Newsgroups: bit.listserv.biosph-l
Date:         Fri, 8 Jan 1993 09:18:21 PST
Reply-To:     Energy and Climate Information Exch <ecixdy@IGC.APC.ORG>
From:         Energy and Climate Information Exch <ecixdy@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      NASA Survey - Reply Requested

/* Written  9:17 am  Jan  8, 1993 by ecixdy@igc.apc.org in igc:en.climate */
/* ---------- "NASA Survey - Reply Requested" ---------- */
FORWARDED FROM NASA - Survey on Climate Change

---------------------------------------------------------------
[Note - Beware auto reply.  Do not send survey responses to me.
They will go in the bit bucket if you do.  Read this carefully.
Thanks. ]
---------------------------------------------------------------

                     Usage & Feasibility Survey for an
              Earth Observation World Information Center
                     Conducted By CIESIN and NASA
              on the behalf of the Italian Space Agency (ASI)



BACKGROUND:

Scientific findings indicate that changes to the environment may
be occurring at an unprecedented rate.   A clearer understanding
of the combined impact of natural and social forces is urgently
needed by researchers, policy makers, and the world's people as
they seek solutions for sustainable development of the Earth's
resources.  These activities must begin with the sharing of
information such as satellite data, and knowledge derived from
its analysis that transcends political and cultural boundaries.

CIESIN (the Consortium for International Earth Science
Information Network) is undertaking a survey on behalf of NASA.
This is part of NASA's contribution to the Italian Space Agency's
(ASI) efforts to coordinate an extensive feasibility study to
evaluate the concept and need for an Earth observation
information network.  The study is being conducted on behalf of
G7 countries and relevant international organizations such as the
CEC, ESA, EUMETSAT and the WMO.  This survey is intended to
assess the needs of researchers and scientists as well as applied
science users particularly in the developing world for access to
environmental and global change data and information (especially
satellite data).

In addition, more assessment is needed on current capabilities,
needs, and requirements for an Earth observation world
information center.  The proposed service, if determined to be
both necessary and feasible, will enable various world-wide user
communities to obtain the information necessary to access and use
the various centers and networks established to archive and
exchange data relevant to the study and monitoring of global
change.  The results of this survey will be provided in a report
by CIESIN and NASA to the Italian Space Agency in the very near
future to support ASI's feasibility study.

CIESIN's role in the arena of global change is to build and
maintain information gateways for accessing, collecting,
integrating, disseminating, and exploring data and information on
the human dimensions of global environmental change.   CIESIN is
part of  NASA's Earth Observing System Data Information System
(EOSDIS) program, serving as NASA's Socio-Economic Data
Applications Center  (SEDAC) within the EOSDIS program.

QUESTIONNAIRE:

This survey is designed to provide guidance concerning who
potential global change information users are as well as
information of the direction of possible  future efforts as they
pertain to user classifications, categories, and requirements for
data and information on the environment and global change.  Your
survey response is critical to completing the feasibility study
phase!  PLEASE RESPOND BY  JANUARY 25, 1993. (If you do not wish
to respond electronically, feel free to send your phone number so
that a CIESIN representative may contact you later to fill in
this survey. The CIESIN survey response phone number is (517)
797-2700 ext. 2634)

Name:
Title:
Organization:
Address:

Zip or Country Code:
Country:
Phone number:
Internet Address (if available) or other email address:
FAX Number:

Q1. What is the nature of your organization? (For example -
college or university, government agency, citizen's advocacy
group, special interest group, consulting firm,
commercial/corporate, policy, educational, or any other.)

Q2. How would you describe the mission of  your organization?
(For example - extension, planning, research, consultation,
education, advocacy, regulation, etc.)

Q3. What environmental or global change issue is the primary
focus of your organization?  (For example - land use/planning,
industrial metabolism, economic planning, roads/highways, etc.)

Q4. How many employees are in your whole organization?

Q5. How would you best describe your job function?  (For example
- researcher, scientist, manager, planner, unit administrator,
project supervisor, computer systems operator, analyst, educator,
etc.)

