WH T’S UP.T H E L A T E S T F R O M C A S I S

JANUARY2013

T H E O F F I C I A L C A S I S N E W S L E T T E R

INSIDE:BOARD INTRODUCEDTHE CASIS PROCESSAND MUCH MORE!

Image Courtesy of NASA

OCTOBER 2012WH T’S UP.42

JANUARY2013

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A NEW ERAFOR CASIS

Before the start of the new year, CASIS completed a critical step in its development as the manager of the International Space Station U.S. National

Laboratory: the standing up of a permanent Board of Directors. The first seven members of the Board, inducted in November, include nationally

recognized scientists in a variety of fields. This exceptional group of scholars will guide CASIS in the pursuit of its goal to bring tangible results from space science back to Earth. The Board jumped headfirst into the history of CASIS, its progress and its future plans. The first official Board meeting took place in mid-December, at which time the members designated a chairperson (Dr. France Córdova) and laid out their objectives for the coming months.

Among these objectives was the evaluation of designated research pathways identified by the CASIS interim science collegium. The Board recently approved these pathways in an important first step in their newly appointed positions. These pathways include:

• Biomedical research, such as studying space-induced bone and muscle loss and performing protein crystallization in space

• Materials science, including materials testing in the external space environment

• Earth observation, such as use of hyperspectral imaging systems aboard Station

BY EMILY WHITESCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS WRITER

CASIS proudly presents its world-class Board of Directors

www.iss-casis.org

4 52 3

JANUARY2013 www.iss-casis.org

CLICK THE HAND FOR MORE INFO AND FULL BIOS

A World-Class Assembly Of Thought Leaders

Members of the Board include leading men and women with advanced degrees in biology, law, physics, various fields of medicine and more—with many members holding multiple degrees. Members have impressive resumes that include but are not limited to:

• Leadership positions in other U.S. National Labs and the World Health Organization

• Memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the American Philosophical Society, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs

• Board appointments for the Mayo Clinic and the Smithsonian Institution

• Advisory positions for the White House, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the National Institutes of Health

• High-ranking leadership positions at renowned acad- emic institutions

In total, the members have more than 1,000 peer-reviewed publications to their names, along with many patents resulting from their research and development activities, and a breadth of prestigious awards. In fact, recently, President Barack Obama named CASIS Board member Dr. Leroy Hood as one of 12 recipients of the National Medal of Science, the highest honor bestowed upon scientists by the United States Government. Moreover, many members have experience in space science, having worked on research in space, developed space-science technologies or served in NASA positions. Members also have founded companies, served as reviewers for and editors of science journals, worked in educational outreach and authored textbooks.

Building An Impeccable Team

The Board selection process began last year. Qualified candidates from U.S. science and university communities were identified and vetted in accordance with CASIS bylaws and agreements with Congress and NASA. The criteria used in this search and evaluation included:

• An understanding of the perspectives of both basic and applied research

• A demonstrated career in a commercial, academic or scientific area

• Experience serving in high visibility leadership positions, including performance as a board member fulfilling fiduciary duties

• Management of a university, technically centric corporation or a nonprofit organization in applied sciences

Based on these criteria, the following individuals now serve on the CASIS Board of Directors (biographies available online):

Chairperson: France Córdova, ph.D.,

President Emerita, Purdue University

Bess Dawson-hughes, M.D., Director,

Bone Metabolism Laboratory, Jean Mayer

USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on

Aging at Tufts University

Lewis Duncan, ph.D., President,

Rollins College

Leroy hood, M.D., ph.D., Co-Founder &

President, Institute for Systems Biology

andrei e. ruckenstein, ph.D., Vice

President of Research & Associate Provost,

Boston University

Gordana Vunjak-novakovic, ph.D.,

Professor & Vice Chair, Biomedical

Engineering, Columbia University

howard Zucker, M.D., J.D., Professor of

Clinical Anesthesiology, Albert Einstein

College of Medicine, Yeshiva University

JANUARY2013WH T’S UP.4

PROCESS

BY WARREN BATES

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY

AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

OperationsReview

ScientificReviewInput from

External Subject Matter

ExpertsEconomic

Review

ComplianceReview

Final Prioritization

& Award Determination

CASIS management of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory includes more than just supporting science in space. It includes driving a transition

of space science from exploration and traditional scientific objectives to a strong focus on improving U.S. quality of life. This transition demonstrates the commitment of CASIS and our country to maximize the tangible and intangible value of the space station. To achieve this ambitious goal, CASIS adopted a progressive approach to shaping the National Lab research portfolio, evaluating proposed research not only for scientific merit but also for economic value and the potential to improve the everyday lives of the U.S. public.

The CASIS review process for research proposals is one of a kind—a cutting-edge approach for a new era of space science. The process begins with an evaluation of proposals by the CASIS Operations team to determine whether each project is feasible—will the research plan successfully transition to the space environment? This stage of review is critical for new-to-space investigators, and the Operations team advises these new investigators regarding the parameters of space-based investigations and the resources available for developing a successful research plan.

