### *NASA Astrobiology Institute*

### *Charter*

***of***

#### *The Executive Council*

## 

## **Introduction**

The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) has established itself as a
leading force within the science community advancing interdisciplinary
research in astrobiology. The research and other activities of the NAI
are conducted largely through competitively-selected Teams distributed
across the U.S. The science objectives fundamental to astrobiology, and
hence to the NAI, are articulated in the Astrobiology Roadmap, a
document that presents both long-term goals and nearer-term objectives.
The Roadmap is the product of, and is periodically revised by, the
science community at large. Education and public outreach objectives of
the Institute are governed by the plans of several relevant NASA
organizations.

The NAI's institutional goals are expressed in its Mission Statement,
developed in 2001 by the Executive Council (EC or the Council), and
endorsed by then NAI Director, Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg:

The mission of the NASA Astrobiology Institute is to develop
astrobiology as a new field of knowledge within the context of the
Astrobiology Roadmap by:

> 1\) carrying out, supporting, and catalyzing collaborative
> interdisciplinary research;
>
> 2\) training the next generation of astrobiology researchers;
>
> 3\) providing scientific and technical leadership on astrobiology
> investigations for current and future space missions;
>
> 4\) exploring new approaches using modern information technology to
> conduct interdisciplinary and collaborative research amongst
> widely-distributed investigators; and
>
> 5\) supporting outreach by providing scientific content for K-14
> education programs, by teaching undergraduate classes, and by
> communicating directly with the public.

## 

This Mission Statement may be revised or updated by the Director of the
NAI at any time, in consultation with and in consideration of advice
given by the NAI EC.

## 

## **Institute Structure** 

NAI Teams are selected competitively through periodic peer reviewed
solicitations. Selected Teams are supported for five years through a
cooperative agreement with NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) or, for a
Team at a NASA field center, by the direct transfer of funds from NASA
HQ. Each Team is directed by a Principal Investigator (PI) who organizes
the activities within the Team and represents the Team to the NAI
Director, the NAI Executive Council, and to the administrative center
(at Ames Research Center) known as NAI Central. PIs are required to
designate a Deputy Team Leader who may speak for the Team when the PI is
not available.

The PIs are responsible for the direction of their Team's collaborative
and interdisciplinary research and for the encouragement and supervision
of their Education and Public Outreach projects. Their role is to
promote cohesion among members of their Team; to encourage cross-team,
international, and other external collaborations; to assist in
communicating NAI and NASA business among members of their Team; and to
supervise all required communications with, and reporting to, NAI
Central. They are also accountable for the management of funds provided
to them for the conduct of NAI-funded research and associated
activities, including addressing any issues that may arise with
recipients of subcontracts or grants issued through their home
institution.

The PIs, together with the NAI Director and Deputy Director, comprise
the Executive Council of the NAI during the period of performance of
their awards. The NAI Director leads the Institute by developing a
scientific and institutional vision for the NAI and is the Institute's
primary advocate to its sponsors and customers and to the science
community. The Deputy Director assists the Director in his duties, but
is responsible specifically for the management of the NAI\'s internal
structure of cooperative agreements, grants, contracts, and other
partnerships, as well as the planning and implementation of the NAI\'s
Sponsored Programs. The NAI Director chairs the EC and acts as its
Presiding Officer. The NAI Deputy Director is the NAI Director's
immediate alternate and delegate.

## **Role of the EC**

The Executive Council is charged with the following specific roles:

1)  raise, discuss, and provide insight into issues such as
    Institute-wide research objectives, astrobiology mission
    opportunities, and priorities for technology development;

2)  consider and analyze proposals to form NAI Focus Groups and other
    similar bodies;

3)  consider and comment on proposals for external partnerships (e.g.,
    international, interagency, or corporate);

4)  comment on the conduct of the Institute and discuss possible metrics
    and evaluative approaches aimed at assessing the progress of the
    NAI; and

5)  consider and provide perspective on other astrobiology issues at the
    request of the Director.

In addition to the roles enumerated above, the EC may undertake
additional activities or interactions that the members consider to be
within the scope of the NAI, germane to the goals of the Institute and
the interests of the astrobiology science community, and/or important to
NASA. Such additional activities must be endorsed by the NAI Director.

The NAI Director may, from time to time, appoint distinguished
scientists to an additional advisory body known as the Director's
Science Council. The membership, procedures, and advisory functions of
this body are at the discretion of the NAI Director.

## **Meetings of the EC**

The EC shall normally meet monthly by videoconference. Meetings shall be
scheduled for ninety (90) minutes, and a draft agenda shall be
distributed at least four (4) days prior to the meeting. Any member of
the Council may suggest items for the agenda. Minutes shall be taken,
distributed, and archived. Videotapes of the meetings shall be archived
and will be accessible by request.

In-person EC meetings will be held periodically, normally at one of the
NAI Team sites. The schedule for these meetings shall be set annually
for the next calendar year at the last such meeting of the year. There
shall normally be three in-person meetings each year. These meetings
will not be recorded, but minutes shall be taken, distributed, and
archived. There shall always be the opportunity for a private meeting of
the PIs during the periodic in-person meetings. When held, a brief
report from this meeting shall be provided to the NAI Director and
Deputy Director by a designated representative of the PIs present. The
content of the in camera session reporting is at the discretion of the
EC. There will be no regular EC videoconference for the month in which
an in-person meeting is held. Additional meetings of the EC may be
called at any time, depending upon the requirements of the Institute's
business.