On this Page >> Busy, busy, busy
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Director's Corner |
Busy, busy, busy… First, I’d like to announce that Dave Parsons has been formally named Interim Deputy Director of the division. Dave served as acting interim director during my absence in February and will continue as deputy until a permanent director of ATD/EOL is chosen. Thanks to Dave for taking on this additional responsibility. One of the most important tasks we’ve begun is the development of a new Strategic Plan for ATD as part of the NCAR Facilities Strategic Plan. As you know, both internal and external groups have been working on this and we have made good progress. An internal website contains all the materials that have been generated so far; we expect to receive a report from our ad hoc External Advisory Committee within the week. We have a management retreat in early April to begin drafting of the plan, which is due in mid-May. We will announce to the community just as soon as a draft is available for review and comment.. We also are working on some exciting emerging opportunities for
the division, including the university instrumentation proposals
for the HIAPER aircraft. We hope to take advantage of these interactions
to forge strong new strategic partnerships with our university colleagues.
In addition, there is a potential for collaboration with NOAA to
develop a precipitation radar for their Gulfstream IV as part of
a broader strategic partnership in high altitude airborne observing
systems. This would go a long way towards giving us a leg up on both
expertise and cost for a similar future development for HIAPER. Rit |
I am pleased to be able to report to you on a number of the many
activities that we have undertaken in the Director’s office
since my arrival in November. Between juggling my duties as ATD’s
interim director, my commitments to the WMO World Weather Research
Program and other ongoing tasks in MMM, and fulfilling a speaking
schedule as Sigma Xi’s Distinguished Lecturer for 2003-2004,
I truly wish I had more time to visit the field programs and “kick
the tires” with PIs and Divisional staff.