FROM: Kristine Nelson, VP Anchorage Chapter

SUBJECT: Minutes, Anchorage AMS Chapter Meeting,
                    September 22nd, 2006    

Call Meeting to Order: The meeting was called to order by Jim Peronto, President, at 11:15 a.m. The meeting was held at the Aviation Technology Center at Merrill Field in Anchorage. 

Introduction of 2006-2007 Chapter “Leaders”:
President……………………………….....Jim Peronto
Vice President…………………………....Kristine Nelson
Secretary and webpage designer……...Lisa Reed
Treasurer……………………………….....Stephanie Rodriguez

Announcement that Jim Green (Alaska Weather Calendars and longtime member of local Anchorage Chapter AMS) would be moving to Haines, AK. 

Introductions around the room:

• Welcome to our visitor.  She found out about the meeting from the Community Bulletin Section in the ADN.  Unfortunately, she reported the phone number was incorrect.  The phone number should have been 266-5105.
• Welcome back Tom Skilling, WGN TV Weatherman from Chicago, IL..    

Treasurer’s Report:  Not Available

Old/New Business:

The new Anchorage Chapter AMS webpage is homeless

• ARH will see if we can use their server.
• UAA AMS Chapter website is still “alive”.  The system was hacked into a while back causing problems with uploading to the site.  Firewalls have since been strengthened.  Maybe we could use this location (http://aeff.uaa.alaska.edu/ams/)for our new webpage.   

Scholarships

• Local …. Reunite old team?  Ray Miller and Louise Fode agreed.
• National…The application deadline is Feb 10th, 2007 (postmarked Feb 9th, 2007).  However, applications may be accepted a few days after the deadline...within reason.  The Deadline for submitting our scholarship  recommendations to AMS HQ is March 09th, 2007. 

• Ideas for reaching out to rural communities?  Past application numbers have been small.  We’d like to increase those numbers. 
• Jim Peronto will advertise on the Weather Show. 
• Jackie Purcell and Scott Elnes and Robert Forgit volunteered to advertise the scholarship application information on their respective newscasts as well.  .
• Kristine suggested waiting until the application form was online before going on the air. 
• Kristine will ask WSOs to walk out to local communities, schools, etc to spread the word about the scholarship.

Science Fair:  Avee Evans has all the info on the science fair.

•    March 10th is the judging.
•    March 11th is the awards banquet

Donations:

• Jackie Purcell procured wildberry donations again.
• Heidi Strader was not successful at getting Alyeska donations.
• Others????

Earth Day:

• The details are not clear at this time, but it seems NWS? NOAA? has rented space in Kincaid park for Earth Day booths and AMS could use one of those booths.  Donations could be solicited, but not received while at the fair.  All donations collected while at the Earth Day fair are subject to a 15% gratuity.  Again, we will need to look into this more.
• Suggestion to have an open house at the ANC WFO and launch a weather balloon.  Media/Open house was conducted this year on Earth Day at ANC WFO and plans may already be underway to do it again next year. 

Next month’s speaker: Jim Hill (FAA Capstone Liaison)

Christmas Party

• There will be no speaker
• Toys for Tots will be collected at the Party.
• Suggestions for location:
• Villa Nova?
• Campo Bella?
• May be too small?

Main Event:

Dr. James Simpson from the Digital Image Analysis Laboratory (DIAL) Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego demonstrated the challenges of categorizing Alaska's ecosystems with his presentation on “Differentiation of Alaskan Ecosystems”.  Rigorous statistical methods were used with a variety of computer models to classify Alaskan vegetation into five ecosystems (Alpine Tundra, Arctic Tundra, Shrublands, Boreal Forest, and Coastal Rainforest) and one ecotransition zone. Climate, elevation, permafrost and soil information, produced the most accurate Alaskan ecosystem classification.  Although, a lack in detailed soil mapping and other parameters in Alaska as compared with the contiguous United States resulted in a slightly less precise analysis than is possible in the “lower 48”.  Large burn areas in Alaska complicated efforts to classify based on vegetation and some areas had such wide variations in climate from year to year that there wasn’t any clear ecosystem preference.  Overall, the statistics from Dr. Simpson's analysis compared favorably with those produced for regions of Canada ecologically similar to those found in Alaska and may be useful for the future development of a model for the spatial distribution of Alaskan vegetation.

Adjournment:  
The meeting was adjourned by Jim Peronto at 1 p.m.