cc: laura.middleton@uea.ac.uk,s.keeley@uea.ac.uk,t.osborn@uea.ac.uk, p.jones@uea.ac.uk,k.briffa@uea.ac.uk,m.salmon@uea.ac.uk, t.m.melvin@uea.ac.uk,m.hulme@uea.ac.uk,a.watkinson@uea.ac.uk date: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 20:12:42 +0100 from: Clare Goodess subject: Re: Exhibit so far to: Laura.Middleton@uea.ac.uk Dear Laura At last it seems that we finally have the basis for proper exchange and negotiation on the text and CRU contributions. From your responses to our face-to-face discussions last week and emails earlier this week, it seemed to us that there was no such basis because you were not prepared to take on board anything that we proposed. Your refusal to include the global temperature time series despite insistence from Phil and myself was the last straw. Hence our decision that the best thing was to pull out of part of the exhibition. I think that the text you've sent still needs a lot of work, but I think is sufficiently improved to allow further modification and dialogue tomorrow. For example, I would still like to see a bit more detailed discussion of natural/anthropogenic forcing and attribution and also a mention of model reliability. I think that this would be rather more informative/educational than the bullet points about UEA scientists. So could be included without unduly increasing the word count. In order to better inform our editing tomorrow, it would be very helpful if you could send us the text for what were panels 3 to 5 but may have changed number. Could you tell us whether the 'Talking Heads' section will still be included and if so, which scientists will be involved? Finally, please remember that an acknowledgement to data sources, including the Hadley Centre (you have the wording for this), needs to be included either on Panel 6 or on the acknowledgements panel. Would it be possible to see the text for the latter? Best wishes, Clare At 19:16 15/08/2006, Laura.Middleton@uea.ac.uk wrote: >Dear Clare, >I appreciate your concern that the scientific information included in this >exhibit is accurate, but I think it would be a real shame if CRU pulls out >at such a late stage and had hoped that our exchanges would lead to >something that we could all be happy with using. This type of work does >require drafting, redrafting and editing, as I mentioned in my last >message, but I’m certain that with patience and understanding we can get >there! > >Researchers from CRU, Tyndall and me especially have input many unpaid >hours into this and I would be sad to see that go to waste. The designers >have been working on the panels for the last few weeks and much of the >work is complete, including the CRU /UEA panel. They will charge for panel >stands and design work so far, even if you chose not to exhibit, which all >comes from taxpayers’ money. > >I would appreciate it if you consider the attached re-draft for panel 6, >which includes both the animation and the time series graph, plus slightly >amended text from what Sarah sent me last week. I need to let the >designers know as soon as possible if you do want to drop out to avoid >accruing further wasted expense. At present a total of £875 (exc VAT) has >been spent on the CRU /UEA stand. We may be able to send the DVD machine >back, which reduces the cost by £400. > >I feel that once you see the exhibit as a whole you will appreciate that >it has not deviated from my intentions in the proposal. > >Best wishes, Laura > > > > > Dear Laura > > > > Thank you for your response which we have discussed this afternoon. > > > > Unfortunately, it does not change our view of the way in which our > > research (and that of the Hadley Centre) is being > > presented. According to the proposal to DEFRA 'The scientific > > discoveries they highlight will be drawn from key UEA research and > > findings on climate change.' Since you have decided to omit the > > global temperature time series which is the highlight of CRU work > > over the years, and refuse to allow inclusion of adequate explanation > > of the animation, we are not prepared to allow you to use the DVD > > animation as part of this exhibition, nor the picture of the CRU > > building. So I would be grateful if you could return the DVD to me. > > > > We did note and discuss your suggestion to produce a leaflet. Apart > > from the time/cost of producing this, it would not solve the future > > problem. The intention is for this exhibition to be re-used in a > > variety of places and I doubt that you can guarantee that the leaflet > > will always be available. > > > > We are sorry that we have had to come to this decision, particularly > > after the many hours of unpaid work many of us have devoted to > > this. But the exhibition has moved too far away from the original > > proposal for us to feel comfortable. > > > > Having said that, we are happy for the tree ring material to be used > > - provided that no further cuts are made to that. It is still a > > disappointment that you have decided to omit Tim's Picture 4, despite > > seeming quite positive about it when we met on 10th August. > > > > Best wishes, Clare > > > > > > At 10:59 15/08/2006, Laura.Middleton@uea.ac.uk wrote: > >>Dear Phil, Clare, Sarah, Keith, Mike and Tim, > >> > >>Thank you for being honest about the exhibition; it is best to have a > >> full > >>and frank discussion to avoid misunderstandings later! First, I would > >>like to thank you for your input to the exhibition so far. The effort > >> you > >>have all made is absolutely vital to the integrity of the work, and the > >>exhibition would not be possible without the help that you have given. > >>The rigour of the science is the backbone of this, and I understand the > >>need to present this in a clear and effective way. > >> > >>I agree that the purpose of the exhibition is to reach a diverse audience > >>with a range of ages. The aim must be to create something which is as > >>accessible to the general public as possible, to the old lady with the > >>bunions whose new bifocals don't work, to the young dad with the > >> screaming > >>children, to the occasional tourists.... > >>Many people among the general public are not used to reading any kind of > >>text and graphs and don't understand them, and others would understand > >>them if they had time, but they want to be entertained and will be moving > >>swiftly to the other things they have to do that day. This combination > >> of > >>lack of familiarity and lack of time and inclination is a potent brew; > >>regardless of the age we are aiming at, we need to pitch it to the > >> average > >>(not the most intelligent) 12 year old, and one with a short attention > >>span at that! > >> > >>A detailed text and many graphs and maps will simply not be read apart > >>from by the very few who would probably know most of it anyway. Advice > >> we > >>have received from an experienced museum director and exhibitions creator > >>is that - exhibition research shows that the word limit per panel should > >>be 150-200 at most. In that length we have to make all the points we > >>want, ie. the most important ones. But simple and clear does not equal > >>"dumbed down". Any factual errors in the text must be corrected. > >>Creating an exhibition text is a long process of writing, re-writing and > >>polishing and I appreciate your help in this. A simple clear text will > >>reach many more people at a lesser level of detail, but will hopefully > >>inspire many to pursue the matters further under their own steam. Could > >>we reconcile this lack of description with a set of leaflets, which went > >>into more detail to keep next to the panels 6 so people can take them if > >>they want? Perhaps we could include a link to the CRU website and the > >>graphs and explanations not covered on the main panels. > >> > >>I hope the above explains why I have approached the material in the way > >>that I have. I'm looking forward to working with you to create the best > >>exhibition that we can and inspire many people in Norwich and further > >>afield to find out more about climate and climate change. I also feel > >> that > >>some of your areas of concern will be addressed by other panels. > >> > >>I attach another draft for panel 6. If you are happy with my suggestions > >>then please let me know and correct any factual errors in this panel. I > >>look forward to hearing your suggestions. > >> > >>Best regards, Laura > >> > >> > >> > > > > Dr Clare Goodess > > Climatic Research Unit > > School of Environmental Sciences > > University of East Anglia > > Norwich > > NR4 7TJ > > UK > > > > Tel: +44 -1603 592875 > > Fax: +44 -1603 507784 > > Web: http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/ > > http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/~clareg/clare.htm > > > > > > > > > Dr Clare Goodess Climatic Research Unit School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ UK Tel: +44 -1603 592875 Fax: +44 -1603 507784 Web: http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/ http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/~clareg/clare.htm