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Tuesday, February 25, 2003 Global Leaders Focus on Environmental Benefits of International Space-based Earth Science Programs International leaders in science, government, academia, and industry meet to plan for the future Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego MEDIA ADVISORYWhat: Top U.S. and European government and industry leaders and scientists in space exploration are convening to examine the global, collaborative space-based earth science programs that contribute valuable scientific understanding of the global environment. Who: Ghassem Asrar, NASA Earth Science Program, USA Adm. Conrad Lautenbacher, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA Kathie Olsen, U.S. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, USA Charles Groat, U.S. Geological Survey, USA Charles Kennel, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA Gerard Megie, Centre National pour la Recerche Scientifique, France Daniel Vidal-Madjar, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, France Jean-Francois Minster, Ifremer, France When: Friday, Feb. 28, 2003 · 10:30-11:30 a.m. Where: Hilton Torrey Pines Hotel, Pavilion 1 10950 N. Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla Why: Global observations and experiments are essential for monitoring and understanding the complexities of Earth's natural systems and how they interact with human activities. Space-based earth science programs offer unique opportunities for monitoring natural resources, understanding the climate, and analyzing natural hazards. France and the U.S. have cooperated in space programs that have resulted in significant advancements in the understanding of such phenomena as El Niño, climate change, and seismology. These programs have improved weather forecasting, seasonal climate predictions, and ocean routing and have contributed to environmental policy decision-making in government and industry. U.S.-French and broader international cooperation is essential in achieving a set of integrated global observing systems that address all aspects of what is known about Earth. The focus of this international summit is to analyze and promote awareness of the important contributions of space-based programs in understanding environmental processes and to consider future challenges that space-based programs can help solve. Organizers: Scripps Institution of Oceanography French National Space Center Mission for Science and Technology of France Sponsors: NASA, SeaSpace Corporation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Media Opportunities: A panel led by key administrators from NASA and NOAA and the leader of France's national space agency will present an overview of the workshop's major findings. Following the media briefing, members of this prestigious international panel will be available for one-on-one interviews. In addition, a large, state-of-the-art, satellite ground receiving station will be on site. # # # Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California, San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or e-mail the media contact listed above to arrange an interview. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65 countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration. |
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