Community Workshop:NEON Management and Coordination

Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will be a shared-use, continental scale research platform for ecological research. The network will consist of geographically distributed infrastructure deployed across the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The concept, design, and selection of sites and instruments for the various NEON sites and activities have evolved over many years, during which community consultation has been an important activity. NEON is now entering an important phase of changes in management structures, and consultation with the communities of site owners/hosts, users of NEON Sites, and other stakeholders is necessary. The Smithsonian Institution, along with other site owners/hosts, will host a workshop to bring together these communities for interactions and to provide input to the new NEON project management group. The proposed workshop will improve the planning, implementation and long-term operations of NEON, thereby enhancing the capabilities of this important research resource. This community workshop will reinforce the network of institutions and researchers involved in NEON and will improve their coordination and communication with NEON's management entity. NSF is in the process of reassigning NEON's management responsibilities, making this an appropriate time to review and re-think the working relationships between NEON-supported activities and those managed by the NEON site owners and hosts. Participants in the workshop will engage in open discussion of issues and opportunities, identify constructive approaches towards enhancing the utility of NEON sites and data, and provide suggestions about how to best maintain effective communications with site owners/hosts. Outcomes of the workshop discussions will be made available to the new managing entity and distributed through a white paper or other means.