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CICS Support for NOAA’s GOES-R Training Program

Research Topic: Education, Training, and Outreach
Task Leader: Jim Gurka
CICS Scientist: Jim Gurka
Sponsor: NESDIS GOESPO
Published Date: 9/28/2017
GOES-R_logo

2017 ANNUAL REPORT

Background

NOAA is conducting extensive preparations to ensure user readiness as GOES-16 approaches operational status.  NOAA has invested billions of dollars in developing the GOES-R Series of satellites.  The recent NAPA report on the NWS recommends significant reinvestment in training for the NWS.  A major component of the preparations for GOES-R is user readiness that includes a comprehensive training program for NOAA staff and its partners in the media, academia, private sector and other governmental agencies.

Accomplishments

During the last year, James Gurka:

  1. Gave a presentation titled: “Overview of Satellite Short Courses” at the 3rd NOAA Satellite Proving Ground/User Readiness Meeting at the National Weather Center in Norman OK, May 9 to 13, 2016.  The purpose of the meeting was to focus on what has been done, current efforts, and future actions with respect to infrastructure and training, to ensure the National Weather Service is ready for the receipt and operational use of GOES-R and JPSS-1 data.
  2. I was a co-organizer, co-chair and presenter for the American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) Short Course:  “GOES-R Preview for Broadcasters”, held on June 14, 2016, in Austin TX, preceding the AMS Broadcasters’ Conference.  My presentation was a 30 minute introduction to the short course and an overview of GOES-R status and capabilities.  There was a diverse geographical mix of 20 broadcasters from coast to coast.  The goal of the course was to make broadcasters aware of GOES-R capabilities, how they can improve services to the viewing public, where to find additional information on GOES-R, and what equipment upgrades are needed to handle the new data and products.  Participants provided lots of positive feedback on the course including the following comments:  a) Great overview of the entire GOES-R Program. Good instruction; b) Very good short course;  c) Don’t change a thing. Great job by the entire staff. I really learned a lot and am excited even more;  d) Additional GOES-R sessions post launch; Great Course!; e) Great job continuing to inform AMS attendees with GOES-R information;  f) good job; g) Great job by presenters;  h) Can’t wait for launch;  i) It’s a great value and opportunity to have actual representatives here in person. Representatives from NOAA, NASA, and CIMSS in particular.
  3. I represented the NWS Office of the Chief Learning Officer (OCLO) in giving an oral presentation titled “GOES-R Operational Readiness Review: NWS Training” at the GOES-R Operational Readiness Review (ORR) at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility, in Suitland MD, on July 28, 2016. A NASA ORR examines the actual system characteristics and the procedures used in the system of end product’s operations and ensures that all system and support (flight and ground) hardware and software, personnel, procedures, and user documentations accurately reflect the deployed state of the system.  As a result of a successful ORR completion, the system is ready to assume normal operation.
  4. I gave a poster presentation for the NWS OCLO titled:  “GOES-R Training Plan for NOAA/NWS Forecasters” at the 21st AMS Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography in Madison WI (Aug 15-18, 2016).  I also chaired a session at the conference.
  5. I was part of the planning team and an instructor at the “New Generation (GOES-R and JPSS) Satellite Workshop” at the National Weather Association (NWA) Annual Meeting in Norfolk VA, Sept. 12-15, 2016. In a displaced real-time hands-on forecast scenario, I provided the “shift change briefing” as the outgoing lead forecaster on the midnight shift,  briefing the incoming forecast team for the day shift.  I also helped guide the participants through their hands-on forecast activities.
  6. I served as a subject matter expert at the Satellite Training Advisory Team (STAT) meeting in Boulder CO, Sept. 6-9, 2016.  The meeting objectives were to: finalize any remaining SATFC-G issues that required STAT involvement;  develop an implementation plan for the SATFC-J (JPSS);  Complete an agenda and implementation plan for the SOO/DOH Prep. Course;  Develop a plan for GOES-R Level 2 (Applications Training);  and Develop a plan for JPSS Level 2 training.
  7. I served as a co-organizer and co-chair for the AMS Short Course: “GOES-R Preview for All GOES Users”, held on Jan. 22 preceding the AMS Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA.  There was a diverse mix of about 40 domestic and international participants from government and private industry, ranging from operational forecasters to university researchers. The course goal was to make current and future GOES users aware of the new GOES-R series capabilities and how they will improve environmental observations and forecasts.  Participants asked numerous good questions and provided lots of positive feedback on the course.  Thirty-two of the participants filled out an AMS evaluation form.  Typical responses included:   “Excellent learning experience and demonstrations regarding the new GOES-16 features”.  Another comment:  “Wish we had real data to demo, but the hands-on experience was well taught and put together”.  Also:  “Repeat next year using real data”.  We provided the link to a “one stop shopping” web site which provides the presentations given at the course, plus follow-on information for those desiring additional knowledge on the GOES-R series.
  8. I served as a subject matter expert at the Satellite Training Advisory Team (STAT) meeting in Boulder, CO, March 27-31, 2017.  We reviewed the current breadth of training related to geostationary satellite meteorology to help plan the development on new applications training for NWS operational forecasters.  In preparation for the meeting, I updated the inventory of existing GOES related training, and mapped the Satellite User Readiness Team’s training objectives to the existing training.  The completion of the foundational training, consisting primarily of online self-paced modules, was a requirement of all NWS meteorologists to ensure first-stage knowledge about the GOES-R series meteorological instruments.  The applications training will be targeted to specific meteorologists and operational meteorology in a variety of forms.  I was a member of the Integrated Forecast Applications Subgroup for Convection.  We identified GOES-16 bands, composites and derived products that can be used to complete specific atmospheric phenomena forecast and decision support tasks.  The atmospheric phenomena were mapped to specific NWS programs to support operations.  These products will assist NWS field operations by enhancing future products and services, including Impact-based Decision Support Services (IDSS) that support a Weather Ready Nation.  The purpose of this exercise was to present a roadmap for the contribution of satellite information into a blended concept for future training, which will include remote sensing, NWP, fused products, and other sources.
  9. I accepted an invitation to serve a three year term  on the National Weather Association’s “Remote Sensing Committee.
  10. I participate in the weekly (Thursday) NWS GOES-R training teleconferences that includes all the STAT team members.

