Geologic Discipline Scientist Emeritus Program Policy Statement

Introduction

The GD Scientist Emeritus Volunteer Program is an important element in the U.S. Geological Survey’s service to the Nation. It allows individuals to contribute their time and wisdom to enhance U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) programs and to serve the public in various ways.

The purpose of the Scientist Emeritus Program is for retired USGS senior scientists/experts to volunteer their expertise, intellect, and creativity in efforts that allow them to remain active in the geoscience community, enhance the programmatic activities of the Geologic Discipline, and serve the public.

The SE Program, which is part of the Volunteer for Science Program as defined in Chapter 500.23 of the Survey Manual, is open to all scientists and technical experts who have demonstrated leadership qualities and contributed to the goals of the USGS during a productive career. As long as the individual applying has been a scientist or technical expert, the series, grade or title will not prohibit that individual from being considered for the SE Program. Those who don’t qualify for the SE Program should consider becoming part of the USGS Volunteer for Science Program.

Volunteers can contribute to the USGS in many ways:

• Continue scientific investigations and complete products
• Start new areas of research that are of importance to the USGS and the Nation
• Provide expertise in support of USGS projects and programs
• Provide seasoned counsel to managers and individual scientists
• Mentor current or new employees and students
• Provide an institutional memory within the Federal Government
• Contribute to professional societies
• Serve on scientific advisory committees
• Review scientific manuscripts
• Provide outreach to community groups about USGS activities and topics related to the scientist’s expertise

Categories of Scientists Emeriti

The Scientist Emeritus program includes two categories: Scientist Emeritus and Scientist Emeritus - Honorary.

Scientist Emeritus

Most Scientists Emeriti will be associated with teams and address priority issues established through the leadership of the supporting Program and Team. Scientists Emeriti can remain as active project members in order to complete publications or conduct project-specific work. They will be assigned to specific projects and will work on agreed upon tasks in BASIS+ projects.

They will be active members of the project team and will be encouraged to participate in meetings and project activities. Scientists Emeriti may also pursue activities such as outreach, staff support to management, library assistance, or overseeing a special project. They may also complete work from the past (experimental, mapping, interpretive) that is no longer associated with a project or new work that does not fit into an existing project.

Scientist Emeritus – Honorary

This category is reserved for scientists who have had long, distinguished careers with the USGS but who are now less involved in USGS science activities. Such SE will be assigned to an organizational unit based upon their geographic location and will receive some limited resources, such as access to a phone, email, and the internet.

Funding and Support

Scientists Emeriti (other than SE – Honorary) may need funding for supplies, laboratory analyses, field work, scientific meetings, staff support, etc. These funds may come from different sources depending upon the work being completed by the Scientist Emeritus. Scientists Emeriti can apply for funding from the Bradley Scholar Program if their work fits program guidelines. SE may also receive support from their teams or, if SE activities are outside the team/project level, from the Regions or Programs. It is possible that a SE may receive funding from several sources.

Funding for emeriti should be synchronous with the operational funding cycle. Funding and other resource needs are evaluated on a yearly basis.

Bradley Scholar Program

Those emeriti who wish to investigate new science research frontiers or provide specialized scientific expertise and research that is of long-range importance to the USGS and the Nation can apply to the Bradley Scholar Program. Bradley Scholar recipients can be funded for up to three years, but their progress and resource availability will be reviewed annually. A call for proposals for the Bradley Scholar Program will be announced by the Associate Director for Geology’s Office in early summer.

SE Guidelines

Uniform procedures and standards are used to administer the Scientist Emeritus Program. Regulations applying to the Volunteer for Science Program (Survey Manual, 500.23.10D, dated 11/5/87) and the Volunteer for Science Program Handbook, 500-23-H (10/87) also apply to the Scientist Emeritus Program. Volunteers are required to record the hours they work for the USGS. SE should report their hours on a quarterly basis using the time log form on this website or they can be obtained from their team management office.

Admission

The Regional Executive is the authorizing USGS official to review and approve SE applications. A retiring or retired scientist or technical expert may apply to the Scientist Emeritus Program by  filling out the online version of the USGS Individual Volunteer Services Agreement Form 9-2080 .  Because this form must be submitted online through the USGS Intranet, some of you may not have access.  If so, please contact your Administrative Officer, and have him/her enter the data for you.

There is only one form for all USGS volunteers, which does not capture sufficient information about our Scientists Emeriti.  Therefore, the decision has been made to expand Section 4 to accommodate additional Scientist Emeritus information.  The “Project Description” Section 4 MUST include additional Scientist Emeritus information (where you will be working, USGS projects with which you will be involved, your funding needs, and your annual progress information). More specific guidelines for filling out Section 4 can be found on this Web site under the Annual Agreement Form section. A hard copy version of Form 9-2080 is then submitted to the Regional Executive through the Team Chief Scientist.  This agreement is for one year.  Once the information is submitted, the appropriate Team Chief Scientist/Project Chief/Program Coordinator/HeadquartersManager/or Regional Manager will be consulted about the appointment, depending on the nature of the work proposed.

Annual Progress Review

Scientist Emeritus accomplishments from the previous fiscal year MUST be included in the next year’s volunteer form in Section 4 .  For continuing appointments, the TCS or TCS designee will sit down with the Scientist Emeritus and discuss the contents of the form by means of an Annual Checklist . This discussion should result in a shared understanding of the Scientist Emeritus’ needs and what the cost center is able to provide.

Conduct and Ethics Issues

Scientists Emeriti are expected to follow ethics rules applicable to their status and position. Written agreement to abide by the Ethics Rules for Scientists Emeriti is an expected "condition of acceptance" into the Emeritus Program and continued adherence to them is a “condition of continuation” in the Emeritus Program.

National Consistency

The regions are now playing a larger role in the Scientist Emeritus Program and, in order to keep track of the program members and ensure consistency across regions, the following mechanisms will be used:

Website – a website will be maintained to provide information concerning the Scientist Emeritus Program.