Creation's Tiny Mystery

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ASTRONOMICAL, ATMOSPHERIC, EARTH, AND OCEAN SCIENCES	June 17, 1982

Honorable Robert S. Walker
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.   20515

Dear Mr. Walker:

Thank you for your memo to Mr. Raymond Bye, Jr. of May 12 and the enclosed letter from Mr. Leroy Anderson of Denver, Pennsylvania. Both of these are enclosed with this reply.

Mr. Anderson is correct when he states in his letter that Dr. Robert Gentry is the world's leading authority on the observation and measurement of anomolous radio-active haloes. Because of his recognized capabilities, Dr. Gentry's research was funded by the Foundation during the early 1970's. In 1977, however, a proposal presented by Dr. Gentry was declined. A copy of the pertinent correspondence is enclosed. That action was based upon the recommendations of six of his peer scientists, who found that the proposal did not measure up to either Dr. Gentry's earlier standards, as evidenced by his previously successful proposals, or to the standards of the Foundation.

Following the declination, Dr. Gentry requested a formal reconsideration of his proposal. The procedures to be followed in such a situation are set forth in the enclosed NSF Circular No. 127 (revised August 1980). The outcome of the reconsideration was that the decision to decline was sustained. A copy of the letter informing Dr. Gentry of that decision is enclosed. The proposal to which your constituent, Mr. Anderson, refers was submitted in 1979. It was reviewed by mail by six of Dr. Gentry's peer scientists and by a panel of six additional scientists. Based upon the recommendations of these twelve knowledgeable persons, the proposed research was declined in April 1980. A copy of the correspondence is enclosed.

Please note that in each letter to Dr. Gentry he has been invited to resubmit his proposed research ideas. The funding process within the NSF is competitive for each submission of a proposal. The fact that a proposer has a grant in force does not bear upon whether he will be awarded a new grant. Each offering must stand on its own merit. We will be pleased to review and evaluate a proposal from Dr. Gentry at any time. I assure you that any submission will be given a fair, honest and open appraisal by his peers and that if they judge his ideas as worthy of support, he will be funded.

We appreciate your interest in the Foundation's programs and will be pleased to supply you with further information if you wish.

Enclosures

Sincerely yours, Francis S. Johnson Assistant Director

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