Reorganization at NCAR

Presentation to the UCAR Board of Trustees

February 25, 2004

NSF Review Recommendation

“Management of NCAR and UCAR, with appropriate advice from the Board of Trustees, should think carefully about the current UCAR/NCAR management structures in the light of evolving research needs and leadership role of NCAR and should determine whether structural readjustments or realignments could best meet these evolving needs.”

NSF Cooperative Agreement Review Committee

December 19, 2002

Reorganization – The Past Year March, 2003 – Killeen convened First Committee

Charge: Consider advantages and disadvantages of realignment and provide guiding principles if propose a realignment.

June, 2003 – First Committee reported out to the NCAR Directors at their annual retreat. Realignment is necessary to increase flexibility in managing

initiatives July, 2003 – Killeen formed Realignment Committee with

representatives from every divisionCharge: Propose structure that would achieve flexibility and

facilitate cross-divisional work and increased university collaborations

Reorganization – The Past Year November, 2003 – Realignment Committee

recommendations Create of three new institutes:

Institute for Mathematics Applied to the Geosciences (IMAGe)

Earth System Studies Institute Institute for the Study of Society and Environment

Investigate expansion of an Institute for Advanced Studies Institute building on the existing Advanced Studies Program.

January, 2004 – President’s Council and NCAR Directors met to consider proposed realignment

Some Guiding Principles Organize to address significant current national needs

identified in the strategic plan and new ones that arise later. Flexible and responsive organizationMultiple investigator projectsReduce stove-piping in the organizationEnsure an organizational structure that supports science,

applications and facilities Improved connection to universities

Maintain disciplinary alignments as a critical dimension of the organization

Reorganization Objectives Form, structure, and function must all be consistent

with NCAR’s mission and strategic plan

Foster existing and implement new modes of interaction with the university community

Implement our strategy and manage cross-cutting work more effectively

Enable new interdisciplinary science that cuts across existing NCAR divisional boundaries

Reorganization Objectives

Make “integration” a structural part of NCAR’s organization

Foster professional development of all staff

Open up exciting new scientific opportunities and partnerships

Proposed Reorganization

Approved by NCAR Directors & President’s Council

January 7, 2004

Criteria for Decision Consistent with our strategic plan Scientific Excellence Highlight NCAR to the best effect Continuity of and respect for divisional heritage Make our “integration” commitment more real Maintain disciplinary alignments as a critical dimension of the

organization Professional growth and opportunities for employees Flexible and adaptable An engine for innovation Incurs a very modest level of additional costs

Criteria for Decision Enables efficient execution of NCAR’s work/initiatives Enhance existing programs that we are proud of… Facilitates focused multidisciplinary research goals Supports “basic” and “practical” More strategic partnerships Support the initiatives and the exciting base program Cost realism Clear and simple to external community: (one page) Continues to evolve: facilitates long term change (cultural) Proactive: BOLD

Criteria for Decision Encourages alliances with other sponsors Acceptable to other sponsors Promotes cooperation between units Efficient management structure with fewer direct reports Manage across division programs Mitigation of threats Doable in finite amount of time Augmented university connections Enable identification/tackle of new scientific frontiers Attracting the best and the brightest

The Science DimensionTeams

Community Modeling Efforts, Strategic Initiatives, e.g., Biogeosciences

ThemesNCAR Initiatives, e.g., Climate and Society

ProjectsLarge scale activities, e.g., HIAPER

Partnerships Strategic Institutional Partnerships with

universities, federal and state agencies and private institutions

INSERT ANIMATION SLIDES HERE

The following are placeholders

NCAR Visitor Program* Provides opportunities for research collaboration

within and across disciplines.

* Adds specialized expertise that results in joint publications, model improvements, and improved scientific understanding.

* Centralized pool created to insulate Visitor Program from annual budget fluctuations.

* Total combined contributions from Divisions and Directorate: $535K

NCAR Overhead rate: 49.5%Total Federal Indirect Cost

Institution and ranking R&D Rate

1 J ohns Hopkins University 992,324 63.5% 2 University of Washington 527,423 51.6% 3 U of Pennsylvania 438,186 58.5% 4 U of Michigan 435,157 53.0% 5 U of CA San Diego 394,480 52.0% 6 U of CA Los Angeles 389,906 53.0% 7 U of CA San Francisco 371,124 51.5% 8 Stanford University 369,715 60.0% 9 Harvard University 352,230 64.0% 10 Columbia U City New York 348,388 63.0%

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