Projects then proceed to scientific evaluation. The CASIS science review is similar to that of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a preeminent funding organization in the biosciences. In this stage, reviewers score proposals in five categories:

• Significance of research topic

• Investigator qualifications

• Innovative characteristics of concepts or methodologies

• Rigor and appropriateness of research approach

• Value and necessity of the space station research platform for the specific research question

Mimicking portions of the well-established NIH review process provides the benefit of

JANUARY2013 www.iss-casis.org

4 5

SOLICITATIONS

ISS: OPEN TOTHE PUBLIC

SEE SOLICITATIONS ON PAGE 6

As manager of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, CASIS has the exciting task of opening up space science to the masses. The National Lab is now available to the broad scientific community, and the CASIS goal is to encourage creative, outside-the-box suggestions. For the first time in history, anyone who has an idea for research and development on the space station can submit proposals for

possible flight to humankind’s greatest technological and edu-cational achievement.

Space science can reveal data not seen on Earth, and CASIS

expects novel ideas to exploit the space environment in innovative ways and for new purposes. CASIS issues formal requests for proposals in specific topics, but the CASIS website also provides a portal for anyone to submit an unsolicited proposal aimed at improving life on Earth by performing R&D in space. We welcome proposals at any time and on any topic.

On the CASIS website, anyone can explore past space-science research and learn about phenomena altered in space. Scientists in academia, industry and government can evaluate how these variables add value to their research and can submit proposals to perform these experiments. CASIS hopes that the public as well will think of new ways of using the station for Earth benefits. Building on past discoveries and using space-specific phenomena in innovative ways will advance our understanding of the benefits of space science and potentially yield groundbreaking discoveries.

Moreover, many science enthusiasts may be familiar with the famous Isaac Asimov quote, “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not Eureka! but rather, ‘hmm... that’s funny...’.” Many studies in space yield completely unexpected results, and researchers observe phenomena tangential to their experiments that catch their eye and lead to new discoveries. Scientists and the public learning about space

BY DUANE RATLIFFCHIEF OPERATINGOFFICER

robustly evaluating the scientific merit of a proposal in a way that is familiar to researchers.

The next step in the review process is the innovative stage that sets CASIS apart from traditional funding agencies: the economic valuation. This stage of review determines whether the project has significant potential to influence life on Earth—by advancing commercial product development and/or by supporting intangible benefits to humankind. Such intangible benefits include, but are not limited to, job creation, improving the health of humans and the environment, supporting the establishment of the U.S. as a global leader in science and technology, and advancing human knowledge.

The weight of the economic review is equal to that of the scientific review. This distinctly contemporary addition to the traditional review process ensures that projects receive strong acknowledgement for their ability to create tangible and intangible value for U.S. citizens. Projects deemed meritorious in all rounds of review qualify for CASIS support—either through awarded funding or through CASIS assistance in arranging National Lab resources to carry out the research.

By adopting a new approach for selecting research projects, CASIS pursues its goal to strategically diversify the National Lab research portfolio. As a result, the research portfolio taking shape holds a powerful capability to lead the U.S. into a future where unexpected and revolutionary advancements define our society—supported by CASIS and the world’s only orbiting laboratory.

station research may also realize that one of these unexpected findings sheds light on something they have seen.

CASIS especially encourages proposals aimed at creating or improving commercial products on Earth. A major part of the CASIS mission is to raise awareness, and the best way to do this in the early stages is to show the U.S. public a tangible result of space-science research. Toward this end, CASIS

developed a product endorsement to brand such products. The “Space Is In It” seal will be a stamp of success for the National Lab research platform and to those who use it for exciting and innovative science.

The National Lab is now open for business, and CASIS is anxious to receive fresh ideas from innovative minds. We look forward to receiving new perspectives that will turn past research and curious moments of unexpected results into life-changing advances in science and

technology. We may not yet know what unexpected discoveries await those bold enough to explore how—but the ability to submit unsolicited proposals to CASIS allows these innovators and pioneers a chance to ask that daring question. We are on a quest to diversify the types of R&D in the National Lab, and CASIS will read a submitted proposal from anyone who dares to brainstorm an innovative way to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by space science.

HIGHLIGHTSThe 2012 CASIS Annual Report is now available and can be downloaded online by clicking the hand to the right. Learn about all the achievements of the organization during its first year.

CASIS Board of Directors member, Dr. Leroy Hood, will receive the National Medal for Science from President Barack Obama. The National Medal of Science is one of the highest honors bestowed by the United States Government upon scientists, engineers, and inventors. Dr. Hood will be one of 12 recipients to receive the award.

C L I C K T H E H A N D F O R M O R E I N F O

JANUARY2013WH T’S UP.6

CASIS has agreed to partner with MassChallenge, which each year develops an annual global accelerator program competition to promote innovative ideas in need of startup funding. CASIS will support this challenge by awarding $100,000 to research that can be investigated on the National Lab. The contest will run from February 13 to April 3.

The Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2012 finale occurred on January 11, 2013. This hugely successful education initiative, sponsored by NASA, DARPA, and MIT, will be followed this summer by a CASIS-sponsored Zero Robotics tournament for middle school students.

SOLICITATIONS FROM PAGE 5