division on earth and life studies brochure

7/28/2019 Division on Earth and Life Studies Brochure

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NATIONAL T H E

A CA

D E MI E S

NatioNal academy of ScieNceS ° NatioNal academy of eNgiNeeriNg

iNStitute of mediciNe ° NatioNal reSearch couNcil

Division on

Earth & Life Studies Where the nation turns for independent,expert advice



“...the Academy shall, whenevercalled upon by any department of theGovernment, investigate, examine,experiment, and report upon anysubject of science...” —1863CharteroftheNationalAcademyofSciences



As the Academy’s advisory role grew, its leadership established

the National Research Council in 1916 as its operating arm. Later,

as science and technology came to play an ever-increasing role

in national advancement, the institution eventually expanded

to include two more honorifc bodies: the National Academy o

Engineering was created in 1964, and the Institute o Medicine in

1970. Unifed as one non-proft, non-governmental organization,

these afliated bodies collectively are known as the National

Academies.

The National Academies continues its advisory mission today. It

remains the only institution chartered by Congress to advise the

nation on science and technology. Each year, about 6,000 scientists,

engineers, public health proessionals and other experts serve

uncompensated on study committees appointed to answer specifc

questions. While chartered by Congress to advise the government,

the National Academies is independent and receives no direct

congressional unding. It is not an advocacy group and it does not

consult or any or-proft entities. Its studies are carried out at the

request o ederal, state, and local government agencies as well as

some oundations.

Earth & Lie Studies is a division within the National Academies that

enlists scientists to address issues o local and national importance

at the intersection o public policy and the geo-, lie, and chemical

sciences, as well as subjects ranging rom the environment to

agriculture to disaster response.

serving

the nation

In 1863, President Lincoln signed the chartercreating the National Academy o Sciencesto honor the nation’s top scientists with

membershipand enlist themto serve asindependentexpert advisorsto the nation.

Our committees produce independent,peer-reviewed consensus reports thathelp decision-makers understand thescientifc issues at hand.



They asked the National Academies to

review current practices in toxicity testing

and create a ar-reaching vision or theuture o the science.

Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century

(2007) concluded that developing, improving, and validating

new laboratory tools based on recent scientic advances could

signicantly improve our ability to understand the hazards and

risks posed by chemicals.

The report advocated sweeping changes in regulatory toxicity

testing, changes geared towards creating more inormed

environmental regulations and dramatically reducing the need

or animal testing.

assessing scientifcadvances

The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency was looking or a vision andstrategy or revolutionary change in

the scientic approach to testing andevaluating toxic chemicals.

In response to this report,the Environmental ProtectionAgency and two o the National

Institutes o Health ormallyagreed to undertake the researchand development needed to achievethat vision.



To ensure that sh populations are not overexploited,

managers typically monitor recreational shing through

surveys. The National Academies undertook a study othose surveys to determine i they provided an accurate

picture o the recreational shing landscape.

Review o Recreational Fisheries Survey Methods

(2006) concluded that the most ecient way to improve

current surveys would be to establish a national registry o

all saltwater anglers.

Recreational shing in the United States is animportant social and economic component o many marine sheries, with an estimated 14

million anglers making almost 82 million shingtrips in 2004.

oering guidance tolawmakers

Later that year, Congress passedthe Magnuson-Stevens FisheryConservation and Management

Reauthorization Act, whichspecifcally cited the Academies report in calling or anational registry and a new survey methodology.



Molybdenum-99, which is used in the majority o medical

diagnostic imaging procedures in the United States, is typically

produced using highly enriched uranium, or HEU. HEU is also

used in nuclear explosive devices, so the U.S. government has

sought to minimize its civilian applications.

Medical Isotope Production without Highly Enriched

Uranium (2009) ound that molybdenum-99 could be produced

with low enriched uranium instead and that conversion rom

the production o high to low enriched uranium could be

accomplished at a relatively low cost.

helping to saeguardthe public

In 2005, Congress directed the Academies to producea report dealing with the thorny problems posed by

the use o highly enriched uranium in the productiono medical isotopes.

