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Town Hall Meetings
Town Hall Meeting: Progress in the Relationships between NWS and America’s Weather Industry
Monday, 12 January, 12:15–1:15 p.m.; Room 229AB
The relationship between the National Weather Service and America’s weather industry will be discussed, with a focus on the past year and current opportunities. Included will be initiatives to progress the relationship in positive ways and their effects on policies and understandings, both formal and informal, with a view to a mutually enhanced future for these components of America’s weather enterprise and the nation in general.
For additional information, please contact Michael Steinberg (e-mail: steinberg@accuweather.com).
Town Hall Meeting: Community Input for the National Academies’ Climate Change Study
Monday, 12 January, 7:00–8:30 p.m.; Room 125A
In response to Public Law 110-161, the National Academies are conducting a series of coordinated activities to study the serious and sweeping issues associated with global climate change, including the science and technology challenges involved, and provide advice on the most effective steps and most promising strategies that can be taken to respond. Collectively, these activities are intended to produce a broad, action-oriented, and authoritative set of analyses to inform and guide responses to climate change across the nation. For more information on this initiative may be found online (http://americasclimatechoices.org).
The purpose of this Town Hall Meeting is to provide an update on the progress of the study and solicit community input on questions and topics the study should address.
For additional information, please contact Ian Kraucunas (e-mail: ikraucunas@nas.edu; tel: 202-334-2546) or Curtis Marshall (e-mail: cmarshall@nas.edu; tel: 202-334-3533).
Preparing for the Earth-Decadal-Survey “PATH” Mission
Monday 12 January, 7:00–8:00 P.M.; Room 125B
This meeting is to discuss the “Precipitation and All-weather Temperature and Humidity” (PATH) mission, one of 15 that the NRC recommended that NASA undertake, in its recent Earth Science “Decadal Survey”. PATH consists of a geostationary microwave sounder and can be thought of as “AMSU in GEO”. Application themes range from hurricanes, severe storms and weather prediction to general atmospheric science and climate research. The NRC perceived the challenges of such a mission to require substantial technology development and therefore grouped PATH in the third tier of missions, intended for implementation in the 2016–2020 time frame. However, the technology development has been proceeding rapidly, and the PATH mission could proceed in the near future, if funding could be allocated. One option now being explored is a possible joint NASA-NOAA mission in conjunction with the next generation of geostationary weather satellites, the GOES-R series, to be launched starting in 2015. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss these possibilities, to form a broad based science working group, and to lay the ground work for a PATH community workshop in 2009. For additional information, please contact Bjorn Lambrigtsen (e-mail: lambrigtsen@jpl.nasa.gov; tel: 818-354-8932).
Town Hall Meeting: Ad Hoc Committee on Uncertainty in Forecasts (ACUF)
Tuesday, 13 January, 12:00–1:30 p.m.; Room 131A
Uncertainty is a fundamental characteristic of fluid system prediction including weather, climate, and hydrological forecasts. According to the National Research Council (NRC) Report: Completing the Forecast. Characterizing and Communicating Uncertainty for Better Decisions Using Weather and Climate Forecasts, "… effective communication of uncertainty information in hydrometeorological forecasts benefits users' decisions." Although there are notable exceptions, many current forecast products are based on a single deterministic prediction with no accompanying forecast uncertainty information. Consequently, decisions by users at all levels are generated largely without the benefit of knowing and accounting for the inherent uncertainties of the forecast upon which they rely.
The purpose of this Town Hall is to present the status of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Commission on the Weather and Climate Enterprise (CWCE) Ad Hoc Committee on Uncertainty in Forecasts (ACUF) ongoing work and stimulate thought and discussion as it moves into the final year of completing its deliverables. This committee has a great opportunity to propose a Weather and Climate Enterprise-wide foundation for developing, producing, and providing new forecast uncertainty products and services that will benefit the Nation. The committee’s work also has the ability to create a way forward for forecast uncertainty, as an opportunity to establish a paradigm of mutually-beneficial roles and responsibilities for enterprise partners to plan and execute other initiatives and endeavors as recommended in the report, “Fair Weather: Effective Partnerships in Weather and Climate Forecasts” (NRC, 2003).
