Spring 2023 Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate Advisory Committee Meeting

The advisory committee for the U.S. National Science Foundation's Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate provides advice and recommendations for the directorate's programs and facilities.

The spring 2023 meeting will be held on April 19 from 10:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern and April 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

Registration is required to attend. Members of the public can view the event on Zoom and live captions will be available.

• Register to attend: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_xdVe-2WtTmai7KIw5uIDKg

Real-time captions will be displayed in Zoom during the event. Click the "closed caption" button in Zoom if you do not see the captions.

If you require additional reasonable accommodations, please contact the MPS Advisory Committee team no later than April 5.

To learn more about the role of the MPS advisory committee, visit the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Advisory Committee page.

AC Summary Minutes 

Day 1, Wednesday, Apr. 19, 2023 

MPSAC Attendees: 

• Dr. Anna Balazs 
• Dr. Cornelia Lang 
• Dr. Tabbetha Dobbins 
• Dr. Herbert Levine 
• Dr. Miguel Garcia-Garibay 
• Dr. Jennifer Lewis 
• Dr. Lynne Hillenbrand 
• Dr. Jill Pipher 
• Dr. Catherine Hunt 
• Dr. Ed Thomas, Jr. 
• Dr. Dan Jaffe 
• Dr. William Tolman 
• Dr. Eva Halkiadakis 
• Dr. Roldolfo Torres 
• Dr. Yuri Tshinkel 
• Dr. Suzanne Weekes 

Public Section Begins 

1.1 10:15 AM – 10:20 AM Call to Order and Official Opening of the Meeting 

AC: Dr. Cornelia C. Lang, MPSAC Chair, University of Iowa 

The meeting was officially opened at 10:15 am by Dr. Cornelia Lang. The minutes from the previous meeting, held in October 2022, were unanimously approved by a motion introduced by Dr. Lang. 

1.2 10:20 AM – 10:50 AM MPS Update from the Assistant Director 

NSF: Dr. Sean Liam Jones, MPS Assistant Director 

Dr. Sean L. Jones, Assistant Director for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, provided an update on the state of the MPS directorate. Sean Jones covered the following topics in his remarks. 

• Thank you to AC Chair and Members and NSF Staff 
• Introduction of the new directorate, TIP 
• Announcement of changes in NSF leadership, upcoming retirement of Denise Caldwell 
• A review of the major priorities of NSF 
• Summary of the FY23 and FY24 budget 
• Key program investments for broadening participation 
• Emerging industries crosscuts
• Review of Partnerships for Research and Education in MPS 
• Progress in artificial intelligence and quantum information science 
• Announcement of upcoming MPS events 

1.3 10:50 AM – 11:10 AM Science Highlight – AI, DMS 

NSF: Dr. Stacey Levine, DMS Program Director 
NSF: Dr. David Manderscheid, DMS Division Director 

Dr. Stacey Levine discussed some of the recent scientific highlights on AI. It was noted that every MPS division is involved in the AI institutes and various MPS programs reflect the prioritization of AI. The discussion focused on cross-disciplinary applications including: 

• Data democratization and responsible data sharing, particularly for AI tools in settings with inherent data scarcity. 
• Deep neural networks that afford a geometric interpretation which provides a more accurate pattern recognition that is robust to adversarial attacks, particularly for image classification. 
• Mathematical approaches to avoid data and algorithmic bias. 
• ChatGPT, one of the largest current end-to-end ML models. 

In summary, MPS seeks to build the foundations of AI as well as emerging domains for applications. 

1.4 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PHY COV Report presentation and approval 

AC Chair of PHY Committee of Visitors: 
Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Beise, University of Maryland 
AC liaison: Dr. Lynne Hillenbrand, California Institute of Technology 

Dr. Beise covered the PHY COV charge and process along with the PHY portfolio, subcommittees, and funding modalities. The following is a summation of the COV findings: 

