This project will support the activities of the Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) Science Steering Committee (CSSC), whose members are appointed by NSF to provide a formal mechanism for communication between the CEDAR community of researchers and NSF's Aeronomy and Geospace Facilities Programs. The CSSC is tasked with developing and supporting the future directions for the broad areas of upper atmospheric and geospace science and has as its direct task the coordination of these plans with larger national and international programs. Activities during the term proposed include the convening of the annual CEDAR Workshop and an annual CSSC meeting and to publish the CEDAR Post, a community newsletter.
The annual CEDAR (Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions) and GEM (Geospace Environment Modeling) workshops are the premier scientific meetings sponsored by the NSF Upper Atmosphere Research Section. This award supported the activities of the CEDAR Science Steering Committee (CSSC) in organizing and running the 2011 and 2012 CEDAR Workshops and in providing information, oversight, and advice to the aeronomy and upper atmospheric science research community in support of areas of collaborative, student, and individual research. In addition to activities associated with planning the annual workshop,s the CSSC met twice annually for concentrated discussions addressing ’hot’ research topics, ways to enhance student participation, research opportunities, and communications and support for community members. Membership in the CSSC is selected from the CEDAR community, including two student members. The CSSC meetings during 2010/2011/2012 focused on the role of CEDAR (as an overarching research program supporting aeronomy and geospace research), and the role of the CSSC in supporting those communities. Specifically, the means of strengthening a broadened outlook on the geospace system and understanding and implementing the CEDAR Strategic Plan were an important focus. These activities were undertaken in order to provide direct guidance to the CEDAR research community and to assist individual researchers, students, and research groups to better understand their roles in (and be better understood by) the broader research community.
