Goddard Scientific
Colloquium Committee Charter
- AUTHORITY
The Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC) Scientific
Colloquium Committee, also known as the Goddard Scientific Colloquium
Committee, is established by authority of the Center Director. It
operates under
this Charter and the sponsorship of the Director of the Sciences and
Exploration Directorate (SED).. Its
establishment is recognized officially as appropriate for this Center,
which
has been at the forefront of research and exploration helping to lead
the world
to discover new knowledge about the Universe. Its purpose is to bring speakers on topics of broad
interest to the Goddard and Washington area
scientific communities, not limited to
topics
in the earth and space sciences but covering the whole range of scientific
endeavor.
- OBJECTIVES
The committee is chartered to:
- Conduct a series of Friday afternoon colloquia designed to
enhance the scientific environment of Goddard
Space Flight
Center;
- Maintain the high quality of the colloquium program since
its inception in 1965;
- Identify and invite to these colloquia speakers who will
interact with Goddard scientists and present scientific results of
interest to the entire Goddard community and,
- Arrange for these speakers to meet with Goddard scientists
and learn about the scientific programs carried out at Goddard.
- MEMBERSHIP
The membership of the committee
will consist of
twelve Goddard Civil Servant (or contractor, if funding is available)
scientists.
The chairperson of the committee
will be appointed by
the Director of the SED. The remaining
members of the committee will be appointed by the Director of the SED
or
his/her designated representatives in consultation with the chairperson
of the
committee. The membership of the
committee will reflect the diverse range of space and Earth sciences of
the
Center.
Each member, including the
chairperson, will serve
for a period of 4 years. The terms can
be renewed, but renewal is not automatic.
The terms will be staggered so that 3 members of the committee
are
appointed each year. In the case of a
resignation from the committee, the vacant position will be filled as
soon as
possible, not waiting for the next cycle of appointments.
The beginning of the committee term will be
July 1.
Opportunity to serve on the
committee will be
advertised among Civil Servant scientists in May of each year. Expressions of interest will be addressed to
the committee chairperson, who will present them to the Director of the
SED or
his/her designated representatives for consideration, with a decision
to be
made before July 1.
- COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
- The committee members, working with support staff,
will have a range of responsibilities, including:
- Monitoring scientific meetings, news and literature for
topics and speakers who would be appropriate speakers for the
colloquium series;
- Nominating candidate colloquium speakers to the committee,
including descriptions of possible topics and an outline of why the
speaker would be a good choice;
- Participating in the voting process for speakers to be
invited;
- Extending invitations to selected speakers and working
interactively with the committee chairperson to arrange speaking dates,
typically for those speakers originally nominated by the committee
member;
- Collecting information about speakers, including an abstract
and photo to be used in the flyers advertising speakers;
- Advertising speakers and providing Goddard Dateline with
this information (electronically) to help advertise the upcoming talks.
- Hosting the speaker during the speaker’s visit to Goddard,
including introducing the speaker at the colloquium;
- Escorting visitors wishing to attend the colloquium from the
main Gate to the colloquium building.
- Planning dinner for the Lindsay and Nordberg Lecturers
(distinguished speakers), as needed.
- Maintaining
the Scientific Colloquium Web page,
scicolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov;
- Preparing and publishing the schedule of
speakers;
- Arranging paperwork as needed for the speakers,
including travel expenses and forms for permission to record talks;
- Arranging with Security for access for speakers
and other guests from outside the Center;
- Maintaining the mailing lists (paper and
electronic) used to advertise the colloquia;
5.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The committee will meet twice a
year: one time in
December to plan the Spring colloquium series and one time in May to
plan the
Fall-Winter series. All other business
of the committee will be conducted electronically
6. COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON
The committee chairperson is
responsible for the
overall functioning of the committee.
Duties of the chairperson include:
- Preparing
and monitoring the budget for travel
expenses and honoraria for the speakers;
- Scheduling
and conducting the meetings of the
committee;
- Tabulating
the ballots and proposing selection
criteria for speakers to be invited;
- Coordinating
the schedule for the speakers.
- Maintaining
the database of the speakers and
talks (from 1965 onward).
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Last Updated:Monday, March 16, 2009
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