Notice2026-10688
Proposal Review Panel for Astronomical Sciences; Committee Renewal
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 29, 2026
Effective
June 26, 2026
Issuing agencies
National Science Foundation
Abstract
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is renewing the committee for Proposal Review Panel for Astronomical Sciences.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 103 (Friday, May 29, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 103 (Friday, May 29, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32123-32125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10688]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Proposal Review Panel for Astronomical Sciences; Committee
Renewal
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Committee Management Renewal.
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is renewing the
committee for Proposal Review Panel for Astronomical Sciences.
DATES: NSF approves the continuation of this committee on 4/20/2026.
Effective date for renewal is June 26, 2026. For more information,
please contact Crystal Robinson, NSF, at (703) 292-8687.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Robinson, Committee Management
Officer, NSF, at (703) 292-8687, or by mail to National Science
Foundation, Randolph Building, 401 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NSF management officials having
responsibility for the advisory committee listed below have determined
that renewing this committee for another two years is necessary and in
the public interest in connection with the performance of
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duties imposed upon the Director, National Science Foundation (NSF), by
42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq. This determination follows consultation with the
Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration.
Committee
Proposal Review Panel for Astronomical Sciences, #1186
Pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew,
reestablish, or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory
committee, an agency must first consult with the General Services
Administration's Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat)
and, as part of the consultation, provide a written public interest
determination approved by the head of the agency to the Secretariat
with a copy to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition,
pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.35, an agency shall follow the same
consultation process and document in writing the same determination of
need before creating a subcommittee under a discretionary committee
that is not made up entirely of members of a parent advisory committee.
Information on the following factors for the committee is provided to
the Secretariat to demonstrate that renewing the committee is in the
public interest:
1. Annual budget: $352,000.
a. Federal personnel on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis: 6.6
FTE.
b. Other Federal internal costs: $2,000.
c. Proposed payments to members: $246,000.
d. Proposed number of members: 250.
e. Reimbursable costs: $104,000.
2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be
recommended during the fiscal year: $93,653,642.
3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the
necessary.
The membership of all review panels was selected to include
individuals with scientific expertise in astrophysics research,
familiarity with the training process for young scientists, and, in the
case of the technical reviews, advanced technical expertise in areas of
construction, environmental impact, safety, and project management.
Members were also selected to have a broad range of experience and
viewpoints, including a mixture of junior and senior scientists, a
variety of large and small institutions, and a geographical
distribution from across the Nation.
4. List of all other Federal advisory committees of the agency:
84684 Advisory Committee for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships
1172 Alan T. Waterman Award Committee
13883 Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee
1173 Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering
34558 Proposal Review Panel for Emerging Frontiers and
Multidisciplinary Activities
10751 Proposal Review Panel for Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
10747 Proposal Review Panel for Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
10743 Proposal Review Panel for Biological Infrastructure
1189 Proposal Review Panel for Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental,
and Transport Systems
1191 Proposal Review Panel for Chemistry
1194 Proposal Review Panel for Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing
Innovation
1207 Proposal Review Panel for Computer and Network Systems
1192 Proposal Review Panel for Computing & Communication Foundations
1185 Proposal Review Panel for Cyberinfrastructure
1569 Proposal Review Panel for Earth Sciences
1196 Proposal Review Panel for Electrical, Communications, and Cyber
Systems
44011 Proposal Review Panel for Emerging Frontiers in Biological
Sciences
173 Proposal Review Panel for Engineering Education and Centers
10744 Proposal Review Panel for Environmental Biology
1756 Proposal Review Panel for Geosciences
57 Proposal Review Panel for Graduate Education
1200 Proposal Review Panel for Information and Intelligent Systems
84685 Proposal Review Panel for Innovation and Technology Ecosystems
2469 Proposal Review Panel for Integrative Activities
10745 Proposal Review Panel for Integrative Organismal Systems
10749 Proposal Review Panel for International Science and Engineering
1203 Proposal Review Panel for Materials Research
1204 Proposal Review Panel for Mathematical Sciences
10746 Proposal Review Panel for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
10752 Proposal Review Panel for Ocean Sciences
1208 Proposal Review Panel for Physics
1209 Proposal Review Panel for Polar Programs
59 Proposal Review Panel for Research on Learning in Formal and
Informal Settings
10748 Proposal Review Panel for Social and Economic Sciences
1766 Proposal Review Panel for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
84683 Proposal Review Panel for Translational Impacts
1214 Proposal Review Panel for Undergraduate Education
5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the
Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from
another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government source,
or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source.
Proposals submitted to Astrophysical Science programs, as well as
those reviewed as part of NSF-wide activities, typically represent
complex projects that require a broad range of expertise in
astrophysics research and education that no one person can provide.
Past committees have been instrumental in identifying cutting edge
topics and projects that pursue bold, innovative research that
addresses national needs, strengthens U.S. leadership and fosters
advances in new areas of fundamental or applied research, and/or makes
significant progress towards addressing a national need or grand
challenge, particularly in current priority areas including, but not
limited to, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum engineering. An
example of a groundbreaking area identified by the committee is the
recommendation to fund two AI Institutes in astronomy, designed to
bring together astronomy and AI experts to tackle important challenges
in astronomy, as well as the advances in AI that are needed to overcome
these challenges.
6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the
previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to
continue.
Panel deliberations resulted in the review and ranking of proposals
in areas of special emphasis in Astronomical Sciences. This advice
aided NSF Program Managers in their funding decisions. Continuation of
these practices is necessary to maintain high quality scientific
research review. Past committees have been instrumental in identifying
cutting edge topics and projects that pursue bold, innovative research
that addresses national needs, strengthens U.S. leadership and fosters
advances in new areas of fundamental
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or applied research, catalyzes development of new industries or
capabilities that increase the leadership position for the country,
and/or makes significant progress towards addressing a national need or
grand challenge, particularly in current priority areas including, but
not limited to, artificial intelligence, bioengineering, quantum
engineering, robotics, and nuclear engineering. An example of a
groundbreaking area identified by the committee is the development and
use of novel AI to advance astronomical science. Based on the
committee's advice, the NSF funded two AI Institutes in 2024, which are
executing cutting-edge research at the intersection of astronomy and AI
and developing the future AI workforce.
7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to
the conduct of agency business.
The committees/subcommittees are essential to advancing scientific
research and supporting effective business operations. They bring
together experts from diverse backgrounds who collectively review
proposals and provide funding recommendations based on the best
scientific judgment of the research community. Through the panel review
process, NSF is able to evaluate proposals' intellectual merit and
broader impacts in a fair and transparent manner across a broad range
of disciplines. This public interest determination documents that
renewing the committee is essential to the conduct of agency business
and that the information to be obtained is not already available
through another advisory committee or source within the Federal
Government.
Dated: May 26, 2026.
Crystal Robinson,
Committee Management Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2026-10688 Filed 5-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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