date: Wed Oct 15 12:23:33 2008 from: Keith Briffa subject: RE: UNcertainty to: "Alastair Grant" , "'Tim Jickells'" , "'J Andrews'" , "'Burgess Jacquelin Prof \(ENV\)'" , "'Andrew Watkinson'" , "'Turner Kerry Prof \(ENV\)'" We in CRU (Phil, Tim and myself) , think this encapsulates the concept that might fire the potential funders. Some general examples as Alastair says , would give it more substance. For us an emphasis linking science to impacts (especially water) could fit the bill. This plays to a lot of ENV and CRU strengths - in the observational data, access to model output (and UKCIP08) and the use of both in impacts models. We in CRU have some experience in the latter,perhaps more than others in ENV. One key aspect is being at the start of impact projects, so we can inform the sector of what is possible observationally and what the models can and can't do. We have discussed the potential links between CRU and ENV and have identified a number of individual. I will contact them and discuss a possible meeting to take this forward. cheers Keith et al. At 11:07 15/10/2008, Alastair Grant wrote: This is a great vision. Would it be helpful to supplement it with some concrete examples to show that we can root this down in reality? For example, it would be straightforward to write a few sentences linking together the brief for biodiversity and agricultural transitions pillars of ELSA with Carlos forests and stronger links to ENVs climate science. The outline bid to Leverhulme on Earth System Science could provide another example. Im sure that others could propose examples in their areas. Yours, Alastair _______________________________________________ Alastair Grant Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CEEC) Deputy Head of School, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK Phone 01603 592 537 Fax 01603 591327 Mobile/Voicemail 07941579036 Home page: [1]http://www.uea.ac.uk/~e130 CEEC web page: [2]http://www.uea.ac.uk/ceec MSc programme in Applied Ecology and Conservation: [3]http://www1.uea.ac.uk/cm/home/schools/sci/bio/courses/postgraduates/Taught%2BCourses/ aec -----Original Message----- From: Tim Jickells [[4]mailto:t.jickells@uea.ac.uk] Sent: 26 September 2008 12:34 To: k.briffa@uea.ac.uk; 'J Andrews'; 'Alastair Grant'; 'Burgess Jacquelin Prof (ENV)'; 'Andrew Watkinson'; 'Turner Kerry Prof (ENV)' Subject: UNcertainty I attach an attempt at trying to write up the discussion we had on Wednesday about a big idea for the VC for ENV. I have called it Uncertainty but given the possible resultant strap line of we dont know what were doing I think we need a better title!. I have tried to imagine something that could stretch across much of ENV and in the process I have strayed into areas so far beyond my knowledge that there are heresies in here of considerable scale I suspect. I beg your indulgence and invite you to correct these and also consider if you still think this idea has merit in the cold light of day. I have aimed to keep this short and of course the devil is in the detail, but any pitch for the funding will initially deal with the idea not the detail. If there is a consensus to move this forward then well need to think how to do that. Tim Professor Tim Jickells School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ UK tel 01603593117, fax 01603 591327 -- Professor Keith Briffa, Climatic Research Unit University of East Anglia Norwich, NR4 7TJ, U.K. Phone: +44-1603-593909 Fax: +44-1603-507784 [5]http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/people/briffa/