SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The NSF management officials having responsibility for the advisory committee listed below have determined that renewing this committee for another two years is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the performance of ( printed page 32124) duties imposed upon the Director, National Science Foundation (NSF), by 42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq. This determination follows consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration.

Committee

Proposal Review Panel for Astronomical Sciences, #1186

Pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew, reestablish, or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory committee, an agency must first consult with the General Services Administration's Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat) and, as part of the consultation, provide a written public interest determination approved by the head of the agency to the Secretariat with a copy to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.35, an agency shall follow the same consultation process and document in writing the same determination of need before creating a subcommittee under a discretionary committee that is not made up entirely of members of a parent advisory committee. Information on the following factors for the committee is provided to the Secretariat to demonstrate that renewing the committee is in the public interest:

1. Annual budget: $352,000.

a. Federal personnel on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis: 6.6 FTE.

b. Other Federal internal costs: $2,000.

c. Proposed payments to members: $246,000.

d. Proposed number of members: 250.

e. Reimbursable costs: $104,000.

2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be recommended during the fiscal year: $93,653,642.

3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the necessary.

The membership of all review panels was selected to include individuals with scientific expertise in astrophysics research, familiarity with the training process for young scientists, and, in the case of the technical reviews, advanced technical expertise in areas of construction, environmental impact, safety, and project management. Members were also selected to have a broad range of experience and viewpoints, including a mixture of junior and senior scientists, a variety of large and small institutions, and a geographical distribution from across the Nation.

4. List of all other Federal advisory committees of the agency:

84684 Advisory Committee for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships

1172 Alan T. Waterman Award Committee

13883 Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee

1173 Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering

34558 Proposal Review Panel for Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities

10751 Proposal Review Panel for Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences

10747 Proposal Review Panel for Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences

10743 Proposal Review Panel for Biological Infrastructure

1189 Proposal Review Panel for Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems

1191 Proposal Review Panel for Chemistry

1194 Proposal Review Panel for Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation

1207 Proposal Review Panel for Computer and Network Systems

1192 Proposal Review Panel for Computing & Communication Foundations

1185 Proposal Review Panel for Cyberinfrastructure

1569 Proposal Review Panel for Earth Sciences

1196 Proposal Review Panel for Electrical, Communications, and Cyber Systems

44011 Proposal Review Panel for Emerging Frontiers in Biological Sciences

173 Proposal Review Panel for Engineering Education and Centers

10744 Proposal Review Panel for Environmental Biology

1756 Proposal Review Panel for Geosciences

57 Proposal Review Panel for Graduate Education

1200 Proposal Review Panel for Information and Intelligent Systems

84685 Proposal Review Panel for Innovation and Technology Ecosystems

2469 Proposal Review Panel for Integrative Activities

10745 Proposal Review Panel for Integrative Organismal Systems

10749 Proposal Review Panel for International Science and Engineering

1203 Proposal Review Panel for Materials Research

1204 Proposal Review Panel for Mathematical Sciences

10746 Proposal Review Panel for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences

10752 Proposal Review Panel for Ocean Sciences

1208 Proposal Review Panel for Physics

1209 Proposal Review Panel for Polar Programs

59 Proposal Review Panel for Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings

10748 Proposal Review Panel for Social and Economic Sciences

1766 Proposal Review Panel for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

84683 Proposal Review Panel for Translational Impacts

1214 Proposal Review Panel for Undergraduate Education

5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government source, or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source.

Proposals submitted to Astrophysical Science programs, as well as those reviewed as part of NSF-wide activities, typically represent complex projects that require a broad range of expertise in astrophysics research and education that no one person can provide. Past committees have been instrumental in identifying cutting edge topics and projects that pursue bold, innovative research that addresses national needs, strengthens U.S. leadership and fosters advances in new areas of fundamental or applied research, and/or makes significant progress towards addressing a national need or grand challenge, particularly in current priority areas including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum engineering. An example of a groundbreaking area identified by the committee is the recommendation to fund two AI Institutes in astronomy, designed to bring together astronomy and AI experts to tackle important challenges in astronomy, as well as the advances in AI that are needed to overcome these challenges.

6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to continue.

Panel deliberations resulted in the review and ranking of proposals in areas of special emphasis in Astronomical Sciences. This advice aided NSF Program Managers in their funding decisions. Continuation of these practices is necessary to maintain high quality scientific research review. Past committees have been instrumental in identifying cutting edge topics and projects that pursue bold, innovative research that addresses national needs, strengthens U.S. leadership and fosters advances in new areas of fundamental ( printed page 32125) or applied research, catalyzes development of new industries or capabilities that increase the leadership position for the country, and/or makes significant progress towards addressing a national need or grand challenge, particularly in current priority areas including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence, bioengineering, quantum engineering, robotics, and nuclear engineering. An example of a groundbreaking area identified by the committee is the development and use of novel AI to advance astronomical science. Based on the committee's advice, the NSF funded two AI Institutes in 2024, which are executing cutting-edge research at the intersection of astronomy and AI and developing the future AI workforce.

7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to the conduct of agency business.

The committees/subcommittees are essential to advancing scientific research and supporting effective business operations. They bring together experts from diverse backgrounds who collectively review proposals and provide funding recommendations based on the best scientific judgment of the research community. Through the panel review process, NSF is able to evaluate proposals' intellectual merit and broader impacts in a fair and transparent manner across a broad range of disciplines. This public interest determination documents that renewing the committee is essential to the conduct of agency business and that the information to be obtained is not already available through another advisory committee or source within the Federal Government.

91 FR 32123