It's always a good moment when a community comes together, especially when that community is focused on understanding our planet. The Earth Science Division (ESD) Community Forum, held on November 30th, 2022, felt like just that – a gathering of minds, a chance to catch up and look ahead. Wendy Mihm, the new Communications Lead for the ESD, kicked things off, noting the growing numbers of participants, a sure sign of engagement.
Wendy set the stage, explaining the day's agenda and some essential housekeeping. The meeting was being recorded, a thoughtful touch for those who couldn't make it live, and closed captioning was available – a small but significant detail for accessibility. She also reminded everyone that the last forum was back in April, highlighting the value of these regular touchpoints for the Earth science community.
Then, the mic passed to Dr. Karen St. Germain, who brought a palpable energy to the virtual room. She shared some exciting news from earlier that day: the visit of Vice President Harris and President Macron to NASA headquarters, celebrating decades of U.S.-France space partnership. It’s moments like these that remind us of the broader impact and collaborative spirit driving scientific endeavors.
Karen then dove into the core of the forum, focusing on the Earth System Observatory (ESO) and the Independent Review Board (IRB) report. She explained that NASA convenes IRBs for two main reasons: either to get an independent perspective on a mission facing challenges, or when tackling something exceptionally large and complex. The ESO, she noted, falls squarely into that latter category. It's the heart of NASA's response to the decadal survey, aiming to meet critical science requirements within current budgetary frameworks. The plan is to roll out both the report and NASA's response this week, a significant step in charting the course for future Earth science missions.
While the transcript doesn't detail every slide, the emphasis on the ESO and the IRB's findings clearly signals a period of strategic planning and adaptation within the Earth Science Division. It’s a process of looking critically at ambitious goals and ensuring the path forward is robust and well-considered. The forum also touched upon the cancellation of the GeoCarb mission, a difficult but necessary decision, and other miscellaneous ESD updates, painting a picture of an active and evolving division.
