Charter of the GSFC Engineering Colloquium
January 27, 1997
Mission
The mission of the GSFC Engineering Colloquium is
to enhance the professional development of the Center's
technology workforce and thereby strengthen Goddard's
leadership role in space technology. The Colloquium
provides a forum to strengthen the synergy between the
science and technology communities. The Engineering
Colloquium Committee will accomplish this by providing
weekly colloquia whose invited speakers address the
development and infusion of leading edge technologies that
support the Center's goals in Earth and Space Science.
Strategy
The Committee will conduct colloquia that emphasize the
following:
- innovative technology research, development, and
implementation within the Center and with
external partners;
- the continuous education of the Center's technical
workforce;
- systems planning that facilitates the testing and
infusion of new technology into advanced airborne and
spaceborne instruments, spacecraft, and ground-support
systems with the aim of providing low cost, high
performance systems consistent with the Center's strategic
mission;
- technology transfer to the nation's industrial base;
- quantitative and meaningful assessment of the
Center's progress toward meeting its goals;
- an historic perspective to serve as a foundation
for the Center’s technology;
- the ceremonial presentation of awards and recognition
for outstanding accomplishment, such as the Center's annual
Moe I. Schneebaum Memorial Award.
Plan
In order to provide colloquia that comply with the above challenges, the Committee shall:
- select topics and speakers from a wide range of disciplines that are
relevant to Goddard's strategic mission and that stimulate the
imagination and creativity of our technical workforce;
- ensure that colloquia constitute a forum in which a dialogue can
occur between invited speakers and interested members of
the technical community;
- present colloquia that offer hands-on access to technology whenever
possible, and that serve as a showcase that can educate the
Center's technical community;
- advertise the Engineering Colloquia in the most broad and effective
manner with the recognition that they assist the Center in its
mission to reach out to the local community;
- solicit suggestions of colloquia topics and speakers from the audience
and stakeholders, and invite their evaluation of the
Colloquia’s effectiveness;
- form and operate in a manner that is inclusive of the diversity
present in the Center;
- be aware of the fact that Committee Members act as
representatives of the Center.