CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center Climate Monitoring: What can a small group of Expert Team volunteers accomplish? Thomas C. Peterson Chair, CCl Open Programme Area Group on Monitoring and Analysis of Climate Variability and Change

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center What can a small group of volunteers accomplish? It is a good question. I asked myself that at the first meeting of a Working Group I chaired. Before I give the answer...

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center What is an Expert? “An Expert is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be made in his subject, and how to avoid them.” –Werner Heisenberg, 1971 Was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, 1932 Heisenberg uncertainty principle: “The more precisely the position is determined, the less precisely the momentum is known in this instant, and vice versa.” --Heisenberg, 1927

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center What is a Goal? “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” –Diana Scharf Hunt, author of a time management book

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center Determining what is Important “Maturation as a scientist involves many components, but a key one for me was the development of taste, much as it is in the enjoyment of art, music, food, or wine. One needs to learn what problems are important. I sensed myself developing taste, distinguishing what was interesting from what was not – and among the things that were interesting, I also learned what was doable.” –Eric R. Kandal, 2006 Recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine From his book In Search of Memory

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center What can a small group of volunteers accomplish? What ever you want. So choose things that are: –Important –Doable –Unlikely to be done without you –Beyond what any one of you acting alone without the WMO banner could do

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center What are your strong points? International recognition –Global coordination –Inspiration of local and regional activity Some remarkable individuals in this room –With energy and desire to contribute

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center What are your weak points? Some individuals may not follow through with their agreed upon action –Best intentions at a meeting can conflict with a sudden new request from a boss when you get home Team members who don’t contribute are seldom asked to serve on a team again Remind your boss that agreeing to serve on the team means having agreed to work with the team

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center Optimal projects Tasks that are win/win –Where they help the global climate monitoring community (CCl goal) –Help you accomplish your institution’s goals –Help you accomplish your personal professional goals Good opportunity to raise your international visibility Good results lead to interesting new opportunities

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center But the main thing is: Do something!

CCl Expert Team on Climate Monitoring Meeting Tarragona, Spain, September NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center It is doubtful whether a man ever brings his faculties to bear with their full force on a subject until he writes upon it. –Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106 BC to 43 BC