In November o 2009, the House oRepresentatives passed a bill to support

domestic projects aimed at producingmolybdenum-99 using low enricheduranium.



Seeking objective outside advice, they turned to the National

Academies to carry out a study that would answer a central

question in the debate: i 1 million acre-eet o water were to beremoved rom the river, what impact would that action have on

endangered species?

The National Research Council report Managing the Columbia

River: Instream Flows, Water Withdrawals, and Salmon

Survival (2004) concluded that water removal could put salmon

populations at risk and that water withdrawals would have to be

made careully to avoid aecting wildlie.

supportingeorts toprotect the

environment

Washington state lawmakers had wrestled withmanagement o water resources in the tightly

controlled Columbia River Basin.

State policymakers passed legislation creating a

new water storage program with provisions or theprotection o salmon based on the report’s fndings.



I the supply o any given mineral were to become restricted,

consumers and sectors o the U.S. economy could be

signicantly aected. Until 2006, however, no methodology

existed to identiy which minerals are most critical.

Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy (2006)

introduced a “criticality matrix,” which is a simple generic tool

or evaluating mineral criticality, fexible enough to adapt to any

specic business or strategic needs.

addressingchallengesto industry

Some minerals are critical to the normal operationo the U.S. economy. For minerals like the platinumgroup metals used to make catalytic converters in

cars, there is no substitute.

General Electric hasnow adopted the matrix

described in this report to

help guide business decisionsrelated to the purchase o minerals and manuactureo products.



In light o the challenges posed by its enormous realm o

oversight with regard to water discharge, the EPA asked the

National Research Council to review its stormwater program.

In the resulting report, Urban Stormwater Management

in the United States (2009), the NRC called or an entirely

new permitting structure that would put authority and

accountability or stormwater discharges at the municipal

watershed level.

advisingregulatorybodies

The rapid conversion o open land to urban andsuburban areas has prooundly altered how waterfows during and ollowing storms, channeling

higher volumes o water and more pollutants intothe nation’s rivers, lakes, and estuaries.

The EPA has acted on anumber o recommendationsrom this report to improve

its 20-year program orregulating stormwater.



Evaluating scientifc approaches

Starting in the 1960s, FBI testimony in thousands o criminal cases

relied on comparing the elemental composition o bullets ound at

a crime scene to the elemental composition o bullets ound in a

suspect’s possession. In 2007, the FBI announced it would review all

criminal convictions in which this type o analysis had been used ater

the technique was critiqued in Forensic Analysis: Weighing Bullet Lead Evidence (2004).

Finding solutions to the challenges o agriculture Pollinators are insects, birds, bats, and other animals that carry pollen

rom the male to the emale parts o fowers or plant reproduction

and an essential part o natural and agricultural ecosystems. Status

o Pollinators in North America (2006) identied species in decline,

causes o decline, and potential consequences, resulting in more

unding or USDA’s pollinator research program.

Responding to public health concernsSae drinking water is important to everyone. Arsenic in Drinking

Water: 2001 Update provided the scientic basis or the

Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to reduce the maximum

allowable level o arsenic in drinking water rom 50 to 10 parts per

billion, making the nation’s drinking water saer.

Inorming government spending decisionsPolar icebreaking ships provide access to the polar regions above

the Arctic circle and in the Antarctic, where the United States has

enduring interests. Polar Icebreakers in a Changing World (2006)

recommended the construction o two new icebreakers, which

Congress then ordered the U.S. Coast Guard to acquire or construct.



Contributing to science educationTo accompany Earth Observations rom Space: The First 50

Years o Scientifc Achievements, the Academies released a

CD and brochure. The CD contained images and video clips rom

throughout the history o satellite and spacefight. Thousands

o copies o the CD have been requested by teachers in K-12

education.

Defning new terrain or scientifc studyThe New Science o Metagenomics (2007) provided an overview

o this emerging area o study, which provides a new way o

viewing the microbial world. This report both coined the term or

this exciting new eld and assessed its current state and uture

opportunities.

