Long-Term Support of Investigator-Driven Science
EAR funding of research projects initiated and conducted by individual
investigators and small groups of investigators is the single most important
mechanism for maintaining and enhancing disciplinary strength in Earth science.
Major investments are now justified in two promising fields. EAR should seek
new funds for the long-term support of:
1. geobiology, to permit studies of the interactions between biological
and geological processes, the evolution of life on Earth, and the
geologic factors that have shaped the biosphere, and
2. investigator-initiated research on Earth and planetary materials to take
advantage of major new facilities, advanced instrumentation and
theory in an atomistic approach to properties and processes.
Outstanding research opportunities related to the study of the Critical Zone
also warrant additional resources for established programs in hydrology and
geology. The committee offers two primary recommendations:
• Owing to the significant opportunities for progress in the understanding of
hydrologic systems, particularly through coordinated studies of the
Critical Zone, EAR should continue to build programs in the hydrologic
sciences.
• EAR should enhance multidisciplinary studies of the Critical Zone,
placing special attention on strengthening soil science and the study of
coastal zone processes.
To coordinate support for multidisciplinary studies, EAR should take the
lead within NSF in devising a long-term strategy for funding research on the
Critical Zone.
Mechanisms for Multidisciplinary Research
Understanding the behavior and evolution of complex terrestrial systems
requires cooperative efforts in data collection as well as integrative studies to pull
together diverse data sets and construct explanatory models. EAR has a very good
record of sponsoring multidisciplinary research through its long-term core
programs, particularly the Continental Dynamics Program, and a number of
fixed-term special emphasis areas. The committee has identified several
opportunities for strengthening the multidisciplinary aspects of Earth science.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
6
About this PDF file: This new digital representation of the
original work has been recomposed from XML files created
from the original paper book, not from the original
typesetting files. Page breaks are true to the original; line lengths,
word breaks, heading styles, and other typesetting-specific
formatting, however, cannot be retained,
and some typographic errors may have been accidentally inserted.
Please use the print version of this publication as the authoritative
version for attribution.
EAR funding of research projects initiated and conducted by individual
investigators and small groups of investigators is the single most important
mechanism for maintaining and enhancing disciplinary strength in Earth science.
Major investments are now justified in two promising fields. EAR should seek
new funds for the long-term support of:
1. geobiology, to permit studies of the interactions between biological
and geological processes, the evolution of life on Earth, and the
geologic factors that have shaped the biosphere, and
2. investigator-initiated research on Earth and planetary materials to take
advantage of major new facilities, advanced instrumentation and
theory in an atomistic approach to properties and processes.
Outstanding research opportunities related to the study of the Critical Zone
also warrant additional resources for established programs in hydrology and
geology. The committee offers two primary recommendations:
• Owing to the significant opportunities for progress in the understanding of
hydrologic systems, particularly through coordinated studies of the
Critical Zone, EAR should continue to build programs in the hydrologic
sciences.
• EAR should enhance multidisciplinary studies of the Critical Zone,
placing special attention on strengthening soil science and the study of
coastal zone processes.
To coordinate support for multidisciplinary studies, EAR should take the
lead within NSF in devising a long-term strategy for funding research on the
Critical Zone.
Mechanisms for Multidisciplinary Research
Understanding the behavior and evolution of complex terrestrial systems
requires cooperative efforts in data collection as well as integrative studies to pull
together diverse data sets and construct explanatory models. EAR has a very good
record of sponsoring multidisciplinary research through its long-term core
programs, particularly the Continental Dynamics Program, and a number of
fixed-term special emphasis areas. The committee has identified several
opportunities for strengthening the multidisciplinary aspects of Earth science.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
6
About this PDF file: This new digital representation of the
original work has been recomposed from XML files created
from the original paper book, not from the original
typesetting files. Page breaks are true to the original; line lengths,
word breaks, heading styles, and other typesetting-specific
formatting, however, cannot be retained,
and some typographic errors may have been accidentally inserted.
Please use the print version of this publication as the authoritative
version for attribution.