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Making USGS information effective in the electronic age, USGS Open-File Report 03-240

Workshop Outcome

Several accomplishments of the workshop are worth noting:

(1) There was strong enthusiasm expressed during the discussions about the value of information.

(2) The concepts of public science and public good were discussed and contrasted with what the USGS is actually doing, especially with regards to outreach.

(3) There was strong enthusiasm for the idea of public discourse, rather than the one-way telling of scientific truths or (the common metaphor of) "throwing our truths over the wall."

(4) The idea of the Citizen and public science serving the citizen was discussed enthusiastically, and briefly contrasted with the ideas of customers and audience.

(5) At several times, the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was noted for how a public science agency has been immensely successful in demonstrating its usefulness and relevance to citizens and society (http://www.csiro.au/).

Because of the lively, engaging, and enthusiastic discussions and question sessions, a number of objectives were not met. These included consensus on how the USGS should serve the citizens, on defining the National Knowledge Bank, on a strategy for achieving the goals of the NKB, and on developing a strategy for continuing to work on what the workshop began, including disseminating workshop concepts to the scientific staff and to other levels of the USGS.

The discussions and directions set at the workshop laid the groundwork for brainstorming fundamental aspects of the National Knowledge Bank. Certain topics related to the NKB have been taken up by the workshop conveners and organizers after the workshop and are included in this workshop report. This includes statements about Mission, Vision, and Goals, as well as the ranked items in the brainstorming list that gives a numerical value to each item based on the scope of its impact, the immediacy of implementing it, and what kind of communication (dialog vs over-the-wall) it supported (Appendix 9).

CMGP National Knowledge Bank

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Mission

Put CMGP knowledge to work for America
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Vision

Scientific Dialog: The National Knowledge Bank is central to public discourse. We help Americans use what we know about coastal and marine natural systems to make better decisions, and we learn from them what knowledge is important.

Knowledge Culture: The National Knowledge Bank results in a seamless CMGP culture. Our knowledge culture promotes scientific dialog with Americans, strengthens our scientific and strategic leadership, promotes knowledge sharing, and encourages individual and organizational learning,

Scientific Excellence: The National Knowledge Bank (NKB) is a living repository of past and current CMGP knowledge. Scientists both within and outside USGS use the NKB to make pioneering and important scientific discoveries.

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Goals

· August 2001: Develop a strategic plan to implement each of our visions, using elements brainstormed at the workshop and more.

· 2002: At least one group of Americans will make better decisions about coastal and marine natural systems because of our science.

· 2002: At least one of our research projects will modify its goals, based on a dialog with all important stakeholders.

· 2002: At least one research project in each field center will actively participate in our new knowledge culture.

· 2003: At least one important CMGP scientific discovery will be made by using the NKB.

· 2003: Everyone in CMGP will know how to participate in our new knowledge culture.

· 2006: All American decisions about coastal and marine natural systems will use our knowledge and information where appropriate.

· 2006: All of our research projects will set goals based on a dialog with all important stakeholders.

· 2006: Everyone in CMGP will participate in our new knowledge culture.

· 2006: Several scientific discoveries per year will be made using the NKB, by American scientists inside and outside CMGP.

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Strategic Issues

· The NKB project will promote the use of public discourse, knowledge management, and information technology, in support of each of our visions.

· The NKB must integrate coastal and marine geologic information, especially program priority information such as regional, topical, and national syntheses. · The NKB project must coordinate efforts with higher-level information projects, including Gateway to Earth and the Digital Atlas, while remaining focused on the needs of CMGP.

· The NKB project must coordinate efforts with other CMGP projects, including the Regional Synthesis project.

· The NKB project will provide guidance to researchers and users about cataloging and archiving coastal and marine geologic data, databases, maps and other derived products. Essentially, the existing Data Management project will become part of the NKB project.

· The NKB will include tools that maximize flexible use of the Knowledge Bank for internal and external science and decision making. When necessary, the NKP project will develop new tools.


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Title Page / Summary / Introduction / Goals / Overview /  Outcome

Appendices:  I. Agenda /  II. Vision / III. Earth Science / IV. Communication / V. CORDlink
                       VI. MRIB /  VII. CMGP Homepage / VII. Brainstorming / IX. Participants

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