S&T News

Atmospheric Science and Policy Research - 2006 AMS Conference

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) will hold its first Symposium on Policy Research on 1-2 February 2006, as part of the 86th AMS Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Preliminary programs, registration, hotel, and general information will be posted on the AMS Web site in mid-September 2005.

Increasingly, policy issues matter to the Earth system sciences and Earth system science-based service community. Research and analysis of those issues is growing commensurately. Papers are solicited that discuss policy research in the Earth system sciences and services. This AMS Symposium on Policy Research is intended to provide a forum where:

1. researchers can share their findings and report on recent progress,
2. policy makers can dialog with researchers about areas that merit further analysis and why, and
3. researchers can dialog with each other and with federal agency officials and others about topics and themes for future Symposia.

This Symposium should allow for discussion of the need for stable, structured funding for research in this field, and for outlets for research, such as an AMS Policy Journal. Symposium sessions will be organized along the three areas described above. Because the lines between policy research and the social sciences are not sharply drawn, contributed papers on such related topics will be welcome. For this initial year, the AMS Policy Program will develop the Symposium program in cooperation with the Board on Societal Impacts.

The 86th Annual Meeting is being organized around the broad theme of "Applications of Weather and Climate Data" with an emphasis on documenting success stories in the applications of atmospheric, hydrologic and oceanic sciences, and the research needed to continue benefiting from new knowledge. Two integrating subthemes that will be highlighted are "Managing Our Physical and Natural Resources: Successes and Challenges" and "Environmental Risks and Impacts on Society: Successes and Challenges." Please submit abstracts electronically via the Web by 1 August 2005 (refer to the AMS Web page for instructions).

Community Meeting on the Future of the U.S. Weather Prediction Enterprise

This meeting is organized by the American Meteorological Society in partnership with the Weather Coalition, with financial support provided by the AMS Commission on the Weather and Climate Enterprise, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and the following members of the Weather Coalition: the University of Oklahoma, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, The Weather Channel, and the Reinsurance Association of America.

Meeting Background

Although numerical weather prediction in the United States has made significant strides during the past several decades, there are a number of warning signs that U.S. weather prediction and research are not living up to their potential.

At the same time, the weather prediction enterprise has changed substantially in recent years and there is increasing debate on how the various parts of the enterprise should work together. This meeting is open to all members of the weather prediction enterprise ranging from those participating in operational prediction and weather-related research, to members of the weather user communities. Specifically, the meeting will:

1. Examine the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. weather prediction and research enterprise.
2. Examine the process by which research results and modeling improvements are transitioned to operations.
3. Discuss who is the weather prediction community and how decisions should be made.
4. Examine the need for a more cooperative and coordinated approach to weather prediction operations and research.
5. Discuss concrete next steps, consistent with the consensus of the meeting.

The meeting will began at 1 PM on 26 July and will end midday on the 28th. Registration will be free; attendees will be responsible for their own travel expenses.

Dates: July 26-28, 2005
Location: University of Colorado Centerplate Conference Center, Folsom Field

A paper on the general subject matter of the meeting is found here.

For more information visit the meeting website.