Providing guidance or ederal agenciesElevation Data or Floodplain Mapping (2007) highlighted

methods and technologies that could be used to modernize the

Federal Emergency Management Agency’s foodplain maps. The

U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee acknowledged the value o

the report’s recommendations and directed FEMA to implement the

report’s recommendations as it continues its Map Modernization

Program.

Sustaining biological diversityEndangered and Threatened Fishes o the Klamath River

Basin: Causes o Decline and Strategies or Recovery (2003)

identied priorities or ederal agencies charged with protecting sh

in Oregon’s Upper Klamath Lake and Klamath River. It identied our

dams on the river as the most signicant dangers to the river’s sh

populations. Currently there is an agreement to remove all our o

the dams to protect the sh.



ReportsThe National Academies produce about 200 authoritative reports a year, ranging

rom targeted studies to comprehensive assessments. The study process brings

together scientists and other experts with diverse backgrounds and points

o view. These volunteers are chosen by the Academies to address a specic

set o questions. Committee members work together to review available

scientic evidence, reach consensus, and issue a report with their ndings and

recommendations in an environment ree o political, special-interest, and

agency infuence. A rigorous peer review and other checks and balances are a

part o every study to ensure the integrity o the reports.

Reports are organized into three general categories:

Regulatory analyses are designed to help guide regulatory and policy

decisions. For example, a U.S. House o Representatives committee requested

and then implemented the recommendations o Scientifc and Humane Issues in

the Use o Random Source Dogs and Cats (2009).

Program reviews evaluate current or proposed government programs. For

example, municipalities, counties, and states grappling with ensuring adequate

amounts o water in times o high demand and low supply may benet rom The

Science o Instream Flows: A Review o the Texas Instream Flow Program (2005).

General assistance reports answer specic questions on diverse topics. For

example, the Florida Department o Citrus has sought advice and assistance

o the Academies in combating Greening Disease, a currently incurable insect-

borne disease that kills citrus trees in within a ew years o inection. The state

is unding research based upon the Academies recommendations. In another

example, advice on how to begin a program to transport spent nuclear uel

rom current storage to permanent storage, as outlined in Going the Distance?

The Sae Transport o Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste in

the U.S . (2006), has been used to support a variety o actions taken by the U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Association o American Railroads, and the

U.S. Department o Energy.

Serving the nation with expert,independent advice in many dierent ways.



Convening ActivitiesConvening activities bring together experts with wide ranges o perspectives to

discuss timely issues. Oten these involve policy-makers, members o industry,

scientists, and sometimes the general public. The events include workshops,

symposia, and roundtables that can have anywhere rom 25 to 500 participantsor more. Proceedings or workshop summaries are oten produced to capture

the inormation discussed or those who cannot attend in person. For example,

the Disasters Roundtable convenes in Washington, DC several times a year to

discuss important issues related to understanding and reducing the eects o

natural, technological, and other disasters.

CommunicationsThe Academies are not policy advocates and do not

represent a stakeholder view point. However, to

serve the mandate to advise the nation on matterso science and technology, there are a wide range o

eorts to communicate the results o the Academies’

work. For example, the Division on Earth and Lie

Studies has produced a “Report in Brie” series, that

presents the messages o many reports in a 4-page

ormat. In addition, the division has produced and distributed

numerous educational booklets, web resources, and other materials

that help broaden the reach o our reports. For example, the

educational booklet Understanding and Responding to Climate

Change synthesizes our body o work in climate change or a

lay audience. Nearly all o these communications products are

available online or ree.

In addition, DELS publishes the ILAR

Journal, a quarterly journal on current

topics in the eld o laboratory animal

research.



