Triage for Proposals

Triage for Proposals

Triage for Proposals

EVLA & VLBA

All proposals with normalized ratings poorer than 2.8 are provisionally rejected, while those with ratings better than 1.3 are provisionally approved. Any Proposal Selection Committee (PSC) member may ask for discussion of any individual proposal outside the 1.3-2.8 range. Possible reasons for discussion may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • A highly ranked proposal may not be technically feasible, or may have an error in a sensitivity calculation.
  • A highly ranked or poorly ranked proposal may have very few referee ratings, due to unforseen conflicts that cause referees to disqualify themselves.
  • A well-ranked or poorly-ranked proposal may have a wide dispersion in referee ratings and comments.
  • One referee (or PSC member) may notice a significant technical or scientific problem with a proposal that is not caught by the remaining referees.
  • A poorly ranked proposal may be a component of a student's dissertation, and it may be desirable to consider completing or beginning the dissertation observations in spite of a poor ranking for a particular proposal.
  • A proposal may be in a referee category with few proposals, so that small-number statistics in the referee ratings have a significant impact on the proposal's rating.

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..."

AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.