Dr. Ari Patrinos answers questions from the audience at the conclusion of his plenary address during the ARM Science Team Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in March 2004.

Shattering previous attendance records, 316 ARM Program participants (and a few interested visitors) from across the globe met in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 21-25 for the fourteenth ARM Science Team Meeting. With representation from 22 countries, scientists from as far away as Australia, Japan, and India took advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to discuss their findings with program counterparts in many areas of atmospheric research.

Highlights of the meeting included a DOE perspective provided by Dr. Ari Patrinos, Associate Director of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research for the DOE Office of Science; and noteworthy retirement announcements for long-time ARM technical director Ted Cress, ARM lead science translator Ric Cederwall, and Jim Teske, site operations manager for the Southern Great Plains (Oklahoma) locale since the program began. In addition to formal presentations by invited speakers and breakout sessions covering specific research areas, more than 200 posters were on site for scientists to review and discuss emerging developments in cloud and radiation measurement and modeling research. The meeting also provided a forum for scientific input into the overall implementation of ACRF operations and instrumentation.

This meeting, held annually since 1990, brings together ARM scientists to review progress and plan the future of research aimed at refining the treatment of clouds and radiation in models used to simulate climate. Improved climate models will help decision makers to develop policy for programs related to climate change and its environmental, societal, and economic impacts. As Dr. Patrinos stated in his plenary address, “ARM is doing science that is very relevant and important. Keep up the good work!”