• Division leadership should keep doing all in its power to make the Program Director positions as appealing as possible to fresh talent. It is advised to continue to stress the intended broad meaning of "broader impacts" and the significance of paying attention to it with the ad hoc reviewers. 
• The Division should consider options to document the practice of follow-up, particularly with declined proposals and first-time PIs, keeping in mind the impact of additional workload on the Program Directors. 
• The COV also discussed possible avenues for garnering wider input from the community on the review process, and to augment the COV’s review of eJackets, but did not come to consensus on an approach. Suggested that this be considered at the Division leadership level for future COV reviews. 
• COV members support the practice of ensuring that at least 50% of the Division’s funding goes toward the research program as this largely supports the development of a strong scientific workforce at all levels. 
• Program areas should have some flexibility to adopt the length of cycle that best fits the proposal. Program Directors could use help from both the Division and Directorate in fostering sustained opportunities for cross-division and cross-directorate collaboration. 
• For large projects that cross agency boundaries, early adoption of inter-agency MOUs is strongly encouraged, combined with jointly held operations reviews with agreed-upon metrics 
• It is encouraged that every effort be made to minimize adverse impacts of the “Big Ideas” program ending for projects and PIs that were supported through the initiative. 
• Division leadership should consider avenues for more coherence between IAP’s portfolio and efforts within the science program areas to support the fostering of an inclusive community at all levels of participation, as well as to better align the language describing IAP with the initiatives it supports. 

Dr. Beise then discussed considerations for the next PHY COV before concluding the presentation. 

The MPS AC Chair, Dr. Lang, called for a vote to accept the PHY COV report. The AC members voted unanimously to accept the report.

1.5 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM Research Security 

NSF: Dr. Sarah Stalker-Lehoux, Deputy Chief Research Security Strategy and Policy 

Dr. Sarah Stalker-Lehoux gave a presentation on research security and responsible internalization. NSF is now standing up an office to look at the research security issues within the agency as well as across the US government. Some implementation activities include harmonizing disclosure formats and improving research security training modules and research security program standards. 

• Apart of the CHIPS and Science act, there is requirement to establish a Research Security and Integrity Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (RSI-ISAO). 
• NSF is in the process of developing a DCL to get formal input from the community on the duties of the new office. 
• NSF will establish an RSI-ISAO center; however, it will be run by a non-governmental entity through an agreement with the agency. 
• NSF asked JASON, an independent group of scientists which advises the U.S. government on matters of science and technology, to consider what a research program on research security might entail. The report notes that the definition of research integrity differs across cultures and national interest. 
• JASON recommends the products of a research program on research security must not be used to disadvantage anyone based on their ethnic background or country of origin. The NSF program should emphasize research on effective methods for informing and training Principal Investigators about potential risks in international collaborations by country and, where appropriate, by institution. 

1.6 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM Budget Update and Drivers 

NSF: Dr. Caitlyn Fife, Division Director of Budget Division 
NSF: Dr. Amanda Greenwell, Head of Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) 

Dr. Amanda Greenwell discussed the current state of public affairs within NSF. Focus is on policymakers/public/internal and research communities, which OLPA utilizes to develop an annual strategic communications plan. The objectives are as follows: 

• Policymakers - to understand the importance of NSF investments. 
• Public - to shine a light on NSF and the positive impact of NSF-funded research which benefits all of us via our taxpayer dollars. 
• Internal – to engage staff as brand ambassadors and provide them with compelling stories highlighting exciting research results to capture the imaginations of the next generation of scientists, as well as policymakers. 

NSF’s three-year plan (2023-2025) is supported by 3 foundational pillars – infrastructure, missing millions, and innovation. The agency continues to engage with members of Congress and research stakeholders as well as the general public (i.e. South by Southwest 2023) to create more visibility for NSF as a federal agency. 

Dr. Caitlyn Fife discussed various aspects of the FY 24 budget, which can be found at https://beta.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2024. For FY24, there is a $11.3 billion request which is a significant dollar and % increase. In this budget, NSF’s focus is on curiosity-driven research, inspiring missing millions, and technology and innovation partnership. Dr. Fife encouraged the AC members to look at the budget document in detail and follow up with questions.

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM Preparation for discussion with NSF COO, COS 

MPS AC Chair Cornelia Lang led the discussion with the MPS AC members on preparation for the next day’s session with NSF COO and COS. Topics to prioritize in the next day’s discussion included: (1) FY24 Budget Request, (2) Research Security, and (3) MPS Partnership Programs in additional to a summary of other meeting highlights. 

4:15 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Remarks and Adjourn for the Day 

At 4:17 pm MPS AC Chair Cornelia Lang thanked the AC members and NSF for a wonderful first day and adjourned for the day with the reminder of timing for Day 2. 

