Call for nominations for membership of the Discovery Advisory Committee for Science
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-11)

The UK Space Agency seeks nominations for membership of its Discovery Advisory Committee for Science (DACS).

DACS is responsible for advising the Agency on the overall strategy for involvement in space science projects, taking account of issues relating to Space Science, technology, industry, potential spin-off applications, science and society opportunities, education, and skills. DACS provides advice on the ranking and relative priority of current and potential future space science projects as an input to both funding and review decisions conducted by or for the UK Space Agency. The Committee also advises UK Space Agency’s ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC) delegation on UK positions for SPC meetings, as well as wider opportunities and benefits arising from the space science programme and the broader industrial and academic community. Membership of DACS consists of representatives of the academic and industrial groups from across the breadth of relevant subject areas.

Through this call for membership UK Space Agency is seeking up to eight new members to join DACS. The Committee relies on a broad range of expertise from academia and industry, and no specific specialisms are prioritised in this call. Through the selection process UK Space Agency will take account of balance of gender, career stage, scientific/technical/management expertise and institutional representation across the Committee’s membership.

Nominations should be made by email, no later than 7 March at 6:00 pm to the email address below and include the following information:
- Name
- Organisation
- Research interests
- Summary (200-300 words) of relevant experience
Suitable candidates are expected to have:
- experience of working with international space programmes (e.g., with ESA (European Space Agency), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)).
- broad knowledge of the UK R+D landscape.
- knowledge of the political and strategic challenges of work in this area, at both a national and international level.
- scientific expertise in a space science-related discipline, such as astronomy, solar system science, astrophysics, cosmology, excluding the life sciences.
We are welcoming applicants from diverse backgrounds and career stages to complement our committees. We strive for an inclusive culture at the UK Space Agency where people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

Membership is on a two-year term, and meetings are usually held quarterly with the next DACS meeting after the deadline scheduled for 29 May 2025.

To submit a nomination (either for yourself or for a colleague) or for more information about the DACS and what membership entails, please contact xxx@xxx.xx

The terms of reference for the committee can be found here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terms-of-reference-discovery-advisory-committee-for-science-dacs/discovery-advisory-committee-for-science-dacs-terms-of-reference).