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6 A Framework to Sustainably Support and Effectively Use Social and Behavioral Science Research in the Weather Enterprise
Pages 109-126

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From page 109...
... The private sector's traditional role is to create and market customized and tailored weather products and services to a broad customer base of private individuals, government agencies, and businesses in a multitude of sectors. The academic community's traditional role is to improve understanding of meteorological processes (as part of the larger "Earth 109
From page 110...
... While it is beyond the scope of this study to address these longstanding challenges, it is necessary to acknowledge this important underlying context, as any recommendations for more effectively supporting and applying SBS research are embedded in and inherently constrained by these broader weather enterprise challenges. The primary conclusion of the report Fair Weather: Effective Partnerships in Weather and Climate Services (NRC, 2003b)
From page 111...
... But at the broadest level, the aim is to have people with diverse SBS backgrounds serving as active collaborators throughout all stages of weather enterprise activities, including the fundamental strategic planning efforts noted above, and employed as respected professionals throughout public, private, and academic sector organizations. 6.2  STEPS FORWARD WITHIN AND AMONG SECTORS While SBS research is an enterprise-wide concern and responsibility, NOAA should continue to play a central role in driving forward this research.
From page 112...
... ,a partnership between NOAA and coastal states consist ing of 29 coastal research reserves that protect and study estuaries. Each site is managed by a state agency or university, with involvement from local partners; and the estuary health is monitored to enable physical and social scientists to understand how human activities and natural events affect coastal habitats.
From page 113...
... at the University of Wisconsin, for SBS studies related to forecasters' use of new satellite data; and o the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado, for SBS studies on the characterization and communication of weather forecast uncertainty information.
From page 114...
... We suggest the immediate commencement of a planning process that involves strong representation of SBS expertise and representatives of the key federal agencies, private-sector weather companies, and other weather enterprise partners to explore the different options described above for supporting new collaborative efforts among physical and social scientists. By supporting a variety of "startup-scale" efforts, widely distributed geographically and topically, the most effective of these efforts can be identified and expanded to reach the needed critical mass and stability.
From page 115...
... Public–Private Partnerships to Support SBS Research The input from private-sector companies collected by this Committee indicates that it is unrealistic to expect commercial companies to actively support fundamental social science research or to openly share proprietary marketing studies. However, some private companies are willing to explore and likely to engage in some cooperative social science research efforts, and eventually this willingness may spread to additional companies -- particularly if this research is of a general, high-level nature that would not delve into the competitive dynamics of any particular market.
From page 116...
... Additionally, we suggest below some options for sustained platforms for dialogue and strategic planning among public, private, and academic sectors of the weather enterprise. • The National Academies report Fair Weather: Effective Partnerships in Weather and Climate Services (2003b)
From page 117...
... These groups and others in the Commission all stand to benefit from advancing the development and application of SBS insights. o The AMS Board on Societal Impacts -- under the Scientific and Techno logical Activities Commission -- could provide a useful platform for some types of interdisciplinary planning processes, perhaps in partnership with the NWA Societal Impacts of Weather and Climate Committee (discussed below)
From page 118...
... Researchers addressing weather-related topics can be found in most if not all of the major disciplinary SBS associations, such as the American Psychological Association, Psychonomics, the American Sociological Association, the American Political Science Association, the National Communications Association, and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, as well as in interdisciplinary associations such as the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Soci ety for Social Studies of Science. The newly formed Behavioral Science and Policy Association illustrates a growing interest in the study of how fundamental social and behavioral sciences can inform problems of public interest.
From page 119...
... • Congressionally authorized interagency working groups have been cre ated for the purpose of coordination, some for specific priorities within the weather enterprise. For example, The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program was authorized to "achieve major measureable reductions in the loss of live and property from windstorms through a coordinated Federal effort, in cooperation with other levels of government, academia, and the private sec tor aimed at improving understanding of windstorms and their impacts and developing and encouraging the implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce those impacts."4 • Agency and program level workgroups are one of the most common sources for supporting interagency coordination and encouraging broad stakeholder participation in initiatives and programs.
From page 120...
... ) ; • hosting an informal interagency work group to share research, applications, and practices that integrate SBS within the weather enterprise; • developing with other agencies and stakeholder organizations a regular con ference topic track on integration of SBS in the weather enterprise; • working with other agencies to host a regular webinar series highlighting SBS research contributing to weather enterprise objectives.
From page 121...
... While developing interdisciplinary joint degree programs is certainly no trivial undertaking, there are a growing number of such programs that could pro vide useful models to build on. We note for example Columbia University's M.A.
From page 122...
... For training of professionals, some options might include: • Developing short workshops that provide weather professionals (meteorolo gists, forecasters, broadcasters) and physical science academics with basic understanding of key SBS research topics and methodologies and of critical new insights being gained through SBS research.
From page 123...
... While the concepts learned might help inform outreach and communication duties, actual SBS research cannot be done as an "amateur" effort. If the initial pilot efforts prove successful, there is a wide array of other stakeholders across the weather enterprise who would likely benefit from such a program, such as individuals in private-sector companies and university settings, broadcast meteorologists, and emergency and transportation managers.
From page 124...
... The CDC model suggests that some key elements for success fully integrating SBS within a federal agency include having grassroots champions and professional support, including peer-level support mechanisms; funding support for coordination, recruitment, professional development, and recognition of the SBS contributions to the agency mission; agency level recognition of the critical role of SBS in mission success; and leadership support through policy direction and goal-setting. Within the FDA, SBS research has long been important for assuring effective communication of information to consumers, patients, and health care professionals.
From page 125...
... Key conditions identified as necessary for incorporating SBS into agency operations include: • an external catalyst that recognizes the relevance and salience of SBS to the agency's mission; •  presence of a core of in-house behavioral scientists able to identify the relevant science the and apply it at the opportune time; and • engaged and committed social scientists with a good understanding of the agency, its mis sion and the environment it operates in, who are ready to deploy their expertise when called upon. Other crucial elements of success noted by current FDA staff are broad buy-in by senior ­eaders l about the importance of SBS research to the mission of the agency and dedicated funding and staff to undertake the needed work.
From page 126...
... Here too there is no pretense that this training would equip social scientists to "do" meteorology. Rather, the goal is to help them feel conversant enough in basic concepts and terminology to feel comfortable proactively engaging with their physical science counterparts and to proactively seek new research opportunities at this interface.


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