White Paper on Improvements to the NASA Research and Analysis Proposal and Review System

TL;DR

This white paper discusses improvements to NASA's Research and Analysis proposal system, emphasizing increased funding, fairness, and support for the planetary science research community.

Contribution

It provides specific recommendations to enhance NASA's proposal review process and support for researchers, aiming for a more equitable and sustainable scientific community.

Findings

Recommend increasing funding to support a 40% selection rate.

Advocate for measures to reduce biases in peer review.

Suggest actions to support next-generation planetary scientists.

Abstract

We review some key issues pertaining to NASA's Research and Analysis programs, and offer recommended actions to mitigate or resolve these issues. In particular, we recommended that NASA increases funding to support a healthy selection rate (~40%) for R&A programs, which underpin much scientific discovery with NASA mission data, and on which the majority of the U.S. planetary science community relies (either in part or wholly). We also recommend additional actions NASA can take to ensure a more equitable and sustainable planetary science research community in the U.S., including supporting the next generations of planetary researchers, working to minimize biases in peer review, and reducing the burden of scientists as they prepare R&A proposals.