Committee reviews NSF geosciences efforts and releases ocean drilling report

Abstract

The state of the geosciences directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is healthy, with a number of accomplishments, although there are also challenges related to funding and other issues, Tim Killeen, assistant director for geosciences at NSF, told the agency's Advisory Committee for Geosciences (AC/GEO) at an 18–19 April meeting. The meeting provided a broad overview of the geosciences directorate, including program priorities, the budget, a report on ocean drilling, and an update on the search to find a replacement for Killeen, whose term as assistant director will conclude on 30 June. At the meeting, NSF director Subra Suresh said that the agency has interviewed candidates for the position based on search committee recommendations. “We hope to close on the search very, very soon,” he said. “Hopefully, it will work out well in time for a smooth transition.” Other searches include finding a replacement for Robert Detrick, former director of the geoscience directorate's Earth sciences division, who recently became assistant administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research office.