date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 10:00:36 +0100 from: Eystein Jansen subject: NoE Dynamics of Climate Changes (DOCC) to: Laurent Labeyrie , Keith Alverson , Keith Briffa , Matti Saarnisto , Thomas Stocker , Bruno Messerli , sirocko@mail.Uni-Mainz.de, Tom Pedersen , Vera Markgraf , Rick Battarbee , didier.paillard@lsce.cnrs-gif.fr, Dominique Raynaud Dear friends, It is good to see so much of the PAGES community in Europe drawing their interests together in preparation for the 6FWP, in particular the networks of excellence (NoE). Before and after some of the partners from the Images community recently met in Cambridge I have been in contact with representatives from the ice core community (D. Reynaud), the paleoclimate modelling community (D. Pailard) and the community working on lake and tree ring records (R. Battarbee). The idea we have is to join forces behind a common submission of an Expression of interest (EoI) from the entire community, indicating that there is a large group of climate change/global change scientists in Europe who wish to integrate their work as at least one NoE. Some of the scientific challenges are sketched in the document that Laurent sent around. This clearly needs to be worked on extensively, but at least you will see from the title of the proposed network (Dynamics of Climate Changes (DOCC)) and the objectives in it the elements that are suggested. I note that there also are plans to develop the Holivar/PEP III intiative into an integrated project. In my opinion there is no contradiction between this intiative and the NoE, on contrary it has been stated to me by central people in the Commission that they would like to see NoEs running Integrated projects. How to proceed. 1. I am working on a more mature version of the background document (the draft Laurent sent out) we have started to work on. This will be ready by April 1, and I hope to circulate this to the key people for input and comments. The invitation to submit EoI specifies that the background document with the rationale should not be more than 5 pages, and should include: Need and Relevance (How it relates to the objectives of a priority area), Excellence (Documentation of how this represents a leading world force in the field) , Integration and Structuring Effect (how it will structure and integrate European research). Thus we need to work on a detailed documentation of the compartments of the community in order to be successful. Identifying a group of key people who can operate on behalf of sub-disciplines or existing netwroks is a key thing for pulling this together. Our Centre is willing to do a job in getting this together, and have been promised institutional resources to help if there is support from the community. I think it would be very helpful to have Keith and the PAGES Office deeply involved, as well as the PAGES/CLIVAR intersection. The invitation says the EoI can be submitted both on behalf of institutions and organisations. 2. We have identified the EGS meeting in Nice late April as a good venue to get a number of the key players in this effort together. We have thus tentatively convened a business meeting in the EGS-localities during lunch on Wednesday April 24 for those who can attend. 3. Hopefully the response to the draft sent out on April 1, and the Nice meeting will clarify who is willing to take part in this effort. We may need another meeting before the submission on June 7, hopefully the activities in April via e-mail may be necessary. I will be out of reach for a week, and would be happy to receive your comments to this when I return. Please distribute this to whoever you may feel should give feedback on the process. Best regards, Eystein -- ______________________________________________________________ Eystein Jansen Professor/Director Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research and Dep. of Geology, Univ. of Bergen Allégaten 55 N-5007 Bergen NORWAY e-mail: eystein.jansen@geol.uib.no Phone: +47-55-583491 - Home: +47-55-910661 Fax: +47-55-584330 ----------------------- The Bjerknes Training site offers 3-12 months fellowships to PhD students More info at: www.bjerknes.uib.no/mcts ----------------------------------------------------------------------------