For additional information, please contact Andrea Bleistein (e-mail: Andrea.Bleistein@noaa.gov)
Town Hall Meeting: Integrated Solutions for Environment and Health—Your Research Can Inform Public Health Decisions
Tuesday, 13 January, 12:15–1:30 p.m.; Room 129B
In the past, physicians and physical scientists (or in this case, early meteorologists) worked together and exchanged ideas in a mutual pursuit to understand how environmental conditions affected human health. Until the discovery of “germ theory” in the late 1800s, public health practitioners and meteorologists, spanning from the time of Hippocrates (466–377 b.c.), through the Renaissance period in Italy and England, into eighteenth-century France and Germany, and including nineteenth-century America, worked together to explore the connections between the environment and human health. Germ theory, however, shifted the medical and health focus to the more specific causes of most diseases—microbial/parasitic organisms—lessening the need for environmental information. But we now know that bacteria and viruses live, thrive, or die in response to environmental conditions. We also know that we live in a changing environment, and that there is a large gap in our understanding of the multiple cause-and-effect relations between living systems (i.e., environment, human, vector, and parasite). Galvanized by this awareness, researchers in both disciplines are reviving the synergisms of old in order to better understand these dynamics and to strengthen the foundational pillars of public health—namely, prevention and preparedness.
We invite you to join in engaging discussions with speakers from the public health and environmental sectors on the connections between these sciences and the integrated paths that are needed to improve public health and to also increase the utility of earth system science. Discussions will center on the following topics:
• How atmospheric science is currently helping public health officials and professionals in preparing and planning for current and emerging diseases
• Critical concerns of public health officials and researchers, and what they need from our community
• Present and emerging national and international health/environment issues (e.g., West Nile virus, Lyme disease, malaria, and meningitis)
This is the first Town Hall Meeting in a series of planned AMS discussions (under the umbrella title of “Integrated Solutions”) that will go in-depth on the many intersections between environment and health. The 2010 AMS Annual Meeting returns to Atlanta, Georgia, which is home to the nation’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—a key player in this cross-discipline research. The AMS would like to capitalize on that opportunity to deepen discussions on research and applications between these two society-serving sciences. Until then, please join us for important initial discussions in 2009.
For more information, please contact: Wendy Marie Thomas, AMS Policy Program, Washington, D.C.
(tel: 202-737-9006, ext. 427; email: wthomas@ametsoc.org).
Town Hall Meeting: The Elections Are Over—What Next? Advice to the New Administration and Congress: Actions to Make our Nation Resilient to Severe Weather and Climate Change
Tuesday 13 January, 12:15–1:30 P.M.; Room 131B
What will it take to make this nation more resilient to the costly damages that are inflicted by severe weather and climate change? The devastating impacts of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008 provide only the most recent reminder of how vulnerable our society is to the effects of catastrophic storms. And estimates of the speed at which the climate is changing have increased since the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was issued. This creates an even more urgent need for useful information at regional and local levels for those making decisions that will affect water and power usage, coastal development, environmental management, food production and other life-sustaining activities. A growing number of organizations, with a variety of perspectives, have produced a series of recommendations regarding issues of resiliency for the new Administration and the next Congress. Please join us to learn more specifics about these recommendations, and to join in this opportunity. This Town Hall is sponsored by the Weather Coalition. For additional information, please contact Laura Curtis (e-mail: lcurtis@ucar.edu).