Day 2, Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023 

MPSAC Attendees: 

• Dr. Anna Balazs 
• Dr. Tabbetha Dobbins 
• Dr. Miguel Garcia-Garibay 
• Dr. Lynne Hillenbrand 
• Dr. Catherine Hunt 
• Dr. Dan Jaffe 
• Dr. Eva Halkiadakis 
• Dr. Yuri Tshinkel 
• Dr. Cornelia Lang 
• Dr. Herbert Levine 
• Dr. Jennifer Lewis 
• Dr. Jill Pipher 
• Dr. Ed Thomas, Jr. 
• Dr. William Tolman 
• Dr. Roldolfo Torres 
• Dr. Suzanne Weekes

Public Section Begin 

2.1 9:00 AM – 9:05 AM Welcome and Overview of Agenda 

AC: Dr. Cornelia C. Lang, MPSAC Chair, University of Iowa 

The meeting was opened at 9:00 am by Dr. Cornelia Lang and began with a reminder from Dr. Michelle Bushey on the policies of the Federal Advisory Committee Act from the previous day’s briefing. Dr. Lang then provided a brief overview of the day 2 agenda. 

2.2 9:05 AM – 9:25 AM Science Highlight- Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) 

NSF: Dr. Paul Lane, DMR Program Director 
NSF: Dr. Germano Iannacchione, DMR Division Director 

Dr. Paul Lane discussed the importance of the program, DMREF, a cross-directorate and cross-agency effort that seeks to accelerate materials design and deployment. 

• Overview of a DMREF project Organic Semiconductors by Computationally Accelerated Refinement (OSCAR). The award’s purpose is to accelerate the development of new electronic and energy materials by developing computational models to predict solid-state order for a common class of high-performance materials. 
• OSCAR produced Organic Crystals in Electronic and Light-Oriented Technologies (OCELOT) which is an open access material science database. Link https://oscar.as.uky.edu/database/ 
• Overview of Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) project on Tetrahedral Ferroelectrics as an additional example of a successful DMREF project. 
• DMREF plans to expand on future opportunities of workforce development, materials data, and uses of AI. 

2.3 9:25 AM – 10:25 AM MPS Facilities: Portfolio Overviews and Updates followed by Discussion. 

NSF: Dr. Chris Smith, MPS Senior Advisor. 
NSF: Dr. David Berkowitz, CHE Division Director 
NSF: Dr. Debra Fischer, AST Division Director 
NSF: Dr. Germano Iannacchione, DMR Division Director 
NSF: Dr. C. Denise Caldwell, PHY Division Director 

The MPS Facilities team gave an update of the facilities portfolio describing major facilities within each division. Discussed updates to the facilities’ lifecycles and cost. A quarter of the MPS budget is invested in facilities. It was noted that NSF is no longer using the word “divestment” to describe the end of facility life cycle and is instead using “disposition”.

CHE Facilities 

• ChemMatCARS: partnership with DOE, dedicated to static and dynamic structural measurements of condensed matter chemistry and materials science. 
• National Extreme Ultrafast Science Facility (NeXUS): watching electrons move in molecules and materials at time scales as fast as attoseconds and on length scales as small as angstroms. New site that will be in operation starting Fall 2024. 
• ChemMatCARS and NeXUS provide state-of-the-art instrumentation that enables research in NSF priority areas, including QIS, energy technologies and sustainability, semiconductor research, and biotechnology. AST Facilities 
• Gemini-North repairs to the damaged area of the mirror completed 24 March; return to science operations in mid-May. 
• Kitt-Peak’s main power reinstated, fiber installation underway, road open to staff with some visitor access. 
• ALMA’s cyber-attack was contained, no science data or antennas were compromised. ALMA operations resumed in December (2-month shutdown). Celebrated its 10-year anniversary in March of 2023. 
• Green Bank resumed operations Apr 12, operating at slower azimuth speeds while wheel breaks in, but initial receive check out shows that all is well – the telescope is working beautifully. 
• Rubin Observatory’s next major step is the installation and commissioning of the telescope’s primary-tertiary mirror (M1/M3). The DOE-funded camera is now fully assembled and about to enter final testing before shipment to Chile later this summer. 

PHY Facilities 

• Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) – due to start in May of 2023 with an A+ upgrade on the way. 
• ATLAS and CMS Detectors at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - Construction on MREFC HighLuminosity Upgrade underway; instated IRIS-HEP award to address computational challenges. 
• IceCube – upgrade is on the way to add an additional 7 strings. 
• Midscale Instrumentation Fund resources are intended to be one-time, non-renewable investments in the research effort and require that the project have a well-defined beginning and end. MSIF funds cannot be used to support R&D or operations. Proposals are submitted to the disciplinary program. Merit reviews proceed through the base programs or special reviews. Science must be high priority in program. Funding Levels begin at TPC of ~$4.0M and can go up to TPC of ~$20.0M – complements MRI and MSRI. 
• Zetawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System (ZEUS); Highest peak power laser in the U.S. Operations beginning with first call for user proposals out now. 

