Workshop Summary (Dear Colleague Letter)
Arctic System Synthesis Workshop:
New Perspectives through Data Discovery and Modeling
2-4 April 2007
Bell Harbor International Conference Center
Seattle, Washington
The Dear Colleague letter, below, from the ARCSS Committee and the
workshop organizing committee, briefly summarizes and integrates the
general recommendations emerging from the workshop.
The Dear Colleague letter is online at:
http://www.arcus.org/ARCSS/message.html
Workshop background materials, agenda, participant list, and
presentation downloads can be found at:
http://www.arcus.org/ARCSS/2007_data/index.html.
Dear Colleague:
We are pleased to announce the completion of a 2.5-day workshop
supported by the National Science Foundation's Arctic System Science
(ARCSS) Program entitled New Perspectives through Data Discovery and
Modeling. This letter briefly summarizes and integrates the general
recommendations emerging from the workshop as well as previous planning
activities. A detailed community-reviewed report is planned for
publication this fall.
WORKSHOP BACKGROUND
The main motivation for this meeting was the increasing focus on
synthesis in the ARCSS Program, particularly with respect to integrating
and modeling large, complex, and disparate data sets to answer questions
about how the Arctic functions as an integrated system. The arctic
research community has recognized the need to better support synthetic
modes of inquiry, which we define to include approaches such as
intercomparison studies, data integration and assimilation, arctic and
Earth system modeling, and cross-disciplinary data merging that will
improve arctic system understanding, predictions, and provide
policy-relevant information. The ARCSS Committee has taken a number of
steps over the past several years to provide community leadership in
this area, including organizing this community workshop.
Workshop planning began in earnest following an e-Town Meeting in March
2006, at which new ideas were solicited from the community on improving
the utility of arctic system data and modeling. The workshop also built
on results from an AGU town meeting in December 2006 as well as an
e-Town Meeting in late March of this year. Extensive background material
on this effort can be found at
http://www.arcus.org/ARCSS/2007_data/index.html.
WORKSHOP GOAL, FOCUS, AND PARTICIPATION
The specific goal of this workshop was to: Bring together data provider
and data user communities to identify innovative approaches on data
management and assimilation, recent developments in technology, and
modeling activities that will advance arctic system synthesis and
understanding. Workshop discussions were organized around a set of
guiding questions:
1. What are the data and modeling needs to advance synthesis-focused
arctic system science?
What's currently working and what is needed in terms of applying data
and modeling for analysis to advance science? What are the keys to
success?What are the practical steps forward as far as mechanisms,
approaches, tools and procedures, organization, standards, and related
issues?
More than 50 invited and self-nominated community participants attended
the meeting, representing a variety of expertise and disciplines,
including perspectives on: natural, social, and physical sciences;
field-based, remote sensing, and modeling approaches; data management;
science-policy linkages; and education and outreach. In addition, nearly
35 community members participated online through a webcast and online
bulletin board. The workshop featured four "vision" talks on the
subjects of data provision, information management, data synthesis
across the natural and social sciences, and education and outreach; the
remainder of the dialogue combined group plenary and breakout
discussion.
WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONS
Workshop participants discussed numerous data and modeling strategies
that could be implemented to promote arctic system synthesis, improved
scientific understanding and prediction, and increase the utility of
scientific results to policymakers, educators, students, and the public.
A central recommendation that arose from the workshop was the creation
of a new framework to foster data and model integration. This framework
- The Arctic Synthesis Collaboratory - is envisioned as an "umbrella"
concept that fosters interactions among arctic scientists and other
stakeholders; integrated data analysis and modeling activities;
outreach, education, and policy-relevant resources; and training and
development of the arctic science community.
The Arctic Synthesis Collaboratory would encompass many different
activities, which can be categorized into four integrated functions:
1. Community Network and Synthesis "Meeting Grounds,"
2. Data and Modeling Support,
3. Education, Outreach, and Policy, and
4. Scientist Training and Development.
Discussions at the workshop focused on this four-part vision as a broad
approach to addressing community needs; it is envisioned that the next
step in its development would focus on implementation, including
linkages with cyberinfrastructure experts and industry to outline the
supporting structure, tools, phasing, and management of the
Collaboratory.
Each of the four Collaboratory functions could be established virtually
as a distributed set of activities, and also could take advantage of
existing facilities that might sponsor some of the identified
activities. Fundamentally, the Collaboratory serves as a
partnership-building mechanism across the many communities served,
building on the spirit of collaboration and teamwork in the arctic
system sciences community. The Collaboratory would provide substantial
opportunity for individuals and groups to interact and execute synthesis
studies, education, and outreach. A brief description of each integrated
element follows:
COMMUNITY NETWORK AND SYNTHESIS "MEETING GROUNDS"
A network that links individuals, groups, organizations, and synthesis
activities distributed across the nation would enable scientists to
collaborate on synthesis (single, dual or multidisciplinary approaches),
develop policy-relevant information and resources, foster new research
initiatives, and build interdisciplinary skills. A distributed network
would enable participation and cooperation at multiple levels - from
individual scholars to institutions. Examples of specific activities
could include: online searchable scientist directories, virtual
synthesis activities, virtual and in-person synthesis workshops,
visiting expert program, shared digital library, discussion forums, etc.
