Research to Operations Success in Operational Space Weather Forecasting

The successful transition of research to operations (R2O) and operations to research (O2R) requires, above all, interaction between the two communities. We explore the role that close interaction and ongoing communication played in the successful fielding of developments within NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. Additionally, we will examine how these pieces came together to revolutionize interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) arrival forecasts. A discussion of the importance of education and training in ensuring a positive outcome from R2O activity follows. Ongoing and effective two-way communication between the research and operations communities is critical to ensuring success in leveraging advances from the research community in operational improvements as evidenced by these experiences.