AMS CCS Telcon, 1:00 PM EDT, Friday, September 18, 2009
Attendees: E. O'Lenic, P. Llanso, G. Dittberner, J. Dutton, H. Hartmann, C. Hakkarinen
Ed: The AMS CCS-CCM Telcon on Wedensday, September 16, 2009 was attended by about 50. All the speakers were there. Only one had excessive slides. Discussion afterward, and the attendance, indicates that the webinar may fill a need. The question is, what do we do next? For example, what about an event in which a single speaker talks for 20 minutes (15) slides, followed by discussion?
Issues raised during discussion include:
1. Possible competition between the private sector and NCAR.
2. The tension between producing optimum products in a research environment and the desire of universities to market these products.
3. The need to look at private companies as a source of jobs for young meteorologists.
4. The fact that RISAs primary focus is learning, not business competition.
5. How the Regional Water Resource Policy Commission in the Shenandoah Valley has been effective, by engaging as members a broad cross-section of the local community.
6. How the effects of climate need to be carefully distinguished from possible problems with data.
7. How radar has refined our view of rainfall, an is much superior to gauges.
8. How important it is to stop the decline in USGS streamflow stations.
9. What will be the effect of the ongoing decline in surface observing stations?
10. How the decline may not be as bad over the world, as it seems to be in the U.S.
Holly: I was surprised that the people who listened did not engage. Rather the presenters and committee, who dominated. People should be encouraged to submit questions ahead of time. Ed: A poll would also be useful.
Paul: We wanted CCMs point of view. Complexity of relationships is important. We also wanted to hear how they use climate information. Availability of open sites leads to possible misuse of data.
ChuckH: We should send them a follow-up note to attendees, thanking them, and soliciting comments from them.
Holly: Speakers were great. JAD: Was there a rehearsal? This is often a good idea.
Chuck: It went well. I encourage doing it again before the AMS meeting. Topics: 1) Future climate change vs human ecolocical health, CC and effects of ag, forestry, CC effects on transport.
JAD: CC and energy is another great topic.
GerryD: How will the results be used? JAD: A conference report in BAMS is good.
Chuck: EOS is another great outlook.
Chuck: 2 or 3 speakers, with 5 slides max, half hour total.
Holly: Our early webinar had the chat facility to allow questions to be asked dynamically.
Paul: It was easy to do.
Chuck: Participants needed more instruction.
Ed: Host needs to tell attendees up front what the options are.
Paul: We need a consistent format throughout the webinars. Build a case book that answer the questions that we asked of the CCMs.
Chuck: For the health community.
JAD: How do we get customers for such a meeting?
Holly: RISAs also interface with health community.
Chuck: WHO friend might be a good contact.
Paul: I know of an expert on ebola, etc..
Holly: IRI knows some of these people.
Gerry: Flu might be a good topic. What about a Town Hall Meeting? This would advertise the activity to the AMS community.
Ed: Town Hall meeting.
JAD: If we do this, we should send an announcement to all the officers of the AMS, and to all the CCMs. CCS could have a table. Last Town Hall meeting did not accomplish very much. Use the exhibit area, or the poster room.
Paul: Hold the Climate Services and Health webinar next.
Chuck: CS and Health.
Chuck: One of the committee members could describe this activity in a video recording.
Action Items:
1. We will have a webinar in early November (Friday, November 6 is a possible date). Title: Climate Services and Health. We plan to have 2 speakers, whom we need to identify (suggestions please).
2. Ed will explore ways for us to get the word out about our activities, both at the Annual meeting (Town Halls, Poster, video display) and in BAMS.
3. Ed will send all the registered attendees a summary of the meeting and solicit comments from them about what went right or wrong, and what they would be interested in seeing the future.
4. Host of the webinar should solicit written questions in advance from attendees, and give attendees a brief primer on options for chatting, raising hands, etc.. at the start of the webinar.
Thanks to all for attending the meeting.