A Brief Introduction to CIMAS

The CIMAS Vision:

To serve as a center of excellence in Earth Systems Science and the human interactions with the Earth System

To serve as a means of using this knowledge to improve and protect our Environment and to use it more effectively and benevolently.

To convey this knowledge to the public through education and outreach.

The CIMAS Vision is consistent with that of the School and the The CIMAS Vision is consistent with that of the School and the University at large. University at large.

The CIMAS Mission

• To conduct research in the terrestrial, ocean, and atmospheric environment within the general context of the NOAA’s mission;

• To focus on the physical, chemical, and biological interactions between and among these environments;

• To understand the role of humans in affecting these environments and the impact of the changes in the environment on humans;

• To facilitate and participate-in education programs that are grounded in advanced Earth System Science..

The School and the NOAA laboratories on Virginia Key have The School and the NOAA laboratories on Virginia Key have unique capabilities with which to address this mission.unique capabilities with which to address this mission.

CIMAS Research Themes

Theme 1: Climate Variability• Investigate the dynamics of the ocean and the atmosphere and the

ways in which they interact on interannual and longer-scales and the link to climate variations.

Theme 2: Fisheries Dynamics• Enhance our understanding of fisheries and ecosystem dynamics so

as to improve the management of fisheries and marine protected species.

Theme 3: Regional Coastal Ecosystem Processes• Carry out research on the ecological health of coastal ocean

ecosystems in the Southeast U.S so as to lead to better management strategies.

CIMAS Research Themes: New Directions

Theme 4: Human Interactions with the Environment• Study human interactions and impacts on the environment so as to

provide a scientific basis for environmental decision-making.

Theme 5: Air-Sea Interactions and Exchanges• Understand the energy exchanges and interactions between the

atmosphere and the oceans and the consequent effects on atmospheric and ocean mixing and circulation.

Theme 6: Integrated Ocean Observations• Study the integration of modeling and physical measurements in the

ocean and the atmosphere so as to achieve optimal designs of observing systems.

Organization of the Review

Theme Reviews: Provide an integrated overview of research• Brief overview of history of the theme• Highlights of current research• Future directions• Stress cross-institutional efforts• Keyed to individual poster presentations (handout).

Special Topics: Cross linking issues

CIMAS Personnel Profile

CIMAS activities involve about 70 persons in various capacities.

Table 1: CIMAS Personnel 2001-2002

Research Associates 33

Post-Doctoral Res. Assoc. 9

Graduate Students 8

Undergrad. Students 7

CIMAS Fellows 22

CIMAS Admin 5

• Typically employ about 30 “temp” high school students under Outreach

CIMAS has status of a division in the School but has no faculty

CIMAS activities are grouped under four administrative Tasks CIMAS activities are grouped under four administrative Tasks related to different aspects of the CIMAS mission.related to different aspects of the CIMAS mission.

CIMAS Administrative Tasks

Task 1: base program of CIMAS. Provides administrative structure. Includes support for postdocs, graduate students and limited-term collaborating research scientists.

Task 2: support for specialized research scientists - employed by CIMAS to complement existing expertise at NOAA.

Task 3 and Task 4: directed research programs of CIMAS. Support for research by University faculty and scientists.

Task 3: cooperative with local NOAA labs (reduced indirect cost)

Task 4: all research not covered by Task 3 (full indirect cost).

CIMAS Personnel Profile

Research Associates are under Task 2. Work closely with the local NOAA laboratories.

• There has been a rapid growth in this class of employee.

T ask 2 Research Associates

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CIMAS Funding

The history of Task 1 funding from AOML and SEFSC 1996-1997 to 2001-2002

• There has been a steady growth in Task 1 over the past 6 years.• Activity in SEFSC is more variable than in AOML.

Task 1 Funding by NOAA Lab: 1996-2002

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T1 AOML T1 SEFSC

CIMAS Funding

Task 2 (Research Associate) funding1996-1997 to 2001-2002

• Most Task 2 is in AOML.• There has been a steady growth in Task 1 over the past 6 years.• Growth is mostly in AOML• There appears to be some net growth in SEFSC.

