October 2005 ARCSS Committee Meeting | Agenda

8:00 a.m.

Jonathan Overpeck
Chair, ARCSS Committee

Report to the ARCSS Committee from NSF Neil Swanberg, ARCSS Program Director

• ARCSS Program budget projections
• Announcement of Opportunity timing
• Scientific and programmatic needs

What do the currently funded ARCSS projects need to promote and facilitate synthesis?
Matthew Sturm

Short (ten-minute) status report on each project:

• SBI - Jonathan Overpeck
• Freshwater - Charlie Vörösmarty
• PARCS Synthesis - Jonathan Overpeck
• SNACS - Matthew Sturm
• SASS - Mark Serreze

Discuss infrastructure and supportive activities needed for each, who will provide these, and timelines.

Review process and results of last AO

• Discuss community concerns, clarifications needed
• Develop a list of suggestions/revisions for the next AO
• Draft revised text as necessary

Terms of Reference

• ARCSS Committee
• Executive Committee

AC Member rotation

• Review rotation schedule, disciplinary/expertise/focus issues
• Discuss potential new members

Summary of current CoPs and their status

• What do the submitted CoPs need to support science planning?
• What are the additional communities that should be encouraged to form CoPs in the short-term? (e.g. Human Dimensions, Freshwater, Paleo, etc.) and how can we encourage additional CoPs?
• What are the next steps with regard to soliciting prospectuses and other ARCSS science idea development?

Report from the Data Advisory Working Group (DAWG)

• What are the needs in the context of ARCSS synthesis, other emerging programs, IPY planning?
• Where are we going with this?

State of the Arctic Conference (Early 2007 and possibly 2010)

• Update on timing, scope, focus, and funding
• Next steps in planning.

Adjourn for the day

[Possible ARCSS Committee informal dinner]

Preparing to Write a 5-Year Science Plan

Quickly Revisit ARCSS Goal and Science Questions:

• Goal: To answer the question: What do changes in the arctic system imply for the future?
• Science Questions (from March 2005):
• 1. How do the interconnected social, physical, chemical, and biological systems of the Arctic operate and interact to define and drive the arctic system (broadly defined)?
  2. How does the arctic system interact with the larger earth system?
  3. What is the trajectory of the arctic system and the implications of that trajectory in the years and decades to come?
• Any revisions needed?

Assessment of ARCSS Science To-Date: What has ARCSS research contributed to our understanding of the Arctic?

• What process should we undertake to determine
  the state of ARCSS Science and the scientific gaps?
• Initial gap schematic: issues, lessons, ideas
  Craig Nicolson
  Jennifer Francis
• Discussion

Next steps for ARCSS Science/Synthesis

• Scientific focus of next steps: What are relative roles of, and process for involving, the AC, CoPs, and broader community in prioritizing scientific gaps for future work?
• Approach for next steps: What are potential approaches ("modes") for future synthesis/ARCSS science?

Revise as necessary and finalize outline of science plan (Outline derived from March AC meeting outline)

• Foreword
• The arctic system in the global context
• The ARCSS Program: Evolution of program and system science perspective
• Current ARCSS goals and overarching science questions
• State of ARCSS research (i.e., completed programs, what ARCSS has contributed to our understanding of the Arctic)
• Key unknowns and priorities
• ARCSS process and implementation (CoPs, etc)
• Conclude: "The Grand Challenge"

Assign drafting groups and expand on sections of outline (Break as needed)

Brief reports from writing groups

[Writing groups may continue working together]

Science Plan: Revisit outline and writing process

• Brief check in from writing groups
• Does the outline still make sense?
• How do the pieces of the current draft fit together?
• What pieces are missing or need the most work?
• What contributions do we need from outside the AC?

Science Plan: Timetable and assignments for completion

ARCSS eTown Meetings

• Future topics, schedule, and moderators

ARCSS WebSeminars

• Ideas for future topics
• Suggestions for chairs or presenters that could be recruited

• ARCSS Science Plan
• Announcement of Opportunity revisions
• Planning and support activities for funded projects
• Communities of Practice process
• ARCSS Data coordination
• State of the Arctic Conference
• ARCSS eTown Meetings and WebSeminars
• AC Rotation and membership

Agree on action items, assignments, and timelines

Meeting adjourns