A Science Coordination Team (SCT) Strategy Report

Fourth Draft

February 29, 2000

Introduction

 

The purpose of this strategy report is to communicate to the Working Group the capabilities and best use of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Science Coordination Team (SCT). This is a product of self-examination conducted by the SCT during January and February of 2000, following two years of existence (The SCT Charter is dated, September 30, 1997).  The self-examination was prompted by a broadly held view among SCT members that the team needs to better focus its activities. 

 

The SCT Role

 

Two key sentences in the introductory paragraph of the 1997 Charter describe the broad role of the SCT.  “A Science Coordination Team (SCT) is hereby established… to assist both the Working Group (WG) and Task Force (TF)… by ensuring the highest level of communication, coordination, and cooperation in the application of the various scientific disciplines to the ecological and socioeconomic problems of south Florida.”  “The SCT is responsible for… facilitating the integration, synthesis, and application of the best scientific information (including the Social Sciences) available for the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration effort.”

 

The SCT continues to consider these goals as conceptually appropriate.  However, the SCT has performed best when sufficient resources have been made available by member agencies to ensure that specific tasks are fully addressed, and when both management and the SCT have agreed that a task is of high priority (see attached list of accomplishments).  The SCT recognizes that to become more effective in this role, these goals must be narrowed and refined, given the limited availability of participating scientists and funding.

 

The SCT believes it can continue making essential contributions towards ensuring the appropriate application of science to the south Florida restoration effort.  These contributions can be made with existing levels of participation and support so long as the SCT focuses on tasks that cannot be adequately covered by individual agencies.  At present, the primary task of the SCT is to address important ecosystem restoration issues that most warrant the attention and emphasis of the SCT (i.e., would benefit from an independent/interdependent, multi-agency participation).  Several different means are available to the SCT for accomplishing this primary task.  These are: 

 

·         Organization, synthesis and peer review of existing information pertaining to specific scientific issues.

·         Review of technical manuscripts and documents.

·         Responding to requests for assistance in clarifying or resolving the scientific aspects of specific issues, or providing specific assistance (including support of CROGEE).

·         Briefings and information exchange that occur during and between SCT meetings.

 

SCT Process

 

To improve the focus and efficiency of the SCT, at its January and February 2000 meetings, the membership developed the following set of strategies and guidelines for organizing and conducting its business:

 

Identification of priority issues:

 

1.                               Generate a list of issues needing resolution or attention.

2.                               Combine overlapping or redundant issues.

3.                               Prioritize the issues.

4.                               Decide appropriate forum for addressing issue (e.g., scientific meeting, issue paper, review of document, etc.).

5.                               Estimate resources and time required.

 

Task approach to addressing issues:

 

1.       Identify standing or ad hoc subgroups of SCT members to be responsible for each task.

2.       List all steps needed to resolve/address issue. (Completed by the subgroup/team)

3.       Schedule a realistic time frame for completing each task.

4.       Estimate and secure resources needed for completing tasks.

5.       Work on only those tasks for which proper resources are assigned.

 

Operating Guidelines:

 

1.       Hold meetings as needed, to allow more time for task teams to work.  Use the centrally located Ft. Lauderdale area as the primary meeting location, but also periodically move meeting and conference/workshop locations around south Florida to better serve the needs of the full SCT, the task teams, and the larger scientific community.

2.      Address issues/tasks that originate from SCT members, the Working Group, Task Force, and the scientific community.

3.        Communicate the results of task team projects to the Working Group, Task Force, and the scientific community.

4.       Issue a final report on the work of each task team.

5.       Provide status reports on SCT activities to the Task Force and the Working Group by the SCT co-chairs.

6.       Produce an annual SCT report of accomplishments.

 

Resource Needs:

 

Resources to meet the goals of the SCT charter for the base level of operations described above to be expanded to meet the wider goals of the charter requires dedicated resources.  The chair requires adequate staff support for management of the coordination process.  During the Science Sub-Group days, this required one dedicated professional position and additional logistical support [approximately 0.5 FTE and associated funding].  We suggest that the Task Force make the appointment of the SCT Chair [for a 2-year term] with the Task Force member committing the needed support for the position.  In addition, specific projects requested by the Task Force/Working Group [or any represented TF/WG entity] need to have resources identified and dedicated to the task with the availability of necessary resources to allow the SCT to accomplish the goals specified in the task.