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Background: The goal of this postdoctoral program is to grow the pool of scientists qualified to transfer advances in climate science and climate prediction into climate-related decision framework(s) and decision tools.
Demand for research and guidance in climate-related risk management and decision-making has increased in recent years. This is due in part to the work of those involved in the NOAA RISA (Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments) program and to the efforts of a relatively small group of scientists working at the interface between climate science and its applications. A growing number of people and institutions are emerging to work at this interface, but demand for these people exceeds supply. Demand also stems from constant advances within climate science, including better understanding of predictability, better prediction ability, higher resolution of prediction products, and greater climate awareness. These scientific advances make concerted efforts at the applications interface all the more imperative, since individuals are needed who understand both climate science and needs of decision-makers. Increasing interest from communities that engage in decision support and risk/disaster management makes this an opportune time to launch a post-doctoral program aimed at this demand. Wide societal interest also broadens the base from which potential candidates could be recruited. One approach to grow the pool of climate scientists who can work effectively at the climate-society boundary is to encourage talented recent PhDs with expertise in climate science to work directly with institutions engaged in climate-related risk management and decision-making. This developing body of professionals will simultaneously be scientifically and technically capable in climate sciences and possess an understanding of the needs and issues that affect climate-related sectoral decisions. All participants will inevitably gain new perspectives on the opportunities and limitations of incorporating climate information into decisions. This program offers a process for recruiting and training individuals with a focus on practical experience, and offers the prestige that comes from a participation in a nationally recognized and coordinated program
Institutional Collaboration & Setting:
It is envisioned that the post-doc will be jointly affiliated, with supervision
shared between two institutions: an institution that contributes expertise
on climate research (“Climate Research Institution”, hereafter
CR partner) and an institution responsible for, or strongly linked to,
decision making or risk management influenced by climate variability
and/or change (“Decision Making Institution”, hereafter DM
partner). Maximum interaction with the DM partner is necessary if the
project is to truly benefit that institution. The postdoctoral scientist
will require mentorship from both the CR partner and the DM partner to
most effectively bring advances in climate science to bear in a DM environment.
Climate Research Institutions: The CR partner should be involved in the
development, production and application of climate information. Examples
of such institutions include, but are not limited to, universities tied
to the RISAs, Regional Climate Centers, and federal research facilities.
Participation in this program provides the opportunity to conduct scientific
climate research on topics that include observational studies, short- to
long-term climate forecasts, and decision or verification systems design
relevant to a specific societal need. More importantly, the collaborative
structure of the program enables application of that research in a real
world setting, with the potential to influence future operational practices.
Decision Making Institutions: The DM partner is involved in climate-related
risk management and decision-making or linked directly to agencies that
are. Examples include national-, regional-, state-, or municipal-level
agencies and organizations (public and non-profit) that manage or regulate
natural resources or produce a public good. Participation in CPAPP allows
these institutions to engage fresh intellectual capacity from the climate
community to work on problems relevant to their operations/decision making.
Such collaborative work strengthens bridges between the institutions through
focused personal collaboration.
Thematic Areas: The CR/DM Partners currently involved in the program jointly determine the thematic areas listed in the annual program announcements, and thus they may change each year. Examples include water, agriculture, ecosystems, coastal risk management, hydrometeorological disasters, and energy.
Application and
Progress Reporting Process: There are two timelines and processes,
one for the institutional CR/DM Partners and one for the post-doctoral
candidates.
Institutional CR/DM Partners timeline. Interested CR/DM partners will be solicited through an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to recruit institutional partners, to be released in January. CR and DM Partners will develop joint 2-page statements of intent and submit these to the Steering Committee by early July. The Steering Committee will review these by early August. The CR/DM statements of intent will be available in time for the post-doc AO to be released in mid-late September.
Post-doctoral timeline. An AO for post-docs will be released stating thematic areas of interest to the participating CR/DM Partners in mid-late September. A post-doc letter of intent (with thematic area, thesis information, relevant skills, and letters of reference) will be due by mid-December. Post-doc candidates will be evaluated, selected, and notified in mid-January to submit an application to a specific participating CR/DM Partner, using contacts provided. These applications will be due in mid-March. Successful candidates will be notified by early April. The post-doctoral appointments can begin any time between April and the start of October.
Tenure: Appointments are nominally for 2 years, with the second year contingent upon satisfactory progress during the first year.
Reporting:
- A progress report will be due approximately 9 months into the appointment to determine if a second year of funding is appropriate. Evaluations by supervisors at both the CR partner and DM partner should accompany the progress report.
- The postdoctoral researcher will present the results of their work and methods involved in a special session of an annual meeting, such as the NOAA Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop (CPASW).
- Other desirable means of reporting progress on individual projects or the program as a whole could involve articles in venues such as EOS or BAMS. Additionally an overview of the post-docs’ activities each year compiled by the Steering Committee will appear in an issue of the US CLIVAR Variations.
- Final reports by CR partner, DM partner, and post-doc should discuss success and value of their experience with the program and outcome(s) of the project, with reviewed articles encouraged.
Administration:
Program administration: UCAR will manage The Climate Prediction Applications Postdoctoral Program. A Steering Committee is responsible for scoping the participating institutions and funding agencies, vetting the postdoctoral applicant pool, participating in the proposal and progress review process, and promoting the program, as appropriate.
Funding: Half of the postdoctoral researcher’s expense is supported by national climate research funding agencies, and half from the DM partner with whom the post-doc will be working. We believe that it is very important to have explicit buy-in by the DM partner to ensure their active and interested participation in the project. The CR partner will provide in-kind contributions such as computing, phone and email, publication fees, and office space. NOAA’s Climate Program Office has committed support for initiation of this program, and discussions are ongoing with other agencies and institutions for additional support.
Budget: The initial prototype program will consist of 3 post-doctoral fellows. The estimated budget, approximately $105K/year/postdoc, includes salary, benefits, and some overhead. A $3K/yr meeting budget is also provided, from which the postdoctoral researchers are expected to attend the CPAS Workshop. Travel and living expenses are project specific but could approach $5-10K/yr.
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