Reviewing MAPP Task Forces

Abstract:

The Modeling, Analysis, Prediction, and Projections (MAPP) program is a competitive research program that advances climate modeling capabilities and applications; it is in the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Climate Program Office (CPO). In 2011, MAPP developed Task Forces (TFs) to enhance community engagement on research areas that will develop NOAA services and support stakeholders. In each TF, 30-40 investigators who receive MAPP funding coordinate and collaborate on research and other activities. To date, MAPP has organized 12 TFs. As the 10th anniversary of the TFs approach, it is not clearly known how successful the TF approach is. To evaluate the TFs, we conducted 24 interviews with leads and co-leads, surveyed participants in two TFs that ended in 2020, analyzed publication impact, calculated participant refreshment rate, and collected other quantitative data. As a result of the TFs, nine special collections have been completed or are under development and the resulting research has been used to advance NOAA’s capabilities and services. We found that TFs build a strong community and foster connections between investigators, particularly building a bridge between academic and federal institutions, and creating leadership opportunities for junior researchers. We found that investigators simultaneously yearned for more guidance on TF expectations while desiring freedom for the TFs to organically explore their research areas. From these findings, we suggest that MAPP continue organizing TFs, but edit the call for proposals to clarify the goals and requirements of the TF, create more ways to incentivize group collaboration, and explore ways to measure demographics to diversify funded investigators.