Using Artificial Intelligence to Augment Science Prioritization for Astro2020

Science funding agencies (NASA, DOE, and NSF), the science community, and the US taxpayer have all benefited enormously from the several-decade series of National Academies Decadal Surveys. These Surveys are one of the primary means whereby these agencies may align multi-year strategic priorities and funding to guide the scientific community. They comprise highly regarded subject matter experts whose goal is to develop a set of science and program priorities that are recommended for major investments in the subsequent 10 years. They do this using both their own professional knowledge and by synthesizing details from many thousands of existing and solicited documents. Congress, the relevant funding agencies, and the scientific community have placed great respect and value on these recommendations.