Planned work        

  1.  Work with the Cooperative Program for Meteorology Education and Training (COMET) to identify aviation, marine and fire weather modules that need updating with new GOES-R Series information.
  2. Work with COMET to update the modules in the Satellite Foundational Course-Geostationary (SATFC-G) with new GOES-16 data and products.
  3. Work with COMET to develop applications training for Super Rapid Scan Operations (SRSO) data for the new generation geostationary satellites.
  4. Work with the NWS OCLO and the Satellite Training Applications Team (STAT) to develop applications training for GOES-16 data and products.
  5. Submitted an abstract for the NWA Annual Meeting (Sept. 2017).

Products      

Updated GOES related satellite training inventory with cross reference to training objectives.

Presentations       

1)       “Overview of Satellite Short Courses” at the 3rd NOAA Satellite Proving Ground/User Readiness Meeting at the National Weather Center in Norman OK, May 9 to 13, 2016

2)      “Introduction to Short Course and GOES-R Program Overview” American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) Short Course:  “GOES-R Preview for Broadcasters”, held on June 14, 2016, in Austin TX

3)      “GOES-R Operational Readiness Review: NWS Training” at the GOES-R Operational Readiness Review (ORR) at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility, in Suitland MD, on July 28, 2016.

4)      “GOES-R Training Plan for NOAA/NWS Forecasters” at the 21st AMS Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography in Madison WI (Aug 15-18, 2016)

5)      Presented the “Shift Change Briefing” at the New Generation (GOES-R and JPSS) Satellite Workshop at the National Weather Association (NWA) Annual Meeting in Norfolk VA, Sept. 12-15, 2016

Other              

I accepted an invitation to serve a three-year term  on the National Weather Association’s Remote Sensing Committee.

 

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