Scientific Community Program Activities

At the request of the scientific community and in collaboration with the several Federal agencies, JOSS provides staff to manage major, scientific programs, including:

• United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)
  
• USGCRP International and International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research (IGFA),
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II Technical Support Unit.
  
• Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR);
  
• Ocean Technology and Interdisciplinary Coordination (OTIC); and
  
• Carbon Cycle Science Program (CCSP).
  
  
• Staffing: Assembles and manages special project staff, and provides a broad range of administrative program support activities effective for accomplishing limited-term programmatic functions within community organizations.
  
  
• Financial Planning: Works with research PI’s and Federal program managers to provide financial planning based on historical data, expenditure projections, and financial trends.
  
  
• Meetings: Plans and administers scientific meetings and workshops, utilizing expert event-planning staff, effective multi-media tools, and remote conferencing technologies. This allows professional scientists and research managers to focus on content, rather than logistics.
  
  
• Documentation: Facilitates the preparation and dissemination of reports in hardcopy and electronic formats; builds and maintains programmatic websites.

In addition, JOSS collaborates with federal program managers and designated science directors of other scientific programs.

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Education and Outreach

JOSS promotes education of early career scientists, improves the interactions of educators and students with scientists, and facilitates the distribution of significant scientific media. Examples of these efforts include:

• Early Career: Young, educated professionals, early in their careers, are recruited as UCAR/JOSS employees to work in the broader scientific community and government agencies for short terms (usually one-year renewable term appointments) on highly focused problems designed to encourage and support them in building careers.
  
  
• Workshops: Scientists, educators and students are frequently brought together at professional meetings and workshops organized by JOSS. Through such outreach, JOSS works to increase the number and diversity of students selecting careers in atmospheric and related sciences.
  
  
• Documentation: JOSS facilitates the preparation, production, and distribution of significant scientific media, in both hardcopy and electronic formats.

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VOCALS REx Field Campaign - Arica, Chile - October-November 2008

Field Campaigns

JOSS manages specialized logistics for field observing campaigns from the planning stage through the post-campaign research workshops; tailored to the special requirements and needs of individual projects include:

• Site Selection: assisting with and implementing arrangements for sites in coordination with host institutions and local government agencies. This can include an unusually varied set of tasks, such as building construction, arrangements for special laboratory facilities, and implementation of computer networking services.
  
  
• Logistics: coordinating and administering a wide range of logistical support tasks, including shipping, customs clearance, immigration, tax exemptions, handling hazardous materials, research ship support, travel, financial services, local staffing, and local service contracts.
  

UCAR’s world-renowned cadre of scientists and world-class facilities provide the capabilities to conduct basic and applied research of climate variability and change. JOSS collaborates on field campaigns also with scientists and facilities at UCAR Member Universities to ensure the science efforts meet their needs.

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