GSC17, CAP Liaison and NSERC

As the current chair of NSERC GSC 17 (Space, Astronomy, and Relativity) I have been involved in several discussions and learned some things which I think may be of interest to CASCA members.

1. GSC17 and the LRPP Report

• The GSC endorses the ideas contained in the LRPP Report and recommends an increase in NSERC's budget with a special emphasis on: post-doctoral training, computing resources, and university laboratories.
• The recommendations, while made in the specific context of astronomy, would extend naturally into other areas covered by GSC17 and all areas of NSERC's purview.

This broad relevance of the report was stressed in discussions with Nigel Lloyd held during the same session.

2. CAP/NSERC Liaison Committee

As GSC Chair I am automatically a member of the CAP/NSERC Liaison Committee - a group whose existence I knew next to nothing about until a few months ago. This group consists of the four relevant GSC chairs (space and astronomy, subatomic physics, condensed matter physics, and general physics), four members at large from these communities, CAP president, group chair for the four GSCs, and the Director of Academic Affairs for CAP who acts as chair. (You can learn more about it by going to the WEB site. At our recent meetings on Dec. 5,6 a variety of issues was discussed, including the LRPP report and the upcoming reallocation exercise.

Reallocation

The next NSERC reallocation exercise will begin soon and it will have a slightly different look this time. The process will change for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the perception that the results of the reallocation exercise depended as much on the steering committee membership and quality of report as on the overall quality of the science and scientists in a given discipline. In March there will be a call for nominations to the steering committees from each science community; this list will probably be evaluated by the current GSCs and recommendation made to NSERC. With luck this will increase the chances of breadth of expertise and willingness to do the work. Membership of the steering committees will probably be known by late summer and the work can begin. NSERC will also provide some financial support to each committee and possibly some course relief for one member for one term. So start thinking about who you would want to do this job for you and be ready with some names by the first of March.

I am aware than many of you, along with scientists in other disciplines, do not like the reallocation process and I share many of the same concerns. However, NSERC is committed to it and any change we might try to create would not likely be possible in the few months. But, I encourage you to express your opinions on the reallocation exercise directly to Nigel Lloyd at NSERC.

LRPP Report

The CAP/NSERC Liaison Committee also discussed the LRPP report and responded positively, especially with regard to the computing and PDF recommendations. During the day 2 discussions with NSERC people this support was made clear. Although no specific recommendations were adopted or commitments made, the discussion was somewhat more positive than during the GSC meetings in November. The report will been discussed by NSERC Council in January and CORG (Committee on Research Grants) in May.

Gretchen Harris      <glharris@astro.uwaterloo.ca> Chair of NSERC's GSC 17 CASCA's representative on the NSERC/CAP Liaison Committee.

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