u.s. department of energy’s office of science berac meeting bethesda north marriott hotel &...
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U.S. Department of Energy’sU.S. Department of Energy’sOOffice of Scienceffice of ScienceU.S. Department of Energy’sU.S. Department of Energy’sOOffice of Scienceffice of Science
BERAC MeetingBethesda North Marriott Hotel
& Conference Center
Jerry ElwoodActing Associate Director of Science
for Biological and Environmental Research
October 16, 2006
State of BERState of BER
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
FY 2007 Operating Status: FY 2007 Operating Status:
Operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) until at least Nov. 17, 2006 and probably longer
CR allows BER to continue on-going activities under terms and conditions of FY 2006 appropriations.
Doesn’t allow new program starts or cancellations of existing programs
Does allow new starts of projects in existing programs
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
BER FY 2006 Appropriation, FY 2007 Request, BER FY 2006 Appropriation, FY 2007 Request, and FTY 2007 Senate and House Mark:and FTY 2007 Senate and House Mark: BER FY 2006 Appropriation, FY 2007 Request, BER FY 2006 Appropriation, FY 2007 Request, and FTY 2007 Senate and House Mark:and FTY 2007 Senate and House Mark:
B/A dollars in thousands
FY 2006 Appropriation $564,077
FY 2007 Request: $510,263
House mark $540,263 (+$30 million above request for “directed university and hospital
earmarks”)
Senate mark $560,000 (+$50 million above request for earmarks)
Both Senate and House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee reports have >60 directed earmarks.
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Senate proposes to provide funding derived from a research account charged against DOE research as provided in section 1001(e) of Title X of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005. “The Committee expects that $25 million will be available to support nuclear medicine research.”
EPACT Section 1001(e), Title X: “The Secretary shall establish an Energy Technology Commercial Fund, using 0.9 percent of the amount made available to the Department for applied energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for each fiscal year to be used to provide matching funds with private partners to promote promising energy technologies for commercial purposes.”
Senate language on Asia-Pacific Partnership: “The Committee directs the Department to fund this activity in three parts and from within available funds. One-third from the Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research, Climate Change Research account, and…”
Congressional language that could affect BER in FY 2007:Congressional language that could affect BER in FY 2007:
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Updates: Interest in the GTL Bioenergy Centers Initiative Artificical retina project – next prototype (60 electrodes) to
be implanted in patients next year NAS Study of State of the Science in Nuclear Medicine –
study to be completed around middle of CY 2007 - Joanna Fowler and Jim Adelstein from BERAC on committee
Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Staff: Ambrosia Griffin - accepted position
outside of DOE Joe Graber – new staff in Life Sciences and
Medical Applications Division - AAAS Fellow working on GTL issues
Recruitment - computational biologist, call ended and we are reviewing applicants; human subjects protection officer, position to be announced shortly
Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:- (cont.)- (cont.)Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:- (cont.)- (cont.)
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Solicitations: GTL Bioenergy Research Centers, open
solicitation for proposals from labs, universities, private sector, Letters of intent due December 5, 2006; full proposals due February 1, 2007, LOIs encouraged but not required.
Plant feedstock genomics for bioenergy – joint solicitation between DOE and USDA. LOIs due November 13, 2006; Formal applications due January 30, 2007. LOI’s encouraged but not required.
GTL Solicitations to be released in Nov. - All technology development: 2 in metagenomics, 2 in biofuels, and one in microbial hydrogen production.
Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:- (cont.)- (cont.)Life Sciences and Medical Applications:Life Sciences and Medical Applications:- (cont.)- (cont.)
In Special Recognition of Roger Kornberg – 2006 Nobel Prize in ChemistryBER structural biology beamlines enabled the research
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Climate Change Research:Climate Change Research:
Strategic Planning: On course, hope to have a draft plan for Climate Change Research Program for review by BERAC at spring meeting
Key commitment: Produce three of the 21 CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Reports (SAP 2.1, 3.1, and 4.5) that must be provide to satisfy the assessment requirement of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 – BER on schedule to produce the three before the end of CY 2007.
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Climate Change Research: - cont Climate Change Research: - cont
Staff: Bob Vallario - detailed from SC Planning to BER,
managing Integrated Assessment Research Program Open IPA position - to manage Terrestrial Carbon
Sequestration program and help manage Terrestrial Carbon Cycle Program
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Climate Change Research: - contClimate Change Research: - cont
Solicitations: SciDAC solicitation for university grants on
climate modeling ARM Science Program solicitation - clouds Atmospheric Science Program solicitation –
aerosols
Field campaigns and programmatic activities: Joint ARM/ASP campaign near ARM Southern
Great Plains site Synthesis of data from MILAGRO/Mexico City
campaign in FY 2006
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Status of Terrestrial Carbon Processes (TCP) Research Program:Status of Terrestrial Carbon Processes (TCP) Research Program:
BERAC Review – advice to DOE, Oct 2005
TCP solicitation based on BERAC guidance
120 proposals peer reviewed
Many high-quality proposals
Follow-up BERAC review of CO2 experiments
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
TCP Awards:TCP Awards:TCP Awards:TCP Awards:
FY06 – for AmeriFlux and FACE infrastructure
FY07 – for research AmeriFlux CO2 experiments – pending BERAC
review of FACE experiments Soil carbon processes Integrated terrestrial carbon
modeling
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
BERAC reviews in 2007: BERAC reviews in 2007:
Review Integrated Assessment Research Program - Subcommittee being formed
Review of FACE - and related experiments – Jim Ehleringer report later today
ARM facility review - Charge letter drafted. Review of ARM facility as scientific user facility and cost effectiveness of its operation
Committee of Visitors - for Climate Change Research, charge to be drafted
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Environmental Remediation Sciences Division (ERSD):Environmental Remediation Sciences Division (ERSD):
Staff: Expect to have announcement out in December to fill
ERSD Director position
Solicitations: Research call (06-12) received 180 proposals, reviews are
complete, awards pending a budget Field Center call (06-16) received 5 proposals, review
panel will meet in November; award decisions shortly thereafter
Solicitations for FY 2008 funding to be released in December 2007
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
Environmental Remediation Sciences Division (ERSD): - cont.
Environmental Remediation Sciences Division (ERSD): - cont.
EMSL refreshRefreshment plan is nearing completion -
Capital equipment – series of workshops to identify science needs and technology opportunities
Staff – Key scientific gaps have been filled – Chief Scientist (Andy Felmy); Interfacial science, (Don Baer); Biology TBA; Computer Science, TBA
Facilities – Raised floor computer space addition complete, doubling existing capacity
Generation III Supercomputer acquisition in process – planned operation in FY 2008