Board on Agriculture and Natural ResourcesBANR addresses science and policy issues con-ronting the agricultural, ood, and environmentalsystems.Phone: (202) 334-3062http://dels.nas.edu/banr

Board on Atmospheric Sciences and ClimateBASC seeks to advance understanding o atmo-

sphere chemistry and dynamics, weather, andclimate, and to improve the ability to apply thisknowledge or the benet o society.Phone: (202) 334-3512http://dels.nas.edu/basc

Board on Chemical Sciences and TechnologyBCST’s goal is to ensure accurate, authoritativeevaluation o national issues involving chemistryand chemical engineering.Phone: (202) 334-2156http://dels.nas.edu/bcst

Board on Earth Sciences and ResourcesBESR oversees a wide range o Earth Science is-sues, including research, the environment, naturalhazards, resources, data and mapping, geogra-phy, and education.Phone: (202) 334-2744http://dels.nas.edu/besr

Board on Environmental Studies and ToxicologyBEST addresses environmental pollution problemsaecting human health, the assessment and man-

agement o risks to human health, and humanimpacts on the environment.Phone: (202) 334-3060http://dels.nas.edu/best

Board on Life SciencesBLS serves as the National Academies’ ocal pointor a wide range o technical and policy topics inthe lie sciences.Phone: (202) 334-2187http://dels.nas.edu/bls

Disasters RoundtableThe Disasters Roundtable coordinates the Acad-emies’ discussions with the ederal governmentand others on disaster reduction issues o domes-tic and international importance.Phone: (202) 334-2243http://dels.nas.edu/dr

Institute for Laboratory Animal ResearchILAR prepares reports on subjects o impor-tance to the animal care and use com-munity and serves as a clearinghouse orinormation about animal resources.Phone: (202) 334-2590http://dels.nas.edu/ilar

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board

NRSB provides an open orum or discus-sion on saety, security, technical ecacyand other issues arising rom the ap-plication o nuclear and radiation-basedtechnologies.Phone: (202) 334-3066http://dels.nas.edu/nrsb

Radiation Effects Research Foundation(Hiroshima, Japan)RERF is a unique binational research institu-tion, supported by the United States and

Japan. It conducts long-term health ollow-up studies o atomic bomb survivors.Phone: 81-82-261-3131http://www.rer.or.jp

Ocean Studies BoardOSB explores the science, policies, andinrastructure needed to understand,manage, and protect coastal and marineenvironments and resources.Phone: (202) 334-2714http://dels.nas.edu/osb

Polar Research BoardPRB conducts studies in areas o polarscience, technology and resource manage-ment, providing guidance on issues in theArctic, the Antarctic and other cold regions.Phone: (202) 334-3479http://dels.nas.edu/prb

Water Science and Technology BoardWSTB’s objective is to improve the scienticand technological basis or resolving im-portant issues associated with the manage-ment and use o water resources.Phone: (202) 334-3422http://dels.nas.edu/wstb

DELS BoardsThe work of the Division on Earth and Life Studies is carried out by 12 boards.Each board organizes committees, administrates studies, and issues reports onsubjects in its area of focus.



WoRkiNg WiTh ThE ACADEMiES

Te Natnal Academes are eqpped wt admnstratve tls

r wrn wt ederal, state, and ter spnsrs t fnd

answers t ey scentfc qestns. Blanet atrzatn asbeen ranted r ederal sle-srce cntacts. Researc rants,

cperatve areements, and cntract prpsals can be rapdly

prepared. Csts vary wt te type and scpe te actvty.

Te Natnal Academes ave mplemented mecansms

t redce csts and are cntnn t revew plces and

prcedres t denty ter canes t mae te prcess as

efcent as pssble.

hoW To ACCESS ouR ExPERT REPoRTS AND FiNDiNgS

g t r dvsn web ste (ttp://dels.nas.ed) t brwse r

ndependent epert reprts, t searc r specfc fndns rm

te reprts, and t sn p t receve emal pdates abt r

latest news, events, reprts, and prjects. Te dvsn’s reprts

are als avalable rm te Natnal Academes Press

(ttp://www.nap.ed).



Division on Earth and Life StudiesThe National Academies

500 Fifth Street, NWWashington, DC 20001

E-mail: [email protected]: 202-334-2500

Fax: 202-334-3362

Warren R. Muir, Executive Director

http://dels.nas.edu

division on earth and life studies brochure

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