We at MMM are proud of our long tradition of combining leading-edge basic research with efforts to improve prediction and provision of advanced services to the community. This Science Plan lays out our goals to build on this tradition by evolving our research and service activities to the further benefit of society. We have developed a program that integrates strategic research into fundamental atmospheric problems, with applied research aimed at improving predictability, and the development and provision of facilities to the academic and operational community. This is a 2-way process: strategic research that shows promise will move through applications to future services and prediction advances, and our applied experience and community interactions will help us define future basic research activities.
Our specific goals build both on our previous work and strengths and on new directions that have been derived from extensive consultation and consideration of societal needs. Our new location within the Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory provides an opportunity to forge new cross-disciplinary interactions; this is reflected in the diversity of our programs and in our commitment to bringing the best of all disciplines to solving the complex problems that we have set ourselves. We also will be extending our interactions with our colleagues in the community at large and will be forging of new collaborations, particularly with the university community.
These goals represent a considered balance between taking on new challenges and available expertise and resources. We are mindful of the reality that research resources will at best be stable, and that funding from traditional sources is decreasing. Whilst there are many more things that we would like to do, we have striven to develop a balanced program, one that can be accommodated within a realistic assessment of current and potential future resources.
Our Science Plan is a genuine commitment that will take MMM through the next five years and beyond. In the best traditions of NCAR, we will strive to integrate across institutions and disciplines, to undertake leading-edge research and development, to improve understanding and prediction, and to facilitate the provision of advanced systems to the community.