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]

Q5: Will there be payment for the BPWOC members?

A5: Yes, this is a substantial time commitment. Panelists who are eligible will receive an honorarium for their time, according to the standard honorarium rate offered to community members, which is:              $1000 for OC members or full days, (5 or more hours)              $500 for OC members for half days, (2-4 hours)              $250 for OC members for any meetings less than 2 hours. [Added May 17, 2022]

Q6: What is the purpose of the SMD Bridge Workshop?

A6: The purpose of the workshop is to bring all stakeholders in the NASA SMD Bridge Program together to co-create a program that increases the diversity of the NASA STEM workforce. The workshop goals are to:

Q7: What happens after the workshop? What are the deliverables?

A7: There will be a written report after the workshop to communicate to all stakeholders what the NASA SMD Bridge Program is, and why it is important to NASA. It will include documenting lessons learned from current Bridge and similar programs, major themes of the workshop content, and agreed upon goals of the program. Content of the written report can be expected to mirror the topics covered in the stated workshop goals above. BPWOC panel members will be expected to collect and contribute to content for this report, and offer their feedback on the draft, as it is finalized. [Added May 17, 2022]

Q8:  What will determine if there is a second workshop?  

A8: We anticipate at least one follow-on workshop. After the initial workshop, the draft call for proposals will be finalized. It will then be released, with a 60-90 day window for proposals to be received.

A second workshop is anticipated after the first set of proposals are reviewed, and the first Bridge partnerships selected, to assess whether the program is meeting the stated goals, and to solicit inputs on areas for improvement. The second workshop is anticipated to be held around one year after the first. [Added May 17, 2022]

Questions about the SMD Bridge Program should be directed to Padi Boyd (padi.boyd@nasa.gov) and please cc SARA@nasa.gov.