Priority 4: Maintaining an Innovative and Creative Workplace

Our people are our most important asset, and we prize individual professional growth, effective teamwork, and an organizationl culture where all employees can realize their full potential and where achievements are celebrated and rewarded.

Early Career Scientists

Our people are our most important asset, and we prize an organizationl culture where all employees can realize their full potential. NCAR realizes that our scientific aspirations cannot be achieved without capable, intelligent, dedicated, and effective personnel. NCAR has increased the number of its early career scientists by 34 since 2001, and has successfully worked to improve the representation of women in the atmospheric sciences at NCAR. In FY 2007, we expect to hire 3-4 new researchers. On behalf of our entire program, the Advanced Study Program has initiated the search for new scientists I and research engineers.

Career development and leadership training have broadened significantly during the past year, and FY 2007 is on track to bring an even more expanded variety of training programs to all staff.

Software Engineering Assembly

The NCAR Director continues to support the activities of an internal Software Engineering Assembly. The mission of the assembly, which is open to UCAR employees, is to foster a sense of community for our software engineering professionals, to facilitate effective participation of software engineers through cross-cutting interactions in our science mission, to enhance communication with management in matters of concern to software engineers, and to engage our software engineers as full partners in setting priorities for the design, development and maintenance of the software infrastructure needed to realize our mission.

Communicating Science

NCAR scientists and technical staff participate in a wide range of informal science education activities, from testifying on Capitol Hill, to conducting interviews with the media, and giving public lectures. Each outreach activity requires skill and experience in communications if it is to have a positive and lasting impact on the intended audience.

The NCAR Vislab is one example of the many places where staff practice and refine techniques for communicating science to diverse audiences. In the past year scientists have trained staff in EO staff to present programs in the Vislab to students, teachers, and visiting dignitaries. The Communicating Science Program seeks to provide staff with training resources needed to become world class communicators through writing, speaking, and reaching out to K-12, public, and professional audiences.

The Communicating Science Program (CommSci) seeks to equip UCAR/NCAR/UOP scientific and technical staff to be world-class communicators. This is accomplished by engaging them in identifying and developing learning opportunities, experiences, and resources to enhance their skills in oral and written communication. Representatives of UCAR EO, UCAR Communications, UCAR Human Resources, and the NCAR Advanced Studies Program meet several times a year to review what has been accomplished and what new offerings are needed. An informal group of employees who speak English as a second language meet frequently to work on grammar, pronunciation, and presentation skills. Planning has begun to develop a briefing packet that all staff can use to better communicate the institution's mission and the latest research results related to climate change to non-technical audiences.

The Communcating Science collaboration within the institution will continue to identify courses, workshops, and resources that can help staff members to hone oral, writing, and presentation skills required to clearly and engagingly explain their research and its value to society to a broad range of audiences, from scientists and visitors to the Mesa Lab to K-12 students and members of the general public.

Workplace Environment

A perusal of the highlights and future plans of the previous three strategic priorities demonstrates NCAR's commitment to maintaining and furthering this strategic priority. NCAR is in the process of refurbishing the Mesa Lab, with support from NSF, with an expected completion date in FY 2007. A third campus was added to the research complex, with conference facilities that enable NCAR and UCAR to host much larger meetings than previously possible.

Space Planning

The NCAR Deputy Director is leading an effort to strategically plan use of our excellent facilities. Working closely with colleagues in UCAR, the plan will build on existing synergies brought about by the NCAR reorganization. A key goal of the plan is to provide innovative collaborative space where NCAR researchers and visitors can meet for short term projects. The NCAR Director is also planning to take implement upgrades to our Access Grid system enabling remote audiences to view and actively participate in NCAR seminars.