Presidential Forum and Sessions

In the Presidential Forum, we explore the theme using data to drive science, inform decisions, and enrich humanity; threading manifestations of that theme through the various presidential sessions. 

Sunday, 8 January 2023, 4:00-5:15 PM MT

Sponsored By

Data is power and with power comes responsibility. Environmental Earth and space system data has one of the largest digital footprints and is a central component of scientific inquiry, but we have not yet collectively solved the problem of data access, discovery, and service. This Presidential Forum will be the catalyst for a week-long inclusive and collaborative discourse on the challenges posed by the data deluge with a focus on how to stage environmental data to make it efficiently useful and accessible for the plethora of applications important to driving science, informing decisions, and enriching humanity within our community and beyond. 

Learn More


Sessions

These presidential sessions are intended to bring together leading subject matter experts to explore the imperatives and frontiers of the data revolution as it pertains to the WWC enterprise. Data is the engine of hypothesis-driven science and the fuel for inductive, empirical investigation. In recent years, atmospheric, oceanic, climate, and hydrological data have come to be as much of an asset as any natural resource. The WWC research enterprise--along with private and government sectors--will lead the way in finding the acumen, resources, and technological prowess to effectively harness the data revolution to advance vital imperatives, leverage emergent technologies, and explore new frontiers.

Session 1: Monday, 9 January 2023, 10:45-12:00 PM MT

Monday morning—during the first presidential session of the 103rd Annual Meeting—NASA will launch the Year of Open Science through the Transform to Open Science (TOPS) plan, an ambitious 5-year initiative to accelerate open science practices.
NASA TOPS: Transform to Open Science 

Session 2: Monday, 9 January 2023, 1:30-3:00 PM MT

Monday afternoon’s session focuses on the co-creation of knowledge through collaborations across Indigenous and Earth systems sciences. This may be the first presidential session dedicated to the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty, and we believe that it is illustrative of the overall theme.
Indigenous and Earth systems science partnerships for co-creating knowledge

Session 3: Tuesday, 10 January 2023, 10:45-12:00 PM MT

The Tuesday morning presidential session takes a deep dive into using data to inform cultural change. At that session, we will unveil the AMS Equity Assessment process designed to assess the current state of our organization’s policies and practices.
Informing Cultural Change Through Data

Session 4: Tuesday, 10 January 2023, 1:30-3:00 PM MT

The afternoon session on Science and a Highly Functional Democratic Society will convene leaders to discuss evidence-based decision-making and how it can be used to better inform policy and public perception of science.
Science and a Highly-Functional Democratic Society

Session 5: Wednesday, 11 January 2023, 10:45-12:00 PM MT

Wednesday morning, we will take advantage of the fact that the special symposia on boundary layers and turbulence and urban environments will be at the annual meeting. The resulting session—How Data is Transforming the Science of Cities—promises to engage a broad audience with interests in this multifaceted subject.
The New Age of Urban Meteorology: How Data is Transforming the Science of Cities

Session 6: Wednesday, 11 January 2023, 1:30-3:00 PM MT

The afternoon session considers how new technologies can help drive better scientific insights and actionable decisions to advance data enterprises from ocean to space. The panel will consider specifically how the deluge of data across these disciplines can be used to ensure humanity’s future amidst the evolving,human-driven ocean and space environments.
Advancing the Data Enterprises from Ocean to Space

Thursday culminates with three presidential sessions:

Session 7: Thursday, 12 January 2023, 8:30-10:00 AM MT

The first morning session addresses the observational needs of the community as reported in a 2017 survey; the needs identified in the Priorities for Weather Research report to Congress; and NOAA and NASA’s plans for new observations. 
Observational Needs: A Survey, Agency Plans and How We Decide

Session 8: Thursday, 12 January 2023, 10:45-12:00 PM MT

Immediately following this session, a second morning session will consider how AI can drive new science and improve decision making for all people.
How AI can drive new science and improve decision making for all people

Session 9: Thursday, 12 January 2023, 1:30-3:00 PM MT

The final presidential session on Thursday afternoon is a must for those concerned about the future of the allocation of the radio frequency spectrum. We encourage you to attend, as an informed community can better ensure that the weather enterprise can provide its science insights into the future of spectrum allocation.
Spectrum's Critical Role in Weather and Climate Data: How do we move beyond regulatory conflicts to science-informed innovation?