date: Thu Jun 2 17:34:28 2005
from: Phil Jones
subject: Re: future
to: Anders Moberg
Anders,
This sounds a bit like Tim's. UEA had to suggest subjects with someone in mind,
then it was open for everyone to apply - provided they had 2-3 yrs of research money
available. Ridiculous system - Tim is still in discussions with two others appointed this
way in ENV with both ENV and UEA !
I'm off at the weekend for Bern. I get back on June 10 and will be at the Wymondham
bus stop at 18.40 on June 12 for your arrival. I hope this is the correct time. Ruth and
I are looking forward to your visit.
I will try and write a few sentences whilst away on the subject of the last
millennium.
IPCC won't come to a conclusion on this for their 2007 report, that's for sure. There are
a number of new millennial curves coming along every few months these days. I heard
today that Ed Cook has a new one with Esper, Jacoby and D'Arrigo a new one. At least
4 papers that show where MM went wrong in their analyses and one that has reproduced
MBH98. Keith has to summarize all this for IPCC !
In my chapter, we are expecting to finally sort out the MSU issue. I say we here, not
meaning CRU, but science in general. It seems that Spencer and Christy have made
mistakes and they admit them. Keep this under your hat until something comes out.
This will mean that the millennium will be one of the few major issues the skeptics will
still be able to have a go at. They won't like the MSU resolution, so this will likely
take
the most of any flak that IPCC will get.
In the meantime, how has your Nature work gone down in Sweden? Going for this
subject could be a double-edged sword depending who is on the committee. There are
some who think it is a non-issue and some who think it is vitally important. I could write
something along the lines of working towards improving the records, and removing doubts
that it is warmer now than it's ever been. There is also some links to the 17-19th
centuries
and the early instrumental data. It's not just paleo.
Keith thinks Millennium has been funded. Have you heard anything?
Cheers
Phil
At 14:20 02/06/2005, you wrote:
Phil,
I would like to have your opinion about a possible research topic to be suggested to the
Swedish Research Council before June 30. This is their deadline for submitting suggested
topics for 6-year senior researcher positions at Swedish universities. They announce a
handful of such research positions every year, and each time it is open to suggest the
topics. The positions are then announced and anyone can apply for them. I guess Tim has
had an equivalent postion through NERC. The topics could be in any science. For example,
this year they announced positions in such disparate subjects as Combinatorics, Complex
plasmas, Biochemisty and biophysics of membrane proteines, etc. I did apply myself for
one called "Correlation and calibration of late-Quaternary timescales". The decision on
who will get the jobs will be taken sometime this autumn.
Now, the Research Council wants new subjects for the next year's announcement. I
remember that you said, when you were here in Stockholm, that the question of climate
variability in the last millennium will not be solved at the time of the next IPCC
report. So, perhaps this could be a topic to suggest.
The main reason for my interest in this is because I would like to see a position
announced that I can apply for myself !! So, the idea is that will I prepare a text
(with a title and short motivation) and then give this text to some leading person at
the Stockholm University, who will then submit the suggestion to the Research Council.
If the topic will be accepted (in competition with all fields of science), it will be
announced in March next year.
So - could you think of a good title of such a topic? And, moreover, could you give some
short motivation for it. The motivation should be written such that it "can be read and
understood by scientists in other disciplines. Motivate the aim of the subject, either
for renewal or recruitment"
" 1. Renewal . The research area shall be of international importance and/or rapidly
growing with relatively small activity in Sweden. Indicate the most outstanding
international research environments. In case Swedish environments exist, at most three
of these should be mentioned. The importance for science and/or society of the Swedish
research environments may be described briefly"
" 2. Recruitment. The proposal shall aim at strengthening an existing Swedish research
environment. Describe shortly the scientific and/or societal importance of the Swedish
research environments. At most three of the Swedish research environments should be
mentioned. Some of the most distinguished international environments may also be
mentioned"
Any idea? I realize that you cannot say too much about the Swedish research
environments, but if you could think of a title and a general motivation, I would be
happy if you could write some words about this back to me.
Cheers,
Anders
Prof. Phil Jones
Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0) 1603 592090
School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) 1603 507784
University of East Anglia
Norwich Email p.jones@uea.ac.uk
NR4 7TJ
UK
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