The NOAA Research Council provides corporate oversight and develops policy to ensure that NOAA research activities are of the highest scientific quality, meet long-range societal needs, take advantage of emerging scientific and technological opportunities, shape a forward-looking research agenda, and are accomplished in an efficient and cost effective manner.
The Mission of the NOAA Research Council is to ensure that all NOAA services are based on sound science and that all NOAA research programs and long term plans are consistent with the NOAA Mission, NOAA Strategic Plan and recommendations contained in National Research Council and NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB) research reviews..
Membership
Chair: NOAA Research (OAR) Assistant
Administrator
Executive Secretariat: NOAA Research (OAR)
The Chair shall appoint a Vice Chair who must be a Principal Member of
the Research Council and come from a different Line Office than the Chair.
The Assistant Administrators or Directors of each of the NOAA line offices
shall appoint a member to the NOAA Research Council who is most capable
of representing the research interests of their office.
Principals:
NOAA Research (OAR) representative
NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) representative
NOAA Oceans and Coasts (NOS) representative
NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) representative
NOAA Satellites and Information (NESDIS) representative
Program, Policy and Implementation (PPI) representative
NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations (NMAO) representative
A representative appointed by the NOAA Chief Financial Office and Liaisons
to the Research Council appointed by other NOAA Councils and other appropriate
bodies will be considered Advisors to the Research Council.
Committees
The Research Council may form committees to achieve specific tasks. Such
committees may include persons who are not members of the Research Council
but the Research Council will seek to include a Council member on all
committees. Committees will use the same decision making process followed
by the Council. The Research Council may terminate committees at will.
- Nurture science in NOAA and the NOAA Strategic Plan to assure that scientific needs are given appropriate priority;
- Provide oversight, review and approval of a NOAA research
plan to help ensure integration across Strategic Goals;
Formulate and recommend science policy and provides guidance on scientific and technological issues; - Oversee a continual process of independent peer evaluation to determine the quality and relevance of science and technology programs, products, services, and professional staff, and recommends where and how improvements should be made;
- Monitors performance measures for research to advance science quality and safeguard scientific integrity;
- Ensure NOAA's research investment follows best practices and is applied consistently across NOAA following OMB criteria;
- Establish criteria and develop processes for reviews of all research and development programs using NOAA SAB and other appropriate mechanisms;
- Work with the NOAA SAB to support science and research activities of NOAA;
- Review the NOAA SAB charter and recommends changes;
- Ensure research is directed to operations and operations are receptive to research and/or that research is directed to constituents and societal needs. Ensure appropriate mechanisms are in place to facilitate transfer of information and transition of research to operational use.
Meeting frequency: Biweekly or at call of the Chair.
Decision Making Process
The Council, with the support of
Council staff and line and program offices, will collect and analyze information
to support its recommendations and its oversight responsibilities.
a. Decisions will be accomplished by informed
consensus. The Chair will strive for consensus on every issue. The chair
maintains 51% of the vote so the Chair makes the final decision when
consensus is not achieved.