These community activities would build upon existing resources available
through relevant organizations or agencies.DATA AND MODELING SUPPORT
The Collaboratory would be designed with the appropriate
cyberinfrastructure, information technology, data discovery and
handling, and modeling resources to enable efficient combination of data
and models to promote inquiry-based synthesis science and a wide array
of applications. These could be housed at either individual or multiple
venues, capitalizing on particular strengths that a particular facility
could bring in terms of synthesis-supporting services.
Cyberinfrastructure and related tools to support the Collaboratory would
be adaptable to new developments and flexible for a variety of
applications.
Needs identified by the community include: an efficient process for
researchers to submit data and metadata to a long-term archive; minimal
delay in the online availability of submitted data and metadata;
standardized, open, and interoperable metadata and data formats; a
coherent and comprehensive venue for data discovery, whereby data can be
searched through a number of user-friendly methods; recovery of stored
or historical data; links to existing data archives and centers; model
synchronization; a method for authentication of data quality;
identification of high-priority datasets to be integrated; and tools for
integration of data and models and analysis across multiple data
sources, scales, and formats.
- EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND POLICY
Education, outreach, and policy elements are a critical part of the
Collaboratory to increase public understanding of arctic science and to
provide decision-makers with relevant and timely information about the
Arctic.
Examples of activities and needs include: easy-to-use data exploration
tools geared to non-scientists; audience-appropriate downloadable maps
and graphics; a virtual news-conferencing center; "late breaking
environmental news" catalog; online directories to facilitate
interactions between reporters, scientists, and stakeholders;
information on individual arctic science projects and programs;
researcher profiles; and K-12 lesson plans and educational resources.
These activities could be coordinated through a portal structure such as
an Arctic Virtual Outreach Center (AVOC) with a focus on outreach and
communication to non-scientist communities.
- SCIENTIST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
As state-of-the-art data sets, models, and synthesis tools will emerge
from the Collaboratory, it will be important that the community gain
expertise in new synthesis tools and approaches. Scientists at all
career levels - from undergraduates to established scientists - need to
keep pace with the newest developments in synthesis data integration and
modeling as well as training in system-level, interdisciplinary science.
Professional development activities could include web-based courses,
short classes, online curriculum materials, or exchange programs for
both students and established researchers on issues related to novel
tools or methods in arctic science, policy implications of arctic system
science, or training in cross-disciplinary analysis and approaches.
NEXT STEPS AND IMPLEMENTATION
A draft report will be generated from the findings of this workshop and
earlier planning events. The draft will be circulated to the wider
community for review and revised for final publication in fall 2007.
We believe that the Arctic Synthesis Collaboratory outlined above will
provide a cohesive, engaging, and inclusive framework to advance
synthesis-focused arctic system science. While the April workshop
outlined a vision for the framework and supporting functions, further
discussion amongst the arctic community and relevant agencies is needed
on how to translate this vision into action through a clear
implementation and coordination plan.
We welcome any and all inputs to these recommendations and the strategic
planning document. Workshop background materials, agenda, participant
list, and presentation downloads can be found at
http://www.arcus.org/ARCSS/2007_data/index.html.
Sincerely:
WORKSHOP ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs
- Dave McGuire (ffadm [at] uaf.edu), University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Charlie Vˆrˆsmarty (charles.vorosmarty [at] unh.edu), University of New
Hampshire
Members
- Larry Hinzman (ffldh [at] uaf.edu), International Arctic Research Center
- Marika Holland (mholland [at] ucar.edu), National Center for Atmospheric
Research
- Maribeth Murray (ffmsm [at] uaf.edu), University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Joshua Schimel (schimel [at] lifesci.ucsb.edu), University of California
Santa Barbara
- Wendy Warnick (warnick [at] arcus.org), ARCUS
- John Weatherly (john.w.weatherly [at] erdc.usace.army.mil), Cold Regions
Research and Engineering Laboratory
- Helen Wiggins (helen [at] arcus.org), ARCUS
ARCSS COMMITTEE
- Joshua Schimel (schimel [at] lifesci.ucsb.edu), University of California
Santa Barbara, Chair
- Jennifer Francis (francis [at] imcs.rutgers.edu), Rutgers University
- Marika Holland (mholland [at] ucar.edu), National Center for Atmospheric
Research
- Joseph McFadden (mcfadden [at] umn.edu), University of Minnesota
- Maribeth Murray (ffmsm [at] uaf.edu), University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Craig Nicolson (craign [at] forwild.umass.edu), University of Massachusetts
- Jonathan Overpeck (Past ARCSS Committee Chair) (jto [at] u.arizona.edu),
University of Arizona
- Don Perovich (donald.k.perovich [at] erdc.usace.army.mil), Cold Regions
Research and Engineering Laboratory
- Mark Serreze (serreze [at] kryos.colorado.edu), Cooperative Institute for
Research in Environmental Sciences
- Michael Steele (mas [at] apl.washington.edu), University of Washington
- Matthew Sturm (msturm [at] crrel.usace.army.mil), Cold Regions Research and
Engineering Laboratory
- Charlie Vˆrˆsmarty (charles.vorosmarty [at] unh.edu), University of New
Hampshire