Q1: Please provide additional information about the nature of the time commitment and the duration for the Workshop Organizing Committee.

A1: The members of the Bridge Program Workshop Organizing Committee (BPWOC) are expected to be selected and contacted by early June 2022. The work of the BPWOC is expected to take place over five consecutive months (June through October). Weekly planning telecons will begin in mid-June and continue through mid-August. BPWOC are expected to attend and participate in these telecons. Meeting recordings will be made in the case of unavoidable absences, and to capture the discussions. During the summer months, there will often be at least one additional virtual meeting or event (such as information sessions and town halls) attendance at and participation in which will be optional, but highly encouraged for BPWOC members. It is possible that the BPWOC may break into smaller working groups, in which case the expectations and time commitments will be set by that group. The initial workshop, fully virtual, is likely to be scheduled in the Fall of 2022 and take place over 3 to 4 full days. The BPWOC will be expected to attend and participate in the workshop, as well as several follow-on meetings to capture and document major themes and lessons learned from the workshop. If a subsequent workshop is recommended, BPWOC members may have the option of continuing their participation.
[Added May 9, 2022]

Q2: I am a Civil Servant from another government organization and my background and interests align with this opportunity. Am I eligible to apply and participate?

A2: Yes, civil servants from other government organizations are eligible to apply and participate on the SMD BPWOC. However, as a civil servant they cannot accept an honorarium. In the event that future work of the committee eventually includes in-person travel, NASA may have to work with the home organization to initiate the travel orders.
[Added May 9, 2022]

Q3: When will the SMD Bridge Program begin?

A3: A call for Bridge proposals will be released about a month after the SMD Bridge Workshop.
[Added May 9, 2022]

Q4: How can I participate in the SMD Bridge Program?

A4: Thank you for your interest in participating in the SMD Bridge Program! Please visit our Website at https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/smd-bridge-program for updates, and plan to attend the SMD Bridge Workshop in the Fall to learn more about the program, and share your goals and feedback. Participants will eventually need to propose to the program. In order to do so, make sure you have an account on NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES; https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/) and under Account Management, under Email Subscriptions, sign up for the SMD General Subscription List. This way you will receive the latest updates as soon as they are announced.
[Added May 9, 2022]

Questions about the SMD Bridge Program should be directed to Padi Boyd ([email protected]) and please cc [email protected].