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In an effort to redeem myself for the somewhat negative slant I introduced to the Usercomm discussion on UNIDATA 2003, I would like to start the email conversation on the subject. The question posed by Dave Fulker was, I believe, how we can help to formulate the priorities and opportunities for the UPC over the next several years. From the meeting, there were some excellent ideas (which I have tried to list and expand on below). Please reply with your comments and ideas to usercomm, so we can continue this process. -- Melanie 1. Investigate 3- and 4-D visualization methods used in other fields as well as atmospheric sciences, and consider how these can help combine and analyze new data types. Continue to push the capabilities of the UNIDATA software packages. Continue to help users reach the forefront of their campus in terms of computing, communications and scientific data applications. 2. As Jenny suggested, use the Summer '97 Workshop to focus on applied uses of the IDD. This should broaden our awareness of interdisciplinary applications and new opportunities. We can invite as many cross-department and applied meteorology users as exist in the UNIDATA community. We can also invite others who may be interested in forming 'alliances' for collaborative development of data networking and interactive software. Try to form some alliances prior to the Summer '97 workshop, for example the Regional Climate Centers, or subgroups from the National Biological Survey, EPA, NSF LTER program, NASA EOS or? 3. Survey the community to determine in what ways they are limited in their abilities. For example, one type of limitation might be in methods to combine real-time data with retrospective data to understand the relationships between atmospheric short-term processes and forcing conditions; or in methods for compositing retrospective data. 4. Consider the role that atmospheric sciences will play in the community and world of 2003, such as: air pollution monitoring across dense regional networks as well as in small towns ; alternative energy design, planning and monitoring (hopefully) ; strategies for industry and agriculture to use seasonal and other long-term climate forecasts, such as for reservoir, grazing, crop selection ; public expectation for more frequent, detailed and precise 1- to 72-hour weather forecasts; widespread contact with scientists and students from other countries; more intense commodity and political interest in global economic predictions based on 1- to 36-month climate forecasts (and how those forecasts would specifically effect the environmental conditions of localities). Will we be able to supply data for and facilitate the research and teaching needed to make these advances?