Advanced

ASP Policies and Procedures

Administrative functions of the ASP office

Job descriptions
  * Postdoctoral Fellows
  * ASP Director

ASP activities for Fellows
  * Research reviews
  * Thompson lecture series
  * Seminars

ASP Activities
  * Summer colloquium

ASP Policies
  * Obligations of ASP Postdoctoral Fellows
  * Submission of manuscripts
  * End of ASP appointment
  * Time cards
  * Vacation/Holiday/Sick leave
  * Mail/telephone/FAX

Support for Postdoctoral Fellows 
  * Travel award policies
  * Local and UCAR meetings
  * Relocation to Boulder
  * Computer equipment
  * Computer allocations (GAUs)

Administrative Functions of the ASP Office:

The ASP administrative personnel are: Maura Hagan, Program Director; Paula Fisher, Administrator; Scott Briggs, Administrative Assistant; and Kathleen Barney, Administrative Assistant

The ASP office is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the multiple ASP program elements including:
* Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
* Faculty Fellowship Program
* Graduate Visitor Program
* NCAR Scientist I/Research Engineer Search
* Summer Colloquium
* Junior Faculty Forum
* Other Workshops such as the Postdoctoral Preparation Workshop
* Early Career Scientists Assembly
* Fellows Association

 

Job Descriptions

Postdoctoral Fellows
Job Description

Broad Scope and Function:

* Conducts original research in areas broadly related to atmospheric science or other research areas at NCAR and documents that research in publications.
* Seeks to broaden his or her understanding of atmospheric science and other research areas at NCAR by interacting widely with scientists at NCAR.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

* Develops a plan for a research project to be conducted at NCAR. * Seeks advice on the feasibility of this plan from the ASP Director and NCAR scientific staff, but assumes primary responsibility for selecting and planning the project. * Conducts independent or collaborative research leading to results worthy of publication in scientific journals.
* Documents the results of the research, preferably in journal publications, and publicizes those results in seminars and conference presentations.
* Learns about aspects of NCAR science outside the past experience of the fellow by interacting with other postdoctoral fellows and with the NCAR scientific staff.
* Participates in seminars, research reports, and other organized scientific discussions in addition to monthly ASP Socials and the annual ASP Retreat.
* Pursues other activities that advance the professional growth of the fellow. These activities may include contributing to NCAR/UCAR educational programs, serving on committees, attending workshops, participating in the construction of proposals, reviewing scientific papers and proposals, etc.

Required Skills and Knowledge:

* Ph.D. degree in atmospheric science or a related field. The fellow may not be more than four years beyond the Ph.D. degree at the time of the application process.
* Ability to exercise considerable independent judgment and creativity.
* Ability to conduct research with minimal supervision.
* Skill in oral and written communication.

Reporting Relationship:

* Formally, the supervisor of an NCAR ASP Postdoctoral Fellow is the ASP director. In most cases, the fellow should develop working relationships with other scientists on the NCAR staff who are able to provide expert advice. These relationships should be collaborative and advisory rather than supervisory.
* The postdoctoral fellow has no supervisory obligations.

ASP Director
Job Description

Broad Scope and Function:

The Advanced Studies Program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research provides educational opportunities in a research setting for qualified postdoctoral candidates. ASP annually appoints a few, highly selected young scientists from around the world and from a variety of disciplines to Postdoctoral Fellowships at NCAR. The purposes of these appointments are to broaden the experience and education of these scientists at the beginning of their careers, to expand the range of disciplines that are represented at NCAR and to ensure that in the university community and elsewhere there will be a number of scientists experienced in interactions with their national center. Other ASP activities include managing both the Faculty Fellowship Program and the Graduate Visitor Program, providing guidance to the Early Career Scientists Assembly, selecting topics and coordinating an annual summer colloquium, and fostering other educational opportunities to enhance NCAR's effective participation in the educational process. The Director is responsible for fostering opportunities for young scientists, contributing to the atmospheric sciences through personal research, participating in community service, and giving advice and counsel to NCAR Management on center-wide programs.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Director:

