24 July 2018
Dear Colleague:
The Astrophysics Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate is pleased to issue this open call for nominations, including self-nominations, to serve on the Executive Committee of NASA's Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group, or COPAG. In the coming months, NASA anticipates making a minimum of two new appointments to the COPAG Executive Committee to replace current members who will be rotating off the committee. Appointments will be for a period of three years for each selected candidate.
The current NASA Cosmic Origins (COR) mission portfolio includes: Hubble, Spitzer, SOFIA, Herschel, and a variety of missions with rich archival data holdings. In about three years, the James Webb Space Telescope will be added to this portfolio. COR also has strong thematic interest in the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) mission, currently in formulation. In addition, several of the ongoing mission concept studies in preparation for the 2020 Decadal Survey are relevant to COR science objectives.
The COPAG is an open, interdisciplinary forum that provides a conduit for community input into NASA's COR Program and for conducting analyses in support of science objectives and their implications for planning of Program activities. All interested members of the community are invited to participate in the COPAG. The COPAG is led by an Executive Committee (EC), whose membership is chosen to reflect the range of scientific disciplines and interests represented in COR. The current EC Chair serves on the Astrophysics Subcommittee. Together, the COPAG EC and the Chair are responsible for capturing and organizing community input, overseeing COPAG analyses, identifying and prioritizing technology needs for future missions, reporting COPAG findings and inputs to the Astrophysics Subcommittee, and keeping the scientific community apprised of ongoing activities and opportunities within NASA's Cosmic Origins Program. Detailed information about the structure and function of the COPAG can be found on the COPAG web site.
Nominations, including self-nominations, for the COPAG EC should be submitted via E-mail to eric.v.tollestrup@nasa.gov. Submissions must include both a cover letter and a one-page curriculum vitae summarizing the nominee's relevant background and current COPAG-related interests, both bound in a single PDF file. The cover letter should provide a description of the nominee's area of relevant interests, area(s) of expertise, and qualifications for service on the COPAG EC. The deadline for receipt of nominations is September 14, 2018, with announcement of selections anticipated by mid October 2018. Nominations will only be accepted for scientists who reside at a U.S. Institution for the period of the service. There is no restriction on citizenship.
We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to continue a robust and compelling Cosmic Origins Program.
Sincerely,
Eric Tollestrup
Deputy Program Scientist, Cosmic Origins
NASA Headquarters