Unidata 2003-Melanie Wetzel

  In an effort to redeem myself for the somewhat negative slant I 
introduced to the Usercomm discussion on UNIDATA 2003, I would like to 
start the email conversation on the subject.  The question posed by Dave 
Fulker was, I believe, how we can help to formulate the priorities and 
opportunities for the UPC over the next several years.  From the meeting, 
there were some excellent ideas (which I have tried to list and 
expand on below).  Please reply with your comments and ideas to usercomm, 
so we can continue this process.  -- Melanie
 
 
1.  Investigate 3- and 4-D visualization methods used in other fields as 
well as atmospheric sciences, and consider how these can help combine and 
analyze new data types.  Continue to push the capabilities of the UNIDATA 
software packages.  Continue to help users reach the forefront of their 
campus in terms of computing, communications and scientific data 
applications.
 
2.  As Jenny suggested, use the Summer '97 Workshop to focus on applied
uses of the IDD.  This should broaden our awareness of interdisciplinary
applications and new opportunities.  We can invite as many
cross-department and applied meteorology users as exist in the UNIDATA
community.  We can also invite others who may be interested in forming 
'alliances' for collaborative development of data networking and
interactive  software.  Try to form some alliances prior to the Summer '97
workshop, for example the Regional Climate Centers, or subgroups from the 
National Biological Survey, EPA, NSF LTER program, NASA EOS or? 
 
3.  Survey the community to determine in what ways they are limited in
their abilities.  For example, one type of limitation might be in methods
to combine real-time data with retrospective data to understand the
relationships between atmospheric short-term processes and forcing
conditions; or in methods for compositing retrospective data.
 
4.  Consider the role that atmospheric sciences will play in the community
and world of 2003, such as:  air pollution monitoring across dense
regional networks as well as in small towns ; alternative energy design,
planning and monitoring (hopefully) ;  strategies for industry and
agriculture to use seasonal and other long-term climate forecasts, such as
for reservoir, grazing, crop selection ;  public expectation for more
frequent, detailed and precise 1- to 72-hour weather forecasts;
widespread contact with scientists and students from other countries;
more intense commodity and political interest in global economic
predictions based on 1- to 36-month climate forecasts (and how those 
forecasts would specifically effect the environmental conditions of 
localities).  Will we be able to supply data for and facilitate the
research and teaching needed to make these advances?