Q6. What type of software services or Geographic Information
System (GIS) do you currently use?  Specify by name and platform.
(If your answer is "none," go to question #16.)

Q7.  How many computers does your organization have?
                PC or Clone (pre-286):
                PC or Clone (286):
                PC or Clone (386):
                PC or Clone (486):
                Apple Macintosh:
                UNIX Workstation:
                Other:

Q8.  How many computers is your organization going to obtain this
year? What kind?

Q9. Are you currently wide area networked?  If yes:
        Modem type?                                  Speed?
                ISDN?                                Provider?
                X.25?                                Provider?
                Internet Direct Connection?          Provider?
                        56KB?
                        T1?
                UUCP?
                Bitnet?
                Fidonet?
                Other?)
        Which of the above services do you most often access and connect to
                electronically?

Q10. How would you describe your level of expertise in working
with your computer and wide area networking systems?

Q11. If you are using a GIS, what type of data input formats are
you using?

                Vector file format?        Type:
                Raster file format?        Type:
                Image file format?         Type:
                Database file format?      Type:
                Screen picture format?     Type:

Q12. How many people utilize the computer and/or network support
at your organization?

Q13.  What other organizations assist your organization with
computer or network support?  List organizations, names,
addresses, and phone numbers if you have this information
available.

Q14.  What are the network operating systems that you use?

Q15.   Which of the following do you use? WAIS(     ), World Wide
Web(    ), Gopher  (   )

Q16.  If  you are not currently using computers and computer
networks, how do you obtain data, and information, and relevant
research material?  (For example - phone calls to acquaintances
and knowledgeable sources, faxes to sources of information such
as government agencies, libraries and/or exchange of diskettes or
CD-ROM?)

Q17. Name specific places and sources  you currently contact to
get the data and information that you need (for example:  names
of libraries, government agencies, institutions, foundations,
individuals, etc.):

Q18.  What one thing would most improve the quality of access to
global change information at your site?

Q19. If  you are not currently using computers and computer
networks, do you plan to begin using these technologies in the
next 2 years?  If yes, what type?

Q20.  Is there any type of data and/or information that would be
of use but that is currently unavailable to you? (For example:
space data, natural science data, remote sensing data, any
others.)   Be specific and feel free to elaborate.

Q21. Please list space (satellite), global change, and
environmental datasets that you would be interested in accessing.
(For example:  SPOT, AVHRR data sets, etc.)

Q22.  What types of textual data (if any) do you currently
access? (For example: text on policy, regulations, scientific
reports and articles, etc.) How do you currently access these
texts?

Q23. What types of textual data would you MOST LIKE to be able to
access? (For example: text on policy, regulations, scientific
reports and articles, etc.)  Be specific.

Q24. Prioritize the tools that would most help you locate and
acquire data and conduct research in your area of interest.  (1
is highest)

_____   An on-line Global Change Resource Directory to aid in
        locating data and information resources.

_____   Data sharing partnerships with producers and holders of
        data.

_____   Computer  visualization and geographic analysis tools to
      assist in integrating, manipulating, and analyzing data.

_____   Wide area networked based and bulletin board access to
      many different documents about global change.

_____   Conferences and workshops on environmental & global
      change subjects.

_____   Expert consulting services.

_____   Other (specify):        _____________________________


            Return completed form by Internet, Fax, or mail to
                     Product Management Director,
           CIESIN, 2250 Pierce Road, University Center, Mi. 48710
                  (517) 797-2622 (fax number)
               Internet Address: marilyn.mccord@ciesin.org

PLEASE RESPOND BY  JANUARY 25, 1993. (If you do not wish to
respond electronically, feel free to send your phone number so
that a CIESIN representative may contact you later to fill in
this survey.

The CIESIN survey response phone number is (517) 797-2700 ext.
2634)

END SURVEY


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* Dan Yurman              |  Internet:  ecixdy@igc.apc.org
* Climate Digest Editor   |    Bitnet:  ecixdy%igc.org@stanford
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