Joint Technology Transfer Initiative: Transitioning AI/ML Research to the NWS Operations

In FY2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research’s (OAR) appropriation included an increase of $6M to create a new program called the Joint Technology Transfer Initiative (JTTI). OAR received increased funding in the subsequent years in support of this program. OAR carried out this program in coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS), and in cooperation with the American weather enterprise. JTTI’s main mission is to transition promising matured weather research from the American Weather Enterprise to the NWS operations.

Since the program was established, JTTI funded 17 AI/ML Research to Operations (R2O) projects and successfully transitioned two projects to the NWS operations. JTTI took several steps to transition AI/ML research from the academic community to the NWS operations. Some of the steps JTTI took include early collaboration between the research and operational community, assigning an NWS transition Point of Contact for the R2O project, developing a transition plan and tracking transition progress of the R2O project through Readiness Levels. This abstract describes the JTTI funding process, JTTI funded AI/ML projects, JTTI R2O process to transition AI/ML research to NWS operations, JTTI success stories and future funding opportunities.