Earth System Modeling
(Chairman: Guy Brasseur)

Please Note: This session is currently full.

This group will focus on: What is an earth system model?; What is needed to create one?; How could they be used most effectively by researchers, users, and policymakers?   What are the scientific questions that should be addressed through such models?  The session will identify the respective UCAR and university roles, possible goals, and next steps.

Location:
CG1
Upper Cafeteria
3:45 - 5:30pm

Atmospheric Observing Systems in the U.S.: Airborne and Ground-based Remote Sensing Capabilities and Opportunities
(Co-chairs: Cliff Jacobs, Bob Serafin, & Roger Wakimoto)

The UCAR members are invited to participate in a discussion of new observing system needs, opportunities, and possibilities. The focus will be on tools and techniques related to airborne and ground-based remote sensing. Participants will be invited to inform the group of initiatives under development, planned, or just under discussion to meet community needs. Results from the NSF Facilities Assessment Workshop will be presented with emphasis on observational gaps and opportunities identified by the Assessment committee. A discussion will be held about the necessary balance of resources between deploying current observing systems and developing new instrumentation. The group will be asked to consider priorities and discuss next steps in the development, implementation and support for our national observing facilities.

In order for this to be dynamic and interesting session, we encourage you to present development initiatives or ideas. Please contact the co-chair (wakimoto@ucar.edu) by no later than 24 September 2007 if you would like to submit a short presentation. In addition, participants are encouraged to bring along 1-2 page handouts of facilities and initiatives that will be included in the discussion.

Just do it: community tools to improve diversity in the geosciences
(Co-chairs:  Raj Pandya, Catherine Shea, Lisa White, Quinton Williams, and others tba)

The goal of this discussion is to develop a concrete plan for systemic change in the demographics of the atmospheric science workforce.
Questions to address include:

• Over the next 10 years, how would we define success?
• What can we do now?
• How can we leverage and coordinate individual programs?
• Are there gaps in the collection of current efforts, and what would it take to fill them?
• What is UCAR's role in this effort?
• What resources will it take?
• Who are the potential partners in the private sector, and how do we engage them?
• Who are the potential partners among 2-year colleges?

Participants are invited to make a short presentation of their ideas at the session. Please focus your presentations on community action, not individual efforts.  If you would like to make a presentation, please contact one of the co-chairs of this session, Raj Pandya or Catherine Shea, no later than Sept 26th.

Education
(Co-chairs: Kaye Howe, Roberta Johnson & Denise Stephenson-Hawk)

Given the increasing impact of humans on the Earth system and growing  consensus on changes in Earth’s climate that will result from the increase of  greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, it is critically important that the public understand fundamental  concepts about the atmosphere and climate, and their relationship to the Earth  system. Without a public that is scientifically literate in these areas, we will not  have a citizenry that can make informed decisions in the critical decades ahead.  In order to ensure scientifically literacy, it's important for atmospheric and climate scientists and educators to develop  agreement about what such literacy means and what is needed to attain it.

The education breakout group will seek input and participation from UCAR members on a new initiative recently sponsored by NSF to develop a framework for atmospheric science and climate literacy. The workshop, which will occur Nov 27-29 at UCAR, is intended to involve both the scientific and education communities to develop agreement on the essential understandings needed by the public and students in order to become scientifically literate in this area, as well as to be prepared for university level study. Building on this effort, the education breakout group also provides an opportunity to discuss the preparation needed for the next generation of atmospheric and climate scientists at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Are university curricula providing the right balance of course work and research in disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts?

Location:
CG1
Room 3150
3:45 - 5:30pm

Community Library
(Chairwoman: Mary Marlino)

The NCAR Library is embarking on a strategic planning process that will guide the development of the next generation of library services for our community. We are seeking the participation of the broad UCAR community in the development of this plan. Questions to be discussed in this session include:

• What is the community vision for the NCAR Library of the 21st century? How can the library best support the information, research, and scholarship needs of our community?
• What are the key issues for the future of scholarly communications resulting from the intersection of cyberinfrastructure, scientific research, and increased community collaborations?  What new roles should the NCAR Library take on in this emerging landscape?
• How can the library meet the needs of the next generation of scientists who bring new expectations for the production, communication, and dissemination of scientific knowledge?
• How can the NCAR library better provide stewardship of our community intellectual assets?

An update of the library strategic planning process to date will also be presented.

Participants are encouraged to make a short presentation of their ideas at the session. If you would like to make a presentation, please contact the Chair of this session, Mary Marlino, no later than Sept 26th.