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Physical and Social Sciences Research Task Team: Final Report

Alexander E. MacDonaldNOAA Earth System Research Laboratory

July 25, 2006

A Presentation to the

NOAA Science Advisory Board

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Outline

• Purpose

• Issue

• Presentation of Briefing

• NOAA Coordination and Views

• Desired Outcome

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Purpose

• Informational Briefing

• To provide the SAB with a summary of the final report of the PSTT and to inform them of the disposition by NOAA management.

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Issue

• Improve NOAA's research and operations in accordance with the recommendations of the NOAA Research Review Team (RRT).– Outcome: Improved research, operations

and technology transfer in NOAA.– What: Decision was made by NOAA

management to implement the recommendations of the PSTT.

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PSTT Report Summary

The PSTT developed and overarching view of NOAA's research and development that provided criteria for research location:

Research structure should enhance the transfer of advances in science and technology into NOAA's operational and information services.

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PSTT Report Summary

Principles from Research Review report

• Research enterprise is corporate – linkages across organizational lines.• Organization must follow function.• Dedicated resources for research that is focused on mid- to longer-term mission needs (split between intramural and extramural).• Near-term improvements in operational capabilities should be aligned with operational activity.• Scientific advice formally aligned to the corporate research program to ensure policy based on science.• Structure that fosters intra and inter agency collaboration.

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PSTT Report Summary

Criteria for Research and Development Location

Time scale to fruition (0-2, 2-5, 5-20, 20 +) - Research on longer time scales needs to be organizationally distinct from operations to protect longer time scale efforts. Research and development coming to fruition on short time scales, directly connected to operations, should be located within the operational organization.

Mission and Discipline Critical Mass – NOAA should organize its research and development so that the organization follows its functions and attains critical mass of technical expertise in crucial mission areas.

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PSTT Report Summary

Criteria for Research and Development Location (cont.)

Infrastructure Requirements – NOAA should locate its research to take advantage of specialized infrastructure such as ships, data facilities, specialized laboratories, etc.

Internal vs. External – Internal laboratories, academia and industry have different capabilities and suitability for different types of research and development. NOAA should assure that it considers each of these in determining the location of its research efforts.

Linkage to NOAA and its Constituents – If research and development is oriented toward a NOAA operational entity, this should be considered when determining where it should be located. Similarly, if the research and development are oriented toward a particular NOAA constituent, this should be factored into location considerations.

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PSTT Report Summary

Criteria for Research and Development Location (cont.)

Balance of High Risk and Low Risk – The research enterprise must be organizationally structured to allow the right balance of high risk/high payoff research with lower risk efforts.

Leveraging of External Resources - In considering organizational and geographic location of research, NOAA should explicitly act to leverage the resources of other agencies, universities and non-governmental organizations.

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PSTT Report Summary

• Findings:• NOAA has strengthened corporate management of

its research enterprise, decreasing the necessity for organizational moves.

• NOAA is in the process of a significant restructuring of its research enterprise, which addresses a number of the issues raised by the Research Review Team.

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PSTT Recommendations

• Organizational change:

• NOAA should move the US Weather Research Program (including THORPEX) from NWS to OAR.

• NOAA should move the suggested meteorological components of the VOS program from OAR to NWS and start, as stated in the NOPP Request for Proposal, the process of planning for the transition of ARGO.

• NOAA should establish both research and operational execution programs for its ocean observing, land-based observing, air quality, and tsunami programs.

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PSTT Recommendations

• Geographic change:

NWS should consolidate its operational system development, including NCEP/Environmental Modeling Center, part of the OST/Meteorological Development Laboratory, and the OHD Hydrology Laboratory in the move to the new building housing the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction.

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PSTT Recommendations

• General Recommendations:

• The NOAA Research Council should establish a more formal and comprehensive program for test beds.

• The NOAA Research Council should assure that social science is formally integrated into the research and development portfolios of each Line Office through the development of a social science strategic plan.

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Coordination & NEP/Council Views

• Coordination:– Line Offices: All LO's were involved in the report.– Staff Offices: Involved in data call.– Program managers/goal team leads: Involved in data call.– Other agencies – not involved.– Internal and external Eco Teams: Extensive.

• Council Views:– NEP – Current step.– Research Council reviewed (twice). Most

recommendations accepted, final draft approved by council Chair.

– Other Relevant Council(s) – None.

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Outcome

• VADM Lautenbacher accepted the proposal to implement the PSTT recommendations.

• Improved research and technology transfer.

• New business process that applies principles and criteria.

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Backup Slide

• Background – Research Review Team report, and decision by

NOAA to address all major findings and recommendations.

– Relevant DoC statements: Letter from Otto Wolfe to OMB, Oct 2004, stating the ". . .NOAA's Research Council will develop criteria to determine the location of all other research in NOAA."

– Who: Internal committee with representatives from LOs and PPI

• Approach: – One year effort, data call, outside experts etc.