January Events in Astronomical Science Policy
Ashlee Wilkins
Welcome to the monthly event roundup of the AAS Policy Blog, in which we share a list of events that fall under the umbrella of astronomical science — i.e., astrophysics, planetary science, and/or heliophysics — policy. Events might be Congressional hearings, advisory committee meetings, Capitol Hill briefings, networking opportunities, and/or public lectures. Most events occur here in Washington, DC, are open to the public, and/or will be live streamed. Some may require advanced registration for in-person attendance (either for security or capacity reasons), and we try to note that in the listing. If an event is on this calendar, someone from the AAS Public Policy team will likely be in attendance, so come say hello!
Other relevant policy event calendars:
- Space Policy Online Event Calendar, for all things space, including civil, commercial, and defense
- American Institute of Physics FYI This Week, for recaps and events happening in physical sciences policy
Sometimes events are announced on timescales shorter than one month; we will update this post whenever we have something new to add. Please reach out to us ([email protected]) if you have a correction or an event that you think should be included in this roundup.
Beyond the events highlighted below, there are some other notable deadlines/important milestones coming up this month:
- 10 January: Deadline to submit membership nominations to the National Space Council's Users' Advisory Group.
- 11 − 12 January: Two ad hoc committees of the National Academies hold their final (closed) meetings, Impacts of Sexual Harassment in Academia and Toward an Open Science Enterprise. The committees will each release a consensus report at the conclusion of their respective studies.
- 15 January (tentative): Potential first launch date of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy, one of the next-generation super heavy lift rockets for crewed and robotic exploration from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.
- 19 January: Current continuing resolution (CR) funding the federal government's discretionary programs ends. Congress must either come to a final resolution for FY2018 federal spending or pass another CR to prevent a shutdown of the federal government.
- 24 January: Advance Registration deadline for American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting (15−19 February in Austin, TX)
January 2018 Events
National Science Board Committee on Science and Engineering Policy
NSF
2 January (Tuesday)
4:30 pm − 5:30 pm
Teleconference
Meeting details and audio access information
Science Policy Happy Hour
Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Policy (ESEP)
4 January (Thursday)
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Penn Social
1904 14th Street NW
Washington, DC
Details and future ESEP events
Exoplanet Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG)
Astrophysics Division, NASA Science Mission Directorate
7 − 8 January (Sunday − Monday)
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
National Harbor, MD
Agenda, registration, and virtual access information
Physics of the Cosmos Program Analysis Group (PhysPAG)
Astrophysics Division, NASA Science Mission Directorate
8 January (Monday)
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
National Harbor, MD
Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group (COPAG)
Astrophysics Division, NASA Science Mission Directorate
8 − 9 January (Monday − Tuesday)
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
National Harbor, MD
Agenda and virtual access information
AAS Winter Meeting
8 − 12 January (Monday − Friday)
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
National Harbor, MD
At the 231st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, there will be a number of special workshops and events that are policy-related or policy-adjacent. We highlight here the press conferences and AAS Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (CAPP)-hosted events, but we encourage you to check out the full schedule on our website or through the meeting app.
Press Conferences (More Information) All press conferences will be webcast live from the AAS website. Briefings are scheduled as follows:
- Tuesday, 9 January, 10:15 am, 12:45 pm & 2:15 pm
- Wednesday, 10 January, 10:15 am & 2:15 pm
- Thursday, 11 January, 10:15 am & 2:15 pm
Policy Sessions
- When Community, Congressional, and Agency Visions Collide: The Ongoing Evolution of the WFIRST Mission (Panel)
12 January (Friday)
10:00 am − 11:30 am
What is the community's reaction when a decadal priority is modified? How does community buy-in of nasent programs in turn affect Congressional or Administration buy-in? What is the role of the AAS in engaging stakeholders in such circumstances? In this panel discussion, AAS CAPP will facilitate a conversation about how astronomers — individually and collectively — can effectively advocate for community-derived priorities. - The Politics of Science Funding: Is the Fault in Our Stars? (Plenary)
David Goldston (Director, MIT DC Office)
12 January (Friday)
3:40 pm − 4:30 pm
DOE Modernization: Advancing DOE's Mission for National, Economic, and Energy Security of the United States
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
9 January (Tuesday)
10:00 am
Rayburn House Office Building 2123
Washington,
DC
Lunar Science for Landed Missions Workshop
Solar System Virtual Research Institute and Lunar Exploration Analysis Group
Planetary Science Division, NASA Science Mission Directorate
10 − 12 January (Wednesday − Friday)
NASA Ames Research Center
Mountain View, CA
Astrobiology Science Strategy for the Search for Life in the Universe
Space Studies Board, National Academies
16 − 18 January (Tuesday − Thursday)
Irvine, CA
Community White Papers will be accepted for committee input through 8 January. Meeting Details and Agenda
Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG)
Planetary Science Division
NASA Science Mission Directorate
17 − 18 January (Wednesday − Thursday)
NASA Ames
Moffett Field, CA
Agenda and webcast information
Best Practices for a Future Open Code Policy for NASA Space Science
Space Studies Board, National Academies
17 − 19 January (Wednesday − Friday
National Academy of Sciences Building
2101 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC
Community White Papers will be accepted for committee input through 31 January. Meeting Details and Agenda
Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC)
NASA/NSF/DOE
25 − 26 January (Thursday − Friday)
NSF Headquarters
Alexandria, VA
Agenda, in-person attendance, and webcast information
Congressional Hearing: "One Year Later: The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act”
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
30 January (Tuesday)
2:30 pm
253 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC