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1993-2002. Focusing Our Unique Capabilities

Research Activities

Led by their new director, the scientific staff articulated a vision and new scientific goals for the future of the Institute. In addition to the definition of themes and an expanded research scope, they initiated integrating activities to enhance research into education as a process: an organized k-12 education and outreach program (chapter ten) and the encouragement of new team-taught courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

NOAA labs and CIRES have adjoining exhibits at a meeting of the American Meteorological Society.

Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade (K-12) Education and Outreach Program. A major initiative, begun in 1996, was the formation of an organized program in outreach and k-12 education. For more than a decade CIRES had contributed to educational outreach in a limited way through the efforts of individual scientists and staff members. Especially noteworthy was the work of Rosella Chavez in organizing contributions of CIRES scientists to the CU program of outreach to students in the Denver Public Schools. CIRES people also contributed as science fair judges and as organizers and instructors of summer courses for teachers. In recognition of the increased need for working scientists to contribute to the scientific literacy of the general population, CIRES leadership decided that such ad hoc efforts were not sufficient and that it was appropriate to commit some of its resources to outreach.

The original assumption was that the program could be self-sustaining through acquisition of grants, but, at least for the first five years, this was not a realistic expectation. Nevertheless, the benefits to both CIRES and society have justified the costs. The development and scope of the outreach program are detailed in chapter ten.

University and NOAA scientists dicuss plans for the Western Water Assessment program.

Another consideration guiding decision making has been the desirability of increasing cooperation with other entities on the Boulder campus, both the academic departments and the other research institutes. Many points of contact between the subjects of study within these various units become obvious on examination of work in progress across the campus. Because no one unit can aspire to do everything touching on its principal focus, the value of close cooperation is apparent. Examples of progress in building cooperative interdisciplinary integrated projects are found in the following chapters devoted to the individual subject matter fields traditionally within the scope of CIRES.

A major step was taken in 2001 toward broadening the scope of CIRES, when a fellow specializing in science policy was elected. The decision to move in this direction not only expanded the scope of CIRES in-house studies, but addressed one of the issues that had been on the table and debated in the Council of Fellows many times since 1967. The letter from Dean James Archer, the early advocate of the creation of CIRES, in which he expressed his disappointment that social science and public policy were not to be included, is quoted in chapter one. From 1984 to 1986, CIRES hosted Ernest Partridge, a philosopher specializing in ethical problems of the applications of science. Under an Interdisciplinary Incentives Award from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Partridge worked as a research associate on the ethical aspects of earthquake prediction and seismic safety analysis. CIRES had also considered the addition of a specialist in water law as a fellow. Hitherto, the Institute had always stepped back from moving into the public policy-social sciences area, with the view that efforts in these areas could best be addressed by its sister institutes and departments on the campus. In recognition of the fact that environmental science research in the 21st century is embedded in complex public policy issues, CIRES reversed these earlier decisions and selected Roger Pielke, Jr., associate professor in the Environmental Studies Program, to initiate the Institute's efforts in science policy research. The enthusiastic agreement of NOAA in this action was evidenced by its willingness to provide one-half the salary for this position for five years.

Housing and Space. Further steps to accommodate the Institute space needs included. remodeling part of the space in the CIRES and Ekeley Sciences buildings. Parts of the second floor of the CIRES building previously occupied by solid-earth scientists who moved to the new Benson Earth Science building were remodeled to accommodate the arrival of the Center for Limnology, directed by fellow Bill Lewis (chapter nine). The rooms in Ekeley East that had originally served as the on-campus administrative offices for the Institute, then as graduate student and faculty of- fice and laboratory space, were completely rebuilt to create laboratory and office space for the research group in biochemistry led by fellow Shelley Copley. The CIRES space on the third floor of Ekeley, previously occupied by the College of Pharmacy, was further remodeled to provide office and laboratory space for several groups.

In addition to the move of many of the solid-earth activities to Benson Earth Science, a number of CIRES scientists moved to the newly constructed David Skaggs Research Center of NOAA. A bungalow in the Grandview section was acquired to provided additional space for the k-12 educational outreach program, for the newly formed science and technology policy research group, and for visiting scientists. The only activity remaining on the east campus in 2002 was the National Snow and Ice Data Center, directed by fellow Roger Barry.

An important development in the financial situation of the Institute was the agreement with the University that CIRES would not pay rent on its space on the central campus after 2004, when the bonds sold to pay for the construction of the CIRES building would be retired. In addition, an agreement was reached to have 14,000 square feet of rent-free space on the east campus. The removal of the associated financial burdens would allow CIRES to plan for the construction of new space.

Other Issues. As interests of individuals and institutions evolve, occasionally the association of a scientist with an academic department, originally harmonious, becomes less appropriate. University faculty members rostered in CIRES are also full members of the department with which they are affiliated. During the 1990s, a few cases arose in which CIRES fellows, important contributors to the Institute's programs, no longer fit well into their departments. Although the situations led temporarily to strained relations between CIRES and the departments, in each case a solution satisfactory to all parties was found. Where the solution involved the transfer of a faculty member from one department to another, CIRES benefitted from the closer ties to more departments, enhancing its interdisciplinary foundation.

Direct University support for CIRES, except for salaries for faculty rostered in the Institute, continued to be minimal. Far less than one percent of the budget, the total general fund money provided by the University, went entirely for operating expenses. The salaries of the administrative and technical staffs were all derived from indirect cost recovery and external funds, primarily those provided under the Cooperative Agreement with NOAA. In 2001, the total NOAA funding was increased by 10 percent, after being level for more than a decade.

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