental Research Letters
- Indigenous Knowledge in Conservation Science and the Process of a Two-Way Research Collaboration, in Conservation Science and Practice
- ‘Ike Hawai‘i – A Training Program for Working with Native Hawaiians, from the Journal of Indigenous Voices in Social Work
- Kūlana Noi'i, from Kūlana Noi'i Working Group, University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program
- Vision Mätauranga: Unlocking the Innovation Potential of Mäori Knowledge, Resources and People, from the New Zealand Ministry of Research, Science, and Technology
- National Inuit Strategy on Research, from the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the National Representational Organization Protecting and Advancing the Rights and Interests of Inuit in Canada
- Research Training and Resources, from the University of Arizona’s Native American Advancement, Initiatives, and Research (NAAIR)
- Training Webinars – Native American Affairs, from the U.S. Department of Defense Platform for Installations, Energy, Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health Information (DENIX)
- Care Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, from the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA)
Fieldwork questions should be directed to the PSD Fieldwork Team (HQ-PSDFieldwork@mail.nasa.gov).