Town Hall Meeting: Climate Change, Indigenous Communities in the United States, and AMS: Needs and Opportunities
Tuesday, 13 January, 6:30–8:00 p.m.; Room 125A
The ultimate goal of this Town Hall Meeting is to develop a coordinated, strategic, and sustainable collaboration between AMS and native communities. The timing for this is right: new networks in Indian Country are providing coordination and leadership as tribal communities recognize, understand, adapt to, and mitigate climate change and its impacts. At the same time, AMS is developing a new strategic plan that places increased emphasis on broadening the communities use atmospheric science knowledge.
This Town Hall Meeting will provide a forum for representatives from indigenous communities (including the American Indian and Alaska Native Climate Change Working Group) to outline the climate and meteorological needs in indigenous communities, as well as the opportunities for indigenous knowledge and practice to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of weather, climate, and adaptation/mitigation strategies. Out of these conversations, it is hoped that ways for AMS to support a research and implementation agenda for tribal communities will be identified.
For additional information, please contact Suzanne Van Cooten (e-mail: suzanne.van.cooten@noaa.gov), James Rattling-Leaf (e-mail: james.rattlingleaf@sdsmt.edu), or Raj Pandya (e-mail: pandya@ucar.edu).
Town Hall Meeting: NOAA Town Hall: Navigating the Administration
Transition and Planning for the Future
Wednesday, 14 January, 7:00–8:30 A.M.; Room 224AB
Mary M. Glackin, Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere,
will host a Town Hall for NOAA employees and interested stakeholders.
Ms. Glackin will speak about positioning NOAA for future success
through the upcoming Administration transition period and beyond.
Specific attention will be paid to NOAA’s climate services and other
weather, water, and coastal challenges.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a key
component of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NOAA’s work touches the
lives of every American every day and the lives of many around the
world. From weather forecasts to fisheries management, safe navigation
to coastal services, and climate research to ocean exploration, NOAA’s
products and services contribute to the foundation of a healthy
economy. In fact, they impact approximately one-third of the Nation’s
gross domestic product.
For additional information, please contact: David Soroka (e-mail:
David.Soroka@noaa.gov) or Jeremy Potter (e-mail: jeremy.potter@noaa.gov).
Town Hall Meeting on Observing Weather and Climate from the Ground Up—A Nationwide Network of Networks: Findings and Recommendations of the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate’s Committee on Developing Mesoscale Meteorological Observational Capabilities to Meet Multiple National Needs
Wednesday, 14 January, 12:15–1:30 p.m.; Room 125A
The National Academy of Science’s Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate appointed a committee to develop an overarching vision for an integrated, flexible, adaptive, and multipurpose mesoscale meteorological observation network and to identify specific steps to help develop a network that meets multiple national needs in a cost-effective manner. In this Town Hall Meeting, the committee will present the findings and recommendations provided in its report. Here, the charge to the study committee is summarized. Starting from existing information, the committee
1) characterized the current state of mesoscale atmospheric observations and purposes,
2) compared the U.S. mesoscale atmospheric observing system to other observing system benchmarks,
3) described desirable attributes of an integrated national mesoscale observing system.
4) identified steps to enhance and extend mesoscale meteorological observing capabilities so they meet multiple national needs, and
5) recommended practical steps to transform and modernize current, limited mesoscale meteorological observing capabilities to better meet the needs of a broad range of users and to improve cost effectiveness.
The study focused primarily on mesoscale observational requirements over the United States and its adjacent coastal zones, with an emphasis on characterizing the planetary boundary layer (defined as extending from approximately 2 m below the surface to 2–3 km above), forecasting on time scales up to 48 h, and the needs of urban areas. The report provides a practical approach, stressing applications and the possibilities for designing and implementing an enhanced atmospheric observation system in a manner that the resulting information significantly improves users’ decision making. The report addresses the roles to be played by federal, state, and local governments and by commercial entities. In essence, the study provides recommendations a framework within which the full range of weather-sensitive information providers and users may be engaged in the development of an integrated, multipurpose national mesoscale observation network.
For additional information, please contact Curtis Marshall (e-mail: cmarshall@nas.edu).
