Sprinting Towards a Modeling Vision

The NOS Modeling Planning and Execution Board led a cross NOAA/NOS line office "Sprint" to develop the first draft of an Implementation Plan following the publication of a NOS Modeling Vision and Strategy. This was accomplished in 5 days in addition to interviews that took place the week prior. The NOS Modeling Implementation Plan formalizes the organization of NOS’ governance structure and processes surrounding both ongoing research and operational modeling systems to meet the NOS Visions and Strategic Goals for 2023-2028. The plan allows for the continued simulation and prediction of coastal and ocean phenomena across NOAA and together with community partners including: other federal, state, and local agencies; academia; non-profit organizations, tribal entities, and the private sector to build and advance models to ensure the delivery of accurate and reliable ocean predictions allowing for informed decision making processes surrounding environmental risks. These combined efforts will advance NOS’ priorities of coastal resilience, conservation, and equity, and improve data access to enhance the blue economy. As such, a primary objective of the NOS Modeling Implementation plan is to emphasize the commitment to an organized modeling structure and cooperation across NOAA Line Offices in coordination with the Unified Forecast System. The NOS Modeling Implementation Plan includes the following: principles and prioritizations; governance and decision making structure; directives for operational and research products; risks and strategies to mitigate; workflows for data and code management, archival, and validation/verification activities; processes for unification and innovation; and cycles for requirements gathering, feedback, evaluation and future updates to the plan. The NOS Modeling Implementation Plan includes the following: principles and prioritizations; governance and decision making structure; directives for operational and research products; risks and strategies to mitigate; workflows for data and code management, archival, and validation/verification activities; processes for unification and innovation; and cycles for requirements gathering, feedback, evaluation and future updates to the plan.

These efforts will provide better models for:

• Safe, efficient marine navigation
• Human health and ecosystem protection
• Coastal resilience and risk reduction
• Improved maps and coastal management
• Hazardous spill response and search and rescue
• Coastal and marine living resource management in a changing climate
• Economic risk and community resilience in changing climates
• Environmental risk (eg hurricanes) and emergency response/support services

This presentation will take a journey through the Sprint process and development of an ambitious action plan to bring the NOS Modeling Vision and Strategy to fruition.