National Academies Activities in Earth Sciences and Resources

Earth sciences provide solutions to many economic and societal challenges facing the nation today, including meeting U.S. energy needs and preparing for and mitigating natural hazards. This award supports activities led by the Board on Earth Sciences and Resources aimed at addressing these and other pressing national challenges relevant to Earth sciences and Earth resources. Activity supported by the Board includes meetings of volunteer experts from industry, academia, agencies, and elsewhere to explore cutting-edge scientific issues with real-world relevance, providing federal agencies with trusted, independent insights that strengthen the connections between Earth science research and societal needs. With a long track record of informing federal decision-making and building partnerships across scientific disciplines and across sectors, the Board’s activities will continue to advance foundational Earth science, as well as its translation to actionable solutions addressing national scientific priorities such as critical minerals, nuclear energy, geothermal research, artificial intelligence and machine learning, economic resource innovation, and national security.

This award provides support for Earth science-related activities led by the National Academies, of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) under the Board on Earth Sciences and Resources (BESR) and its standing Committee on Solid Earth Geophysics (COSEG). Activities supported include twice-yearly meetings, expert convenings, and outreach and dissemination. One BESR meeting will be held jointly with the Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB). These meetings will address national priorities such as integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into Earth and water science, advancing domestic uranium production for nuclear energy, and strengthening seismic hazard assessment for energy infrastructure. Additionally, a meeting of opportunity will explore emerging techniques in geothermal energy research. BESR and COSEG’s work draws on a wide network of volunteers and facilitates the translation of foundational Earth science research into actionable knowledge for policymakers and stakeholders. These efforts can help to shape research agendas, improve data practices, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and ensure that scientific insights are accessible and have impact across sectors.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Award Number: 2534957
Principal Investigator: Deborah Glickson
Funds Obligated: $324,824
State: DC