ExCom June 2012

ESIP Federation Executive Committee, June 14, 2012

Participants: Matt Austin, Karl Benedict, Steve Berrick, Stefan Falke, Patricia Huff, Chuck Hutchinson, Ken Keiser, Chris Lenhardt, Carol Meyer, Curt Tilmes

1. Approval of April minutes
Ken Keiser made a motion to adopt the minutes as drafted. The motion was seconded by Steve Berrick. Without discussion, the minutes were approved by acclamation.

2. National Climate Assessment Network (Curt Tilmes, NASA/USGCRP)
Curt Tilmes provided an overview of the USGCRP’s efforts to build a global change knowledge base. The USGCRP mission is to understand integrated science, perform education and communication around global change, to conduct sustained assessments, and inform decision support.
The 2012 Climate Assessment has several new features, including broader partnerships that help build a long-term capacity for doing future assessments. The NCANet (National Climate Assessment Network) is a non-federal body that coordinates external contributions into the National Climate Assessment.

• ESIP could help be a communication conduit to/from the NCA team.
• ESIP could help make connections to partner organizations.
• ESIP Air Quality Working Group Chair (Glynis Lough) is the new Chief of Staff at USGCRP.
• ESIP stewardship, drupal, semantic web activities are of particular interest to Curt’s work at the USGCRP.
• Participation in NCANet is largely ad hoc.

The Executive Committee was asked to consider membership in NCANet. The Excom wondered if it made more sense for NCANet to join ESIP. There was no consensus as to moving forward but at minimum, it was understood that ESIP could assist in communicating with its members about relevant opportunities and items of importance.

3. Excom Business

• Carol Meyer reported that the Excom approved via email vote the creation of an ESIP Commons Working Group and the Energy and Climate Working Group (formerly Cluster). Both will report up to the Excom.
• During last year’s consideration of nominations for the Martha Maiden Award, the Type Rep reviewers indicated that additional review criteria necessary. The Excom was asked to appoint a team to look at review criteria (e.g. consensus v. unanimity approach, number of reviewers, other review criteria). Vice President Annette Schloss agreed to chair this team which will include the ESIP Type Reps. The team will report back to the Excom.
• Carol Meyer reported that attendance at the summer meeting had grown to 154 at present (10 virtual). The agenda is in place for the meeting and all looks to be very positive in a tough travel climate.
• Several of the Committees are pulling together their state of the art documents for different activities. Both the Products and Services and Data Stewardship Committees are leading efforts. The final documents will have a permanent home in the ESIP Commons.

4. Committee Reports
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee will meet on June 18 to pick up where they left off in January.

5. Other Business
There was no other business.
Chris Lenhardt made a motion to adjourn the meeting with a second by Steve Berrick. The meeting adjourned at 3:05.