Program Administration 



— A joint funding arrangement is in the process of development with N1H 

 for SCOR grants, and conversations have been held with other Federal 

 agencies. 



— NASA Center staff have been encouraged to develop relationships with 

 universities in their geographic areas. 



— International collaboration — particularly activities involving the Soviet 

 space program — has been intensified. 



Recommendations 



• The Life Sciences Division should increase its outreach activities to the 

 broader scientific community and develop strategies and implementation 

 plans that grow out of the program recommendations included in this report, 

 as well as the specific plans that emerge for the program disciplinary 

 planning process. 



• NASA should develop both policy and financial support for new rela- 

 tionships with universities, encouraging joint appointments at NASA Centers 

 and local universities in specific research areas and providing funds and 

 new mechanisms for the training of young scientists. In addition, the 

 Agency should establish professorships in space life sciences at selected 

 universities. 



• Senior personnel from the Life Sciences Division should participate in all 

 top-level planning of Agency programs. 



• International collaboration should also be increased by providing reciprocal 

 training opportunities for individuals at the Centers. 



Staffing for NASA Life Sciences 

 Findings 



• The permanent staff of the Life Sciences Division is a relatively homogeneous 

 group, largely composed of individuals who have been in the organization for 

 many years. 



— As a result of constraints imposed by budget limitations as well as policy 

 determinations, the program could not hire new, younger personnel. In 

 addition, the unpredictable nature of opportunities for flight research has 

 made it difficult to attract young scientists to the permanent staff. This is 

 especially problematic in a field where scientific changes occur rapidly. 



— Moreover, important leadership positions in the program have remained 

 unfilled for long periods of time. 



• Budget and personnel constraints have forced the program to depend heavily 

 on contractors to supplement the civil service staff. Constrained by available 

 funds, the program rarely used the short-term possibilities for appointment 

 available through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) and the potential 

 for loan of scientists from other Federal agencies. 



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