Dear Members, Affiliates and URC, Welcome to the website for the 1999 October Meetings!  This year's Annual Meeting marks the beginning of NCAR's (and UCAR's) 40th anniversary; to celebrate the occasion, we are planning three special events: 1. UCAR FORUM Break-out sessions during the Annual Members Meeting will examine the following question: How should the universities and UCAR/NCAR, working in partnership with the rest of the atmospheric sciences community, evolve to meet the highest priority challenges and opportunities of the next several decades? Click HERE to learn more about the forum and to register for a break out session. 2. VISUALIZATION WORKSHOP On Tuesday morning, a workshop is scheduled on Scientific and Educational Visualization led by Don Middleton (NCAR) and Fritz Hasler (NASA). It promises to be an informative, useful and entertaining couple of hours and I hope that many of you will attend. Click HERE to learn more about the Workshop and register. 3. VISUALIZATION PRESENTATION AND RECEPTION And finally, at the end of the day on Tuesday a wide-screen digital media program, Visualizing Our Planet, will be presented by Don and Fritz at the NIST auditorium. A reception will follow at The David Skaggs Research Center (new NOAA building). Click HERE to learn more. As you look through the website, you'll see that we've planned a full meeting agenda. I look forward to our discussions and to starting the celebration of this 40th anniversary year most appropriately--with the UCAR Member and Affiliate community. Best Regards, Rick Anthes UCAR President