The National Research Council’s Decadal Survey

Elements, resources, landscapes, and all other natural components of the planet are in a constant state of motion in one form or another. As the world has evolved, the resources that comprise it have also adapted to new climates, new weather patterns, and even interactions with new living creatures. The United States government has invested in research through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that looks to the future and determines where the interests of researchers should lie when it comes to the discovery and exploration within the field of Earth science.

Earth science is a term that includes many different sciences related to the planet. Earth scientists use physics, chemistry, biology, chronology and mathematics to understand how the planet functions. Of course this information is used by conservationists as well. This had led to the “green” movement which has affected everything from the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, to the buildings we live in. Here’s an example. Not only are eco-friendly cars currently available, but even cheap car insurance from an eco-friendly autoclub.

The National Research Council, or NRC, is the program that relays information to NASA concerning what areas of research should be of primary importance. The program bases its recommendations on the findings of a survey called the decadal survey—which is conducted every ten years. The decadal survey looks at the past and current states of the world to anticipate the fields of research that should be of a high priority in the future. Because the research projects that are designed by NASA and other agencies are highly involved and require a great deal of time to accomplish, the information gathered by the decadal survey allows these agencies to plan the next ten years of their research.

The NRC helps with this extensive planning process by pinpointing the areas of study that would most benefit from experimentation and observation. Oftentimes, the fields that are highlighted in the NRC’s survey are the ones that will directly affect the future of the human race and how it interacts with the rest of the world. Each survey is formatted into three different categories:

1. “Setting the Foundation: Observations in the Current Decade”
2. “New Observations for the Next Decade”
3. ” Turning Satellite Observations into Knowledge and Information”

The first category involves the advances that have already been made and recaps the findings of the last ten years, allowing the NRC to set the stage for how the current state of the scientific community influenced the recommendations that it will put forth. The second category sheds light on the issues that will be most important throughout the next decade—these are things to look out for, things to keep an eye on, and things to explore through scientific research and study. Last but not least, the third category encourages utilizing satellite observations to further the understanding that today’s scientists have of the world. This is crucial, as this allows researchers to call upon already recognized but as of yet unexplored observations to enhance their worldview.

The last decadal survey, which was completed in 2007, cited the need for the United States to once again become a world leader in the field of Earth science by utilizing available resources, which are accessible through a variety of hands, from the professionals in the private sector to the researchers involved in international studies.

Through a proactive approach that anticipates the needs of the world and adjusts scientific efforts accordingly, the decadal survey is very useful insofar as it prepares government leaders to focus on the most pressing issues and push the boundaries of human knowledge and scientific ability to achieve a higher level of understanding about the world.