Unidata Users Committee Meeting

Action Items and Resolutions

April 10-11, 2008

Actions related to 2006 Workshop (some left over):

1. Gary: Conduct inventory of missing materials from 2006 Workshop
2. Add known missing links and descriptive images:
   a.) Bill Gallus: provide link to Virtual Storm 
   b.) Jen Oxelson: Add LEAD link
   c.) Bill Gallus: Follow up with Jack Kain/Mike Baldwin re: CP scheme demos
3. Unidata/Jen Oxelson-Ask Jack/Mike if they would be comfortable converting CP demos to web service type of setup
4. Jen Oxelson: Add a “reply” button that is visible even if one is not logged in, for 2006 workshop Forum page 
5. Jen Oxelson: Work with Sean to set up a student listserv/forum
   

Actions from previous PolComm actions:

1. Unidata: Targeted invitation to relevant NCAR personnel to attend future UserComm meetings

2. Consider EPA datastreams for LDM, possible visualization: Gauge interest and needs of AQ community
   a.) See Rudy’s link describing some of the available datastreams
   b.) Set up conference call including Rudy Husar, EPA folks, and AQ faculty at some of our institutions

Actions from the current meeting:

1. Test viability of remote teleconference meetings with discussion about AQ data streams or workshop planning meeting (If reaction is positive, consider reducing to 1 in-person UserComm meeting per year, in addition to other short teleconference meetings at other times).
2. Consider how to improve university representation in CONDUIT discussions in the future (by University community)
3. For site contacts, in the future, indicate who will be contacted ahead of time in order to preclude duplication.
4. A message to the community concerning GEMPAK should come from Unidata (Mohan) and/or UserComm+PolComm.
5. UserComm will work from list that Don sent, and with community, to formulate a list of GEMPAK functionality that must be either supported in GEMPAK or replicated in another package (such as IDV or AWIPS-II).
6. For site contacts, edit site list before doing contacts, list who you *plan* to contact beforehand to avoid duplication.
7. Chris Herbster:  Contact FAA to see about possibility of TDWR data to be added, using LDM, to universities.
8. UserComm to proceed via email with possible distribution of Satellite composites.
9. Proceed with USPLN data stream on LDM feed
   
10. Review CONDUIT data streams, provide feedback to Louis Uccellini
    

a.) Select ~5 products that would be desirable to add to data stream
b.) Form a sub-committee on CONDUIT data to recognize need for engagement (tentatively, Gary, Bill, and Chris) to work with Linda at UPC.

Resolutions

1. The Users Committee has identified a tentative theme/topic for the 2009 Triennial Workshop of “Observations: Remote sensing, in-situ, and field project data in the classroom” (suggestion "Observations: Enhancing the synergy between research and education through the use of remote sensing, in-situ, and field project data in the classroom." Discussion?) This will be discussed further at the Fall meeting, tentatively scheduled for 9-10 October 2008.

2. The Users Committee strongly endorses Unidata’s position on future support of GEMPAK and the transition to AWIPS-II:
   a.) “Unidata will stand behind the latest release of GEMPAK at least until the point when alternative packages with the same functionality are available to the community.
   b.) Unidata will continue to monitor and stay involved with the AWIPS-II efforts in NOAA/NWS, in expectation that this package will be made available to the University community when viable.