DMR Facilities 

• National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL): A world leading user program along with education and outreach activities. A new set of science drivers emerged from broad community input. 
• CHEXS@CHESS: The QM2, FAST, PIPOXS, and HPBio beamlines and their science missions. 
• Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS): An NSF/NIST partnership to develop and operate world-class neutron scattering instrumentation. 
• Key Challenges for DMR facilities management: 
  • Recent MRI changes resulting in fewer awards. 
  • Current funding levels are not keeping up with cost increases. 
  • The need for long-term and coordinated funding mechanisms for interdisciplinary facilities. 
  • Balancing the needs across a heterogeneous MPS facilities portfolio. 

Chris ended the presentation by transitioning into the following agenda topics with facilities on the horizon. 

10:25 AM – 10:40 AM AC Subcommittees 

NSF: Dr. Saul Gonzalez 

AC Facilities Subcommittee, Study 2 update by co-chairs: 

AC: Dr. Jill Pipher, Brown University. 
Dr. Roger Falcone, U. California Berkeley 

Dr. Pipher provided an overview of the Major Research Facilities Committee. This committee serves to provide a set of considerations for prioritization of major facility projects across the competing needs of the communities served by the Directorate. The considerations should incorporate the financial and societal realities of the scientific enterprise in the 2020s, and the current and future needs of MPS communities. 

Anticipating, managing, and prioritizing community demand for investments that include a broad spectrum of astronomical telescopes, advanced light sources, leadership computational facilities, novel technologies for energy, and many others is an unprecedented challenge. A challenge that can and must be met. 

AC ngGW Subcommittee update 

Dr. Vicky Kalogera, Northwestern University 

Dr. Kalogera provided an overview of the newly established Next Generation Gravitational Wave (ngGW) Detector Concept Subcommittee to assess and recommend a set of concepts for new GW observatories in the U.S. The committee is charged with an overarching goal to identify configurations that can operate at approximately an order of magnitude greater than the sensitivity of LIGO A+ by the mid-2030s. While the outcome of this subcommittee will be to recommend an optimal ngGW concept, the expectation is that as that concept matures into an MREFC-scale detection network, the findings of this subcommittee will inform future deliberations of the existing MPSAC Subcommittee on Facilities and Major Research Infrastructure. 

Call for white papers that address the committee’s charge were due by June 12th, 2023. 

2.4 10:55 AM – 11:15 AM AC ERE 

AC ERE members Dr. Kimberly Jones of Howard University and Dr. Ben McCall of the University of Daytona provided background on the advisory committee for environmental research and education (ERE). The main purposes of the AC are: 

• To provide advice, recommendations, and oversight. 
• Be a base of contact with the scientific community to inform NSF of the impact of its research support and NSF-wide policies on the scientific community. 
• Serve as a forum for consideration of interdisciplinary environmental topics as well as environmental activities in a wide range of disciplines. 
• Provide broad input into long-range plans and partnership opportunities. 
• Perform oversight of program management, overall program balance, and other aspects of program performance for environmental research and education activities. 

The AC ERE is devoted sections of last two meetings to discussing environmental impacts of research. This spawned an “interest group” to explore this in more detail, and the group established a broad consensus that more awareness of the environmental impacts of research is needed amongst PIs, their institutions, and NSF. The ERE interest group discussed common themes regarding environmental impacts of research including: 

• PIs do have some influence on the environmental impacts of their work (e.g., travel decisions, participation in green lab programs). 
• Many elements of impacts are outside PI control (e.g., institutional energy procurement). 
• Concern about placing additional burdens on PIs in the proposal process. 
• Concerns about inequitable impact on PIs from less-resourced institutions. 

At the end of the presentation Drs. Howard and McCall called for an open dialogue about NSF’s impacts on the environment and asked for input from not only NSF personnel, but the MPSAC as well. 

2.5 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM Partnerships Programs: PREM, PREC, PAARE, PREP 

NSF: Dr. Sean Liam Jones, MPS Assistant Director 

Dr. Jones provided in introduction on partnerships and summarized each partnership program within the MPS division. The introduction was followed by visual overviews of each partnership program. 

