Science for Decisionmaking Coastal and Marine Geology at the U.S. Geological Survey (1999) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
C: Selected Responses to USGS Staff Questionnaire and Clients and Collaborators Questionnaire
C: Selected Responses to USGS Staff Questionnaire and Clients and Collaborators Questionnaire
Pages 82-100
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From page 82... ...
A wide variety of data sets (geographic, geologic, biologic, physical, and chemical) are needed to address the multidisciplinary issues in the coastal zone.
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From page 83... ...
There is a need to develop and maintain indicators of environmental change over the long-term. Long-term observations must be obtained in the context of the overall system and continually analyzed to ensure quality and to further understand the processes causing change (natural and anthropogenic)
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From page 84... ...
Develop a regional predictive capability for sediment and contaminant transport and fate in the coastal ocean. Coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion of coastal aquifers, defining risk of building and living in coastal zone and mitigation strategies, ensuring that marine environmental policy and regulation involve or are based on credible science.
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From page 85... ...
Having outside reviews and non-USGS participants on these panels is crucial. Explicitly identify the big picture as our fundamental mission.
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From page 86... ...
Until the reward and promotion system is changed to value products other than papers in peer-viewed professional journals, scientists will continue to focus on and value more highly traditional research. It is my belief that a vital and unique element of our overall responsibilities as federal government research scientists is to provide unbiased scientific information for national policy.
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From page 87... ...
. Seafloor maps, transport model results, scientific input on complex coastal issues to resource managers, geologic time perspective on these issues, integrated regional datasets covering areas shared by multiple states.
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From page 88... ...
Community-based sediment transport model like MODFLOW, a coordinated seafloor and subsurface marine imaging center with equipment and staff available to other agencies and academia (a mobile seafloor "observatory") , a web-based national seafloor data clearinghouse, nearshore long-coring capabilities (joint with ODP)
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From page 89... ...
for coastal and marine knowledge bank on a regional and national scale. With the departure of key scientists that have historically advanced marine geologic research, new areas of fundamental research need to be identified as to areas for which CMGP can provide leadership (sediment transport processes, shoreline and delta stability, tsunamis, etc.~.
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From page 90... ...
Town meetings in other programs on highly visible issues have also proven highly effective. Obviously, if our goal is communication, rather than the mere production of a "product," we must listen to the understanding that our end users receive from our products so that we can learn to express the big picture effectively.
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From page 91... ...
CMGP interpretation of these data gives genetic and dynamic meaning to NOAA bathymetry and shorelines, isolated EPA sediment quality data, USACE, dam/bridge/beach/port/canal impacts, NWS storm data, USGS Water Resources river discharge data, and BRD coastal species survey data. CMGP data and people link separate programs in other agencies such as ODP and chemical oceanography at NSF.
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From page 92... ...
Most of the Geologic Division programs (in geologic hazards, mineral resources, surficial processes, global change, and others) can benefit from a strong diversified marine program.
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From page 93... ...
Monitoring: USGS is uniquely suited to carry out well-planned long-term monitoring of environmental change in the coastal ocean. USGS regional studies provide the spatial context for these temporal observations, which can improve fundamental understanding of coastal processes.
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From page 94... ...
There is tremendous pressure to work collaboratively inside and outside USGS. Many coastal science issues benefit from broad collaboration, often increasing the skills brought to bear on a problem and effectiveness of the project.
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From page 95... ...
The Geologic Division needs to complete implementation of the management structure that was set up in 1996 after the RIF. Under the revised division structure, program coordinators are supposed to be seeking new areas of application for the unique capabilities of their programs and to identify new collaborative efforts (refer to the position descriptions that are currently approved)
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From page 96... ...
Idea: organize something like departments in CMGP so that sediment transport folks in Menlo, for example, have some regular contact with sediment transport folks in Woods Hole, and geochemists can work on coordinated analytical arrangements (national contracts or shared equipment acquisition rather than every branch for itself)
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From page 97... ...
I would be reluctant to get involved with the high costs of large oceangoing research vessels. Our working capital fund should be expanded to handle outside journal publications.
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From page 98... ...
The current pattern of hiring research scientists as permanent employees, while support staff are temporary, is completely backwards. Research staff are interchangeable and come ready-trained from the university.
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From page 99... ...
Recognition of CMGP staff by outside agencies and academia has noticeably declined since the reduction in force. Quality and quantity of CMGP data have suffered in the last four or five years.
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From page 100... ...
Each project should produce scientific papers and outreach products. The USGS motto, "Science for a changing world," has come to mean consultants; the science has been abandoned for what is viewed as immediate societal need that can be demonstrated to a senator or congressperson.
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