International Science in the National Interest at the U.S. Geological Survey (2012) / Chapter Skim
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5 Impediments to More Effective USGS Participation in International Science Activities
5 Impediments to More Effective USGS Participation in International Science Activities
Pages 107-112
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From page 107... ...
FACTORS HINDERING PROGRESS Various factors pose obstacles for more effective Survey participation in international science activities. As discerned by the committee, these relate chiefly to (1)
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From page 108... ...
, the plans do not explicitly address USGS participation in international science activities. High-level endorsement in these planning documents of the importance of USGS involvement in international science activities -- especially those activities serving national interests and benefitting both the USGS and DOI domestic missions -- would be consistent with the level of international work already being conducted by the Survey and, in the opinion of the committee, could mitigate some of the other challenges and roadblocks described below (see also Box 3.1)
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From page 109... ...
The responses ranged from ready descriptions of ongoing international activities, to ambivalence about such projects, to disinclination to undertake overseas work. In the latter case, various factors have contributed, including the perception that the USGS lacks a congressional mandate to extend activities into the international arena; this perception makes some USGS scientists and program managers reluctant to undertake these activities, particularly when setting priorities for resource allocations (see also sections below)
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From page 110... ...
Essential to the success of this mission area -- particularly in the international arena -- will be the establishment of strong linkages and cooperation with the other USGS mission areas, including identification of shared priorities and complementary capabilities. Ultimately, strategic planning in the Environmental Health mission area will require a thoroughly integrated systems approach.
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From page 111... ...
Availability of Resources Because the USGS is the premier Earth science agency in the United States, Survey scientists and administrators receive numerous requests for assistance to other countries and for involvement in international cooperative activities. They face a tension between (1)
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From page 112... ...
The impediments most amenable for the USGS to overcome are those relating to an overall plan for global science activities, cooperative and otherwise, and to the Survey's present institutional culture. If USGS participation in international science activities is to be more effective in the future, then an overarching Survey-wide plan for such activities would represent a solid starting point.
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