Task 2 Funding by NOAA Lab: 1996-2002

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T2 AOML T2 SEFSC

CIMAS Funding

Combined Task 1 and Task 21996-1997 – 2001-2002

• There has been steady growth over the past 6 years.• Approximately doubled.

Task 1 & 2 Funding by Year: 1996-2002

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T1 Total by Year T2 Total by Year

CIMAS Funding

Research Funding: Combined Task 3 and Task 41996-1997 – 2001-2002

• There is no evidence of a consistent growth trend in Research Funding comparable to that in Task 1 and Task 2.

Sum of Task 3 & 4 Funding by Year: 1996-2002

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T3 + T4 Total per FY

CIMAS Funding

Total CIMAS Funding: All Tasks1996-1997 – 2001-2002

There is a growth trend but it is driven by Task 1 and Task 2

Sum of All Funding by Year: 1996-2002

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CIMAS All Tasks per FY

CIMAS Funding

Sources of All Extramural CIMAS Funding: 2001-2002

• NOAA sources dominate.• OAR, OGP, and COP are the major sources• NMFS is a growing source

Funding Sources (millions): 1996-2001

OAR28%

COP27%

OGP26%

NMFS14%

Other5%

Major Issues in NOAA-CIMAS Relations

Lack of participation in long-term planning.

Issues in interacting with NOAA that require attention

• JIs as a whole now account for almost half the work force in OAR laboratories.

• JIs expend a sizeable fraction of the NOAA and OAR research budget.• Eleven Joint Institutes responsible for 290 million dollars of

NOAA research over the five year period, 1996-2001.• OAR accounts for about 60% of the total volume of NOAA

activity in JIs;• JIs carry out 92 million dollars of research for NESDIS, NWS

NMFS and NOS.

• Yet JIs have no effective way of impacting on NOAA planning.• JIs, in effect, had no input into the current NOAA Strategic Plan

Absence of procedures and source of funding for developing new research directions in JIs.

Issues in interacting with NOAA that require attention

Lack of funding of Task 1 for independent program development.

After years of prodding from the JIs, OAR is beginning to address this issue. (See insert under “Response to Questions” tab.)

Given the continuing financial stress in NOAA, it remains to be seen if there is follow through on this issue.

Harassment from DOC legal counsel

Issues in interacting with NOAA that require attention

• There has been a dramatic increase in legal oversight.

• Much of it a result of a lack of understanding of how we work.

• Example: The Explorer of the Seas issues (later today).

• NOAA and OAR should take a greater role in increasing communication between JIs and DOC counsel.

Maintaining balance between the research function in JIs and support of research activities in NOAA.

Issues in interacting with NOAA that require attention

Over the past decade, great growth in the number of employees in JIs.

An increasing proportion are engaged in activities that are critical to research activities in NOAA.

Many could not be described as research scientists of PI caliber.

A dramatic increase in persons working in Information Technology.

This trend not anticipated by the MOU (which is dated in many ways).

What is the appropriate balance between PI-driven research activities funded through CIMAS and the support functions that CIMAS fulfills.

In CIMAS over the past 6 years the number of employees in Task 1 and Task II doubled whereas research budgets have been essentially flat.

Splitting the School over Two Campuses

Issues in interacting with NOAA that require attention

In past reviews CIMAS and local NOAA laboratories praised for close working relationship; cited as an example of how JIs should work.

Close relationship facilitated by proximity of School and NOAA labs.

Possible change: University may purchase of the Cutler Bay Corporate Centre (CBCC), formerly headquarters for Burger King.

Good News: Three buildings with 317,000 square feet space (slightly larger than current School space) located on 80 acres of prime bay-front property.

Bad News: CBCC is located 20 miles (by road) south of the present campus.

Cutler Bay Corporate Center

My House

Splitting the School over Two Campuses

Issues in interacting with NOAA that require attention

The strategy under discussion: split the campus, with some activities remaining on the present campus.

Provost and Dean repeatedly emphasized importance of the link between the University and NOAA.

They have specifically stated that CIMAS and all activities associated with CIMAS and the local NOAA laboratories will remain on the present campus.

Nonetheless, this move will inevitably affect the way that CIMAS and NOAA have cooperated for 25 years.

Questions?