[Nsa] Qualifications for the NCAR Director and draft set of questions for candidates

[B.C. Low]

Dear Tom,

For me, I learned what integrity is from the examples, of both opposite 
kinds, that I have encountered.  We all need to judge the best we can 
and like all judgments, it can be difficult and we could also judge 
incorrectly.  I agree with Peggy that if a person has integrity, 
especially the scientific kind, many will recognize and value it, in 
large part because science is sufficiently hard to do without people 
fooling us along the way.

Regards,
BC



Tom Wigley wrote:
> I'd like to know how one measures/judges integrity.
> 
> Tom.
> 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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> B.C. Low wrote:
> 
>> Dear Rick,
>>
>> I do resonate with the inputs from Beth Holland.  There are two 
>> aspects that seem very important to me.  What we lay down as criteria 
>> and who happen to have applied for the position can be quite 
>> separate.  A search process can be very successful if the applicant 
>> pool is sufficiently rich for us to see the actual dimensions of these 
>> criteria through the real people who have applied.  From that 
>> perspective, I feel the following considerations are essential.
>>
>> I would like to see an NCAR Director who is foremost an accomplished 
>> scientist, having done first class scientific work and being 
>> recognized for it.  The single central criterion for being a Senior 
>> Scientist at NCAR is scientific excellence, and the NCAR Director 
>> should meet that criterion at the highest level among us.  Such a 
>> Director will bring the scientific best out of us.
>>
>> Beth's concern about scientific integrity is worth watching out for. 
>> Integrity is harder to practice than people are willing to admit and 
>> in the complexity of our evolved scientific community, we are actually 
>> easily challenged on it by the things we run into each day.  Having 
>> the talents and opportunity to have done first class scientific work 
>> is the base upon which an individual sees directly the value and 
>> motivation to practice integrity.  An NCAR Director of well known 
>> integrity can bring the best out of us on this count.
>>
>> We of course want more than an excellent scientist for a Director.  He 
>> or she must have a broad vision of what our scientific institute is 
>> about; an understanding of how that vision might be realistic in the 
>> way things are; and, an outstanding set of demonstrable leadership and 
>> administrative abilities the job demands.  We cannot compromise on 
>> either counts, (a) scientific accomplishment and (b) community and 
>> administrative leadership.
>>
>> Global Change is now accepted to be real by the world community.  
>> There is a lot of hard core science to do and a lot of interaction 
>> with policy bodies and the public to conduct.  If we think all that is 
>> important, neither of the two counts can be compromised.  We also want 
>> someone young, in my opinion, so that our future is all wrapped up 
>> with the Director who too has a future to think about.  I would rather 
>> count on a demonstrable promise of a great leader.  I hope the Search 
>> Committee will have the good fortune of making a careful but bold 
>> recommendation, and you as UCAR President will have the privilege of 
>> making a bold but well calculated decision.
>>
>> I recently sat down with a Director of an NCAR sized Institute and he 
>> happily spent 45 minutes talking about an MHD problem, coming into it 
>> cold but nevertheless giving it undivided attention.  That day, he was 
>> going to deal with a theoretical exercise about what he would do if 
>> his budget was to be cut by a sizable proportion.  Maybe he was 
>> dreading the rest of that day!  We want a Director who has not lost 
>> the scientific passion that brought most of us into this profession?
>>
>> Regards and good luck to our search,
>> BC
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>> Rick Anthes wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Beth,
>>> We will be sure to include the questions you ask, though they are 
>>> certainly part of Q3 which I sent around:
>>>
>>> 3. The NCAR program comprises a broad range of research areas and a 
>>> number of different community facilities. The research areas include 
>>> atmospheric sciences broadly defined, weather prediction, climate, 
>>> atmospheric chemistry, oceanography, solar physics and others, and 
>>> the facilities range from the development, provision, and maintenance 
>>> of observing and computing facilities, to developing community 
>>> models.  What do you think are the appropriate balances among the 
>>> various research areas and among the community facilities? As NCAR 
>>> Director, how would you go about evaluating the appropriate balances, 
>>> and how would you go about achieving them?
>>>
>>> Regarding scientific integrity, I think that goes without saying as 
>>> an essential criterion--and someone at the NSA meeting mentioned 
>>> this.   Like honesty.  If the search committee or I find out that 
>>> this is lacking in a candidate you can be sure we will disqualify the 
>>> candidate from further consideration.
>>>
>>> Finally, regarding the criteria, I mentioned that they are very 
>>> easily derived from the duties and requirements.  For example, the 
>>> first requirement "demonstrated ability to lead on a broad 
>>> intellectual front" is a criterion--the search committee will be 
>>> using this and the other requirements as their criteria.
>>>
>>> You can be sure we take your last point very seriously.
>>>
>>> We have not had much input from the NSA about suggested names--there 
>>> is still time!
>>> Thanks again.
>>> Rick
>>>
>>> Dr. Elisabeth(Beth) A. Holland wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear Rick,
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for the opportunity to provide input to the director 
>>>> search process.  I think it is important to provide a voice for the 
>>>> scientific leadership of NCAR.
>>>>
>>>> I have a few concerns based on your recent e-mail.
>>>>
>>>> First, during your meeting with the NSA, I thought we had come to an 
>>>> understanding that we, the NSA, would have the opportunity to review 
>>>> the criteria that would be used to evaluate the director 
>>>> candidates.  I found the discussion concerning the need for an 
>>>> emphasis on scientific integrity particularly compelling.  Referring 
>>>> us to the web site, the description, duties and requirements does 
>>>> not address the values and criteria that will be used for selection, 
>>>> nor does it address the issue of scientific integrity.
>>>>
>>>> Second, I would like to see more focus on the candidate's view on 
>>>> the balance between conducting science and providing facilities. It 
>>>> is really important for the committee to get a sense of the 
>>>> candidate's vision for NCAR. I suggest:
>>>> 1) What is your vision for NCAR's evolving role in atmospheric 
>>>> SCIENCES in the US and internationally?
>>>>
>>>> Among the particular questions I would include:
>>>> In your view, how should NCAR balance using external and core funds 
>>>> to pursue its mission?
>>>> What is NCAR's mission?
>>>>
>>>> I am ccing the NSA on this to invite their input and discussion.  
>>>> The decision itself of who will be the next NCAR rests with you and 
>>>> the search committee.  I trust that you will choose a person who 
>>>> will lead NCAR to continue to  realize its tremendous scientific 
>>>> potential.
>>>>
>>>> Beth Holland
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 16, 2008, at 9:59 AM, Rick Anthes wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> <Possible Questions2008.doc>
>>
>>
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