U.S. Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) Town
Hall: Progress Towards Ocean Research Priorities
Wednesday, 14 January 12:15–1:30 P.M.; Room 125B
The U.S. Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST)
advises and assists the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
and the Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management
Integration on national issues of ocean science and technology. In
2007, the JSOST wrote Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the
United States for the Next Decade: An Ocean Research Priorities Plan
and Implementation Strategy (Charting the Course for Ocean Science) as
a guide to establish and realize priorities for ocean science and
technology to improve society’s stewardship and use of, and interaction
with, the ocean. The JSOST developed the unique document in conjunction
with its Committee on Ocean Policy partners and the broad ocean science
community.
At present, the JSOST and its member agencies are working on
implementation of the four Near-term Priorities (NTPs) presented in
Charting the Course for Ocean Science: 1) Forecasting the Response of
Coastal Ecosystems to Persistent Forcing and Extreme Events; 2)
Comparative Analysis of Marine Ecosystem Organization; 3) Sensors for
Marine Ecosystems; and 4) Assessing Meridional Overturning Circulation
Variability: Implications for Rapid Climate Change. Implementation
activities include using Charting the Course for Ocean Science as a
point of departure for discussions with the National Research Council
on a study of how scientific vision and technological developments in
oceanography through 2030 will shape infrastructure needs. The NTP on
Forecasting the Response of Coastal Ecosystems to Persistent Forcing
and Extreme Events is also serving as a pilot study for the research to
application transition model put forth by the Ocean Research and
Resources Advisory Panel.
This JSOST Town Hall, “Progress Towards Ocean Research Priorities”,
will provide the community updates on implementation activities of the
NTPs and steps taken towards infrastructure studies to gather community
input on these efforts.
For additional information, please contact: Polly Endreny Holmberg
(e-mail: Polly.Endreny@noaa.gov).
Town Hall Meeting: National Unified Operational Prediction Capability
Wednesday, 14 January 12:15–1:30 p.m.; Room 126A
The National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC)is a Department of Commerce and Department of Defense cooperative effort to improve the national NWP capability. The effort seeks to standardize NWP practices in order to accelerate model development and achieve developmental and operational efficiencies for the next generation of NWP systems. Coordination among the three agencies will impact both NWP research and development and end users through standardized model architecture, establishment of common research requirements, coordinated product and delivery schedules, and improved capability.
A program management staff has been established along with three interim committees with broad community representation. These committees have been working since August 2008 to establish draft recommendations for collaboration in a number of areas concerning global atmospheric modeling. The committees are recommending model architecture and coding standards, methods of improving technology transfer to the operational centers including metrics, coordinated requirements and a prioritized research investment plan. They are also making recommendations for implementation of a joint global ensemble system with requisite schedule and post processing coordination.
The program manager will discuss the overall program, opportunities for community comments and recommendations, and anticipated impacts on the research and user communities. The three committee chairs will discuss committee recommendations to date and be available for questions and comments
For additional information, please contact: Scott Sandgathe (e-mail: sandgathe@apl.washington.edu)
Town Hall Meeting: Climate Change Science Program Listening Session
Thursday, 15 January, 12:15–1:30 p.m.; Room 125B
The federal government is engaged in a long-term strategic planning process to evaluate and improve its ability to conduct global environmental change research and provide results that are relevant to citizens and communities. As a regular cycle of program evaluation and renewal, this process is also driven by the evolution of societal need for climate-related information, changes in our scientific understanding of global environmental change, and observed changes in the environment. The U.S. Global Change Research Program/U.S. Climate Change Science Program (USGCRP/CCSP) is asking for input from a wide variety of the stakeholders the program serves. As part of this effort, the USGCRP/CCSP is conducting this listening session in order to inform the federal government’s deliberations about the future of climate change research. At this listening session, representatives from the program will provide a short overview of the current USGCRP/CCSP structure and activities and will facilitate the collection of comments about federal climate change research.
For additional information, please contact John Cortinas (e-mail: jcortinas@climatescience.gov).
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