* The director recruits highly qualified postdoctoral candidates through an international, competitive process. He or she works with NCAR divisions to evaluate the applicants and appoints the successful candidates. He/she monitors and counsels Fellows during these appointments and creates a challenging, accommodating and friendly atmosphere for all appointees.
* The director coordinates an annual summer colloquium on a forefront topic in the atmospheric sciences. He/she works with scientists from UCAR, NCAR, and other institutions on designing an effective session within budget or other constraints, and oversees publication of the session lectures on the ASP web site.
* The director serves on the NCAR Directors' Committee to establish major center- wide policies and practices and to advise the NCAR Director on programmatic directions and decisions. He/she serves on the NCAR Appointments Review Group which advises the NCAR Director on Senior Scientist and Scientist III appointments.
* The director interacts regularly with university faculty, staff and students, sponsoring agencies of the U.S. government, and participates in community service functions such as science planning committees or agencies, national committees, editorial boards, and the like.
* The director conducts research, presents papers at scientific or technical conferences, and publishes in scholarly journals and books. He/she presents programs to outside groups and government agencies, and can represent NCAR to outside groups. The director's scientific research should be a quarter-time activity.
* The director may foster opportunities to enhance NCAR's effective participation in the educational process through visiting scholar programs, hosting senior visitors interested in education, hosting visitors studying the process of scientific research, or the like.
* The director manages the selection process for the Faculty Fellowship Program and the Graduate Visitor Program in addition to providing guidance to the visitors participating in those programs.

Qualifications:

* Ph.D. or equivalent in an appropriate physical science or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
* National reputation and standing in the atmospheric sciences community.
* Broad knowledge of the atmospheric sciences, broad vision of education in a research setting, demonstrated leadership in areas relevant to ASP.
* Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with individual scientists and organizations, particularly those in the university and federal research communities.
* Willingness and ability to work effectively in a cross-disciplinary fashion with the broader geosciences research community.
* Familiarity with the effective management and direction of a research organization including planning and leading programs, directing, developing and evaluating staff of varying backgrounds, budget development, resource planning and utilization and related management and administrative functions.

Reporting Relationships:

* The ASP Director reports to the Associate Director of the Societal-Environmental Research & Education Laboratory (SERE). He or she oversees the ASP administrative staff, ASP postdoctoral fellows, and other ASP fellows and visitors (either directly or indirectly).

 

ASP Activities for Fellows

Research Reviews:

ASP Research Reviews are presented every other week from September to June. ASP fellows are expected to present one Research Review each year. The purposes of these research reviews are
a.) to survey areas of NCAR research,
b.) to foster scientific communication and discussion among the postdoctoral fellows,
c.) to help develop mutual understanding of the research projects being conducted in ASP, and
d.) to provide advice and develop new collaborations where appropriate.

These reviews give fellows opportunities to discuss the research strategies others are following and to consider how they might apply to their own projects.

The Research Reviews are not intended to be mini-seminars, and should not emphasize results. Instead, they should focus on motivation and strategy and on the broad significance of the research endeavor. They may describe research currently underway or plans for new projects. A good strategy is to emphasize why the research is being conducted.

The Research Reviews are held live at one of the three campuses (live location rotates) and broadcast via videoconference to the two other campuses.

The Research Reviews are handled by the ASP Research Review committee, which consists of both ASP and other fellows.

Thompson Lecture Series:

Every year, postdocs are asked to provide names of distinguished scientists to be the invited speaker of the Phil Thompson Lecture Series. From the list of possible presenters, one or two are selected to visit NCAR and to serve as the distinguished speaker of the series. The series generally lasts for 2-3 days and includes a.) seminars given by the speaker, b.) discussion forums with the postdocs and c.) individual one-on-one meetings. Similar to the seminar committee, there is a committee that manages the selection of the speaker and hosts the NCAR visit.

Seminars:

Seminars in the ASP seminar series are intended primarily for the ASP postdoctoral fellows. Through this monthly series of talks, ASP seeks to provide a variety of introductions to various research topics related to NCAR scientific interests. The seminar series is handled by the ASP seminar committee, which consists of both ASP and other non-ASP fellows.

 

ASP Activities

The ASP Summer Colloquium:

The ASP director requests proposals for the summer colloquium from NCAR divisions and programs several months in advance. Groups are often encouraged to submit topics that are particularly timely. In recent years, there have been several proposals each year. The ASP director then selects from among the proposals, or in cases where the decision is controversial or if several qualified proposals are submitted, the ASP Director may convene a review panel comprised of members from the NCAR Scientist's Assembly to review the proposals and provide guidance on a selection. The selection is based on the match between the proposed topic and ASP objectives: To direct attention to an emerging area of research deserving special attention, to develop new educational material suited to graduate students, and to promote interactions among a set of graduate students and lecturers.

Once the topic is selected, ASP staff members meet with the local organizers to establish roles, expectations, procedures and a timeline. With assistance from the ASP administrative staff, the organizing committee prepares an announcement advertising the colloquium which is distributed to UCAR member universities and other institutions where there are likely applicants. The supported colloquium participants are then selected from among the applicants by the colloquium organizer or the organizing committee.

The colloquium runs for two weeks during the summer. A typical colloquium might feature 10 invited lecturers and about 25 graduate students. Colloquiums generally consist of a mix of lectures and hands-on tutorials. At least one or two social events are also