Executive Committee

The Executive Committee (EC) comprises the Panel Chairs, Vice-Chairs and at-large TAC members, chaired by the TAC Chair. They review the larger-scale proposals (Large, Treasury, and AR Legacy). For Cycle 32, they will also review Multi-Cycle Treasury (MCT) programs, these are a special class of Treasury program requesting at least 350 orbits, to enable science that cannot be accommodated through standard GO programs.

The EC Meeting

For the EC review follows the same process as the topical panels. The Panel Chairs, Vice Chairs and At-Large TAC members are assigned as primary reviewers, secondary reviewers, and graders. Review proceeds with a preliminary grading phase, followed by triage, and then the discussion meeting. EC members should follow all guidance provided to the Discussion panelists for this part of the review.

During the Topical Panel Meetings

EC members have additional responsibilities during the topical panel meetings.

Panel Chairs and Vice Chairs

Chairs and Vice Chairs are assigned to a topical panel. You should work together to run the topical panel meeting. This involves:

  • Setting a schedule (including breaks!).
  • Chairing the meeting. Typically the Chair will assume on this role, with the Vice Chair stepping when the Chair has a conflict of interest. (At-Large TAC members can step in if both Chair and Vice Chair have a conflict.)
  • Facilitating the discussion, calling on Primaries, Secondaries, and then opening for general discussion.
  • Making sure everyone has an opportunity to speak and that no one dominates the discussion.
  • Monitoring conflicts of interest – the PSS and Leveler will assist with that.
  • Hearing feedback on Large, Treasury, and Legacy programs.
  • Checking comments for consistency and appropriateness.

You are not required to grade the proposals in your panel or read them in depth, but you should at least read the abstracts and familiarise yourself with the range of proposals before your panel.

TAC Chair and At-Large TAC Members

The TAC Chair and At-Large members are not assigned to a particular topical panel. You participate in the topical panel reviews as observers. This involves:

  • Moving between different topical panels (hopping between virtual calls), and observing the discussions.
  • For At-Large members, stepping in to chair a panel for the discussion of an individual proposals if both the Panel Chair and the Vice-Chair are conflicted.

You will not read or grade any proposals in the topical panels.


Next: Executive Committee Expert Reviews