The President's Corner: NSF-UCAR integrated planning process

During the next few months, the Atmospheric Sciences Division (ATM) of 
the National Science Foundation (NSF) and UCAR will be carrying out a 
joint planning process, which will lead to an integrated long-range ATM plan 
for FY 95Ð99.  This plan will be developed with input from the university 
community and NCAR in order to ensure an integrated ATM plan that will 
best serve the entire community.  This process is on a fast track in order to be 
useful in providing input into the NSF plan for FY 96 and beyond; it will 
build upon previous planning exercises and constitute an update of (1) the 
joint NSF-UCAR planning committee chaired by John Dutton (The 
Pennsylvania State University), which reported in July 1987 (The 
Atmospheric Sciences: A Vision for 1989Ð1994); and (2) the November 1991 
long-range planning effort by the NSF Advisory Committee for Atmospheric 
Sciences (ACAS).  Additional planning documents and reports, such as those 
prepared by the National Research Council, will also be considered.

In spite of the fast-track process, NSF and UCAR will seek widespread input 
into the development and review of the plan.  A committee has been 
appointed to write the plan.  Members of the committee are

Pamela Stephens, Chair (Program Director, Large-scale Dynamic Meteorology, 
ATM)
Guy Brasseur (NCAR Atmospheric Chemistry Division and former ACAS 
member)
Richard Carbone (NCAR Atmospheric Technology Division)
Robert Dickinson (University of Arizona)
Timothy Killeen (University of Michigan and former ACAS member)
Robert Robinson (Upper Atmosphere Facility Manager, ATM)
Gabor Vali (University of Wyoming and former ACAS member)

The committee is charged with writing a first draft of the plan, which will be 
made available to the community for comment via electronic mail as soon as 
possible.  The community will also have an opportunity to provide input at 
several fora:  the American Meteorological Society annual meeting in January 
1994, the UCAR Board of Trustees and UCAR University Relations 
Committee in April 1994, and the American Geophysical Union meeting in 
May 1994.  The committee will be responsible for incorporating appropriate 
community suggestions.  Their goal is to have a final plan by summer 1994.

A balanced, well-written plan for ATM that has the broad support of the 
community will be important in obtaining the resources needed for the high-
priority scientific goals of the atmospheric sciences for the rest of the decade, 
and I encourage your participation and support.

On a personal note, I wish all of you peace and happiness in the New Year.


Richard Anthes