Committee on National Science and Engineering Policy (SEP)

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Committee Members

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Chair:	Julia Phillips
Vice Chair:	Matt Malkan
Members:	Suresh Babu Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska Melvyn Huff
Executive Secretaries:	May Aydin Steven Deitz
NSBO Staff:	Amanda Vernon Alexandra Surcel Mike Stewart Andrew Zeidell

 

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Charge (NSB-2017-12)

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The Committee on National S&E Policy (SEP) is established to:

1. Oversee development and production of the congressionally-mandated Science and Engineering Indicators (Indicators) report in collaboration with NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES);
2. Help ensure that the S&E information and policy resources developed by the NSB are high-quality, policy-relevant, and accessible in order to meet stakeholder needs; and
3. Help fulfill the NSB’s obligation to provide ongoing information and policy advice to Congress and the President on science and engineering (S&E) research, education, and workforce issues.

In fulfilling this charge, the Committee will help address the Board’s responsibilities to:

• Deliver to Congress and the President “a report on indicators of the state of science and engineering in the United States” on or before January 15 of even-numbered years (currently in the form of Science and Engineering Indicators);
• Recommend and encourage the pursuit of national policies for the promotion of research and education in S&E; and
• Render reports on S&E research, education, and workforce policy issues either requested by Congress or the Administration or as the Board determines the utility of such reports. NSB-initiated reports must fall within the authority of NSF.

The Committee on National S&E Policy is expected to:

• Ensure a clear separation between the objective, policy-neutral Indicators report and the Committee and NSB’s policy activities;
• In collaboration with the Committee on External Engagement, develop plans for engagement with stakeholders, establish criteria to determine the reach and impact of its activities, disseminate the outputs of its activities (e.g., reports, briefs), and evaluate the success of each activity using these criteria;
• In collaboration with NCSES continue to take advantage of digital production and dissemination technologies to improve access to and usefulness of Science and Engineering Indicators and closely related products in order to create resource efficiencies;
• Bring to the attention of the Board S&E policy implications that the NSB should consider and potentially address, particularly issues informed by Indicators data and of central importance to NSF;
• Identify and monitor S&E trends that could have bearing on NSF strategy and national S&T policy;
• Ensure that NSB’s policy work is informed by the data in Indicators, as applicable;
• Draw on Indicators data to inform NSB discussions on long-range planning of NSF research, education, and workforce programs and initiatives; and
• Coordinate with the Committee on Strategy (and other NSB committees as needed) to connect national S&E policy issues to NSF strategy and policy.

The Committee is expected to report to the Board as needed on the stakeholder reach and impact of its activities.

 

*Members of the National Science Board whose terms have recently expired, temporarily serving as consultants to the Board.