The role of NOAA Cooperative Institutes in the Transition from Research to Operations

The National Research Council's Report, From Research to Operations in Weather Satellites and Numerical Weather Prediction--Crossing the Valley of Death, discussed the challenge of transitioning research and development programs to weather forecasting operations. Challenges include reducing the impediments that efficiently transfer weather, ocean, and climate research results into improved forecasts. NOAA's cooperative institutes are one strategy to improve the transition from research to operations that lead to improved forecasting and societal benefits.

Operations includes the production and dissemination of official forecasts. Research, much of it funded by the federal government and conducted at universities, addresses key science questions that must be solved to improve operational weather forecasting. Once the research is implemented in the operational procedures it yields improved forecasts.

This presentation discusses examples of how the partnership between NESDIS and its University Cooperative Institutes transition research to support weather operations, both government and private industry, that provide positive societal impact. The Cooperative Institutes conduct basic research, applied research and often run activities in near-real-time to test operability. These activities involve product development, forecast assessment, operational implementation and service delivery. The combined experiences of these institutes highlight some principles for the successful transition for research to operations.