WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces the witnesses for a Full Committee hearing on Improving the Capacity of U.S. Climate Modeling for Decisionmakers and End-Users to be held this Thursday, May 8, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. The full witness list is below.

Climate models allow scientists to understand the dynamics of the climate system and predict the effects of climate change by simulating the interactions of the earth's oceans, atmosphere, land, and ice. These models assist decisionmakers in developing strategies for adapting to the impacts of climate change.

This hearing will examine the current computing capacity to process models at the regional and local scales, the need for continuous observational data to support the models, and the basic science to support the improvement of the next generation of climate models to meet the needs of decisionmakers. The hearing will focus on developing applications, consumer expectations, and network operation.

Hearing on Improving the Capacity of U.S. Climate Modeling for Decisionmakers and End-Users
Full Committee
Date:  Thursday, May 8, 2008
Time:  2:30 p.m.
Location:  Room 253, Russell Senate Office Building

Witnesses:
Dr. Alexander E. (Sandy) MacDonald, Director, Earth System Research Laboratory, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, NOAA

Dr. James J. Hack, Director, National Center for Computational Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Dr. Daniel A. Reed, Scalable and Multicore Computing Strategist, Microsoft

Dr. Edward S. Sarachik, Co-Director, Center for Science in the Earth System, Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Sciences, Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington

Mr. Bruce K. Carlisle, Assistant Director, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

Dr. John Walsh, President’s Professor of Climate Change, Chief Scientist, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks