X-Proposal Review Guidelines

Introduction

Extra-Large proposals (or X-proposals) are defined as those requesting a total of more than 1000 hours of telescope time and/or extending over four or more observing semesters.  To be accepted, X-proposals should demonstrate outstanding science impact, a high level of scientific and technical readiness, and excellent legacy science value (the potential to generate high science impact from community use of archival data and data products). 

The scientific review process for X-proposals will be different from the normal NRAO Science Review Panel (SRP) / Time Allocation Committee (TAC) process. The Science Review Panels will assess the scientific potential of each X-proposal in their science area, providing comments and a coarse grading (see below). A new X-Proposal Science Assessment Committee (XSAC) appointed by the NRAO and GBO Directors will assess the X-proposals for their scientific merit and likely legacy science value, taking into account the initial assessments from the SRPs.  The processing of X-proposals for review will be outside the PST.

Technical Review

An initial technical review will be performed on each X-proposal by observatory staff.  TTA personnel will assign technical reviewers and send them a tar file of the proposal PDFs.  Any conflicts of interest will be communicated offline between the reviewer and TTA member.

The technical reviewer will provide an assessment of the feasibility of the proposed observations.  This is not a detailed technical evaluation, which will be performed at a later time for a sub-set of X-proposals, but an evaluation that the proposed observations can be performed under the guidelines of the call for proposal.  The review should be emailed to x-proposals@nrao.edu using the same deadline as for the technical reviews of normal proposals. In the subject line put: "Technical Review: Proposal ID".

Science Review

Each SRP that has one or more X-proposals in its science area will receive a tar file of the proposal PDFs from TTA personnel. SRP members will declare any conflicts to the SRP chair via email using the same deadline to declare conflicts for normal proposals.

SRP members will read the X-proposals before the SRP telecon, but not submit any Individual review (e.g., score/text).

The SRP chair will set aside time during the SRP telecon to discuss each X-proposal separately.  A consensus review will be produced (as input to the XSAC) that consists of the following:

  • Overall evaluation of the proposed science in one of the following categories "Excellent", "Good", "Fair", or "Poor".
  • One or two paragraphs of text that summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal.


The SRP should evaluate the scientific potential only - taking account of the initial technical feasibility assessment, but should not otherwise seek to consider operational issues such as resourcing or data management.  In particular, the SRP should assess the scientific impact and the legacy value of the proposed observations.  The SRP chair will email each review to x-proposals@nrao.edu by the same deadline as for consensus reviews of normal proposals.  In the subject line put: "Science Review: Proposal ID".

TAC members will be provided with the full set of X-Proposals, and some members of the TAC will be members of the XSAC.  However the TAC will not have an explicit role in assessing the X Proposals since the set of proposals, including the science assessments from the SRPs, will be considered by the XSAC.

Connect with NRAO

The NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory and NSF Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NSF NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NSF NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NSF NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NSF NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (U.S. NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

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