Organizational and Project Management Support to complete the NEON Construction Ready Design and Project Execution Plan.

National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental research platform designed to extend our understanding of the biosphere to regional and continental scales. Through remote sensing, in-situ observation, experimentation, synthesis, and modeling, NEON will provide researchers with a unique capability to quantify the strong and weak forces regulating the biosphere and predict its response to climate and landuse change. NEON infrastructure will include field deployed instrumented towers and sensor arrays, remote sensing capabilities, cutting-edge laboratory instrumentation, natural history archives, and facilities for data analysis, modeling, visualization, and forecasting, all networked through a cyberinfrastructure backbone. Infrastructure will be deployed across the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico using a statistically determined design, stratified by climate and landuse. The knowledge base NEON will create, its real time and continuous integrated data, simulation and observation capabilities, and its networked communication will be an asset for formal and informal education and training. A NEON gateway will provide resources to support informal public education and provide opportunities for citizens to actively participate in scientific investigations. This award will support NEON, Inc. and the NEON Project Management Office to complete the NEON final design and Project Execution Plan. Funds will support NEON, Inc. business operations, corporate management, governance, and advisory committees. The Project Management Office will add technical, engineering, and project management staff necessary to transition from planning to construction. This award will enable the NEON Project Management Office to develop a site-dependent final design, cost and schedule baseline, Project Execution Plan, finalize the operations and maintenance plan, and implement project management accounting and reporting functions. Risks associated with instrument installation will be quantified and mitigation strategies developed. A robust set of activities will be conducted to continue the engagement of the research community including recruitment of the Domain Chief Scientists.