PREM DMR 2122178: UTRGV-UMN Partnership to Strengthen the PREM Pathway 

NSF: Dr. Debasis Majumdar, Dr. Shadi Mamaghani, DMR PDs 
NSF: Dr. Germano Iannacchione, DMR DD 
Virtual: Dr. Karen Lozano, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. PI 
    With Alexa Villarreal, UTRGV, master’s student 
    With Narcedalia Anaya, UTRGV, undergraduate 
Dr. Tim Lodge, University of Minnesota, coPI 

PREC CHE 2216807: Partnership for Research and Education in Chemistry-Sustainable Polymers 

NSF: Dr. Anne-Marie Schmoltner, CHE PD 
NSF: Dr. David Berkowitz, CHE DD 
Virtual: Dr. Issifu Harruna, Clark Atlanta University. PI 
   With Zakiya Barnes, CAU graduate student 
Dr. Eric Mintz, Clark Atlanta University. coPI 
   With Aanesa Watson, CAU graduate student 
Dr. Mark Hillmeyer, University of Minnesota. CoDirector 
Dr. Jessica Lamb, University of Minnesota 

PAARE AST 2219109: The CSUF-led Partnership for Inclusion of Underrepresented groups in Gravitational-wave Astronomy 

NSF: Dr. Hans Krimm, AST PD 
NSF: Dr. Debra Fisher, AST DD 
Virtual: 
Dr. Geoffrey Lovelace, Cal State Fullerton. PI 
Dr. Jocelyn Read, Cal State Fullerton. Co-PI 
Marlo Ramo Morales, Washington State University. PhD student 
Andrea Ceja, Cal State Fullerton. Undergraduate 

PREP PHY 2216824: FIU-JULA Partnership for Research and Education in AMO Physics 

NSF: Dr. Kathy McCloud, PHY PD 
NSF: Dr. Denise C. Caldwell. PHY DD 
Virtual: 
Dr. Hebin Li, Florida International University. PI 
Dr. Eric Cornell, JILA, University of Colorado. Co-PI 
Dr. Jin He, Florida International University. Co-PI 
   With Navin, Prajapati, FLU. Graduate Student 
   Lexter Savio Rodriguez, FLU. Graduate Student 
   Alejandra Zavala, FLU. Graduate Student 
   Patricia Hector Hernandez, FLU. Undergraduate 

2.6 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM CEOSE 

NSF: Dr. Alicia Knoedler, Office of Integrative Activities 
AC: Dr. Tabbetha Dobbins, Rowan University 
NSF: Dr. Sandra Richardson, Section Head of the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) 

Dr. Knoedler provided an update of Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE). CEOSE provides a biennial report to the NSF Director comprised of prior two years activities and proposed recommended/suggested activities for upcoming two years. The Director then transmits this report to Congress unaltered--but with additional comments as the director deems appropriate. The 2021-22 Biennial Report will focus on Intersectionality in STEM. CEOSE’s current recommendation to NSF is to demonstrate and promote bold leadership actions to create, integrate, and make visible elements within and across its programs to enhance broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. CEOSE encourages NSF to: 

• Demonstrate leadership and empower leadership within its staff, advisors, and the communities it serves. 
• Increase knowledge and awareness of invisibility issues in STEM communities. 
• Identify the participation and advancement of underrepresented groups in the scientific enterprise and acknowledge meaningful leadership actions for transformational change. For more information, please see https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/ceose/index.jsp 

Preparation for Meeting with NSF Director, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief of Staff 

Members reviewed questions document prepped for meeting with NSF Director, Chief Operation and Chief of Staff Officer to ensure accuracy 

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Discussion with COO and Chief of Staff 

Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Karen Marrongelle 
Chief of Staff, Dr. Brian Stone 

MPS AC Chair Cornelia Lang introduced AC members to the COO, and Chief of Staff, and provided a summary of topics that were discussed over the two-day AC. 

• FY24 Budget Request. 
• Ongoing discussion about the importance of facilities and research infrastructure in the MPS portfolio. 
• Research Security and implications for principal investigators (especially at universities). 
• Strong support for MPS partnerships programs and their positive impact on broadening participation.

The session was closed with a farewell acknowledgement to Dr. Lynne Hillenbrand 

3:00 PM – 3:05 PM Closing Remarks 

AC: Dr. Cornelia C. Lang, MPS AC Chair 
NSF: Dr. Sean Liam Jones, MPS Assistant Director 

At 3:06 pm MPS AC Chair Cornelia Lang thanked everyone for joining the MPS AC meeting. She stated that this was a wonderful AC meeting and hoped everyone will join the next AC meeting in the fall.