Support for Space Weather Meetings

University Corporation For Atmospheric Res, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

The investigator will be responsible for delivering two training, education and awareness meetings in the field of space weather. The first meeting is a workshop directly targeted at the space weather community and addresses the role of space weather in a technological society, while the second meeting "The Space Weather Enterprise Forum" brings together agencies, industry, and academia in a joint session to discuss a diverse range of mutually important issues. As the next peak of solar activity in 2011-2012 approaches, developed nations face many uncertainties resulting from increased reliance on space weather-affected technologies for communication, navigation, security, and other activities. Such meetings are an excellent way to understand the possible wide-ranging impacts of space weather. The intention of both meetings is to bring together representatives from government, the private sector, and academia, including both users and providers, to raise awareness, improve understanding, and educate all participants on opportunities, needs, and priorities. Themes to be explored during the meetings relate to improving strategic cooperation, the need to deliver improved operational forecasting as well as a better understanding of the fundamental science under-pinning space weather. Equally important is the need to provide education and outreach, to increase awareness of the risk and issues relating to space weather. The educational component of the meetings will also seek to encourage and prepare a young generation of scientists to enter the field. The scope of these space weather meetings is very well targeted to NSF's basic educational and scientific research objectives.