The National Science Board met on November 29 and 30 for their winter meeting. The mission of the Board is to support education and research across all fields of science and technology and America’s investment in the future.
In addition to the quarterly update from the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, day one of the meeting included a presentation from Dr. James Moore who leads the STEM Education (EDU) Directorate. Dr. Moore shared the four priorities of STEM EDU:
- Education and Learning Research
- Learning and Learning Environments
- Broadening Participation and Institutional Capacity
- Scholarships/ Fellowships and Professional Workforce Development
He identified four grand challenges in STEM:
- How do we ensure equitable access?
- How do we recruit, prepare, and retain students?
- How do we improve learning outcomes and participation?
- How do we build capacity?
Among the committee updates on day two, NSB members heard from Dr. Steve Willard, chair of the Commission on Merit Review. The charge was to “Assess the efficacy of the current Merit Review policy and associated criteria and processes at supporting NSF’s mission to create new knowledge, fully empower diverse talent to participate in STEM, and benefit society by translating knowledge into solutions.” The Commission is currently at step three of their seven step timeline – consulting with stakeholders to assess current criteria and potential changes. Chair Willard indicated plans to deliver a report with recommendations at the May 2024 NSB meeting.
Much of the two-day meeting was held in closed session with significant time devoted to Sexual Assault and Harassment Response in the U.S. Antarctic Program. The NSB will meet next on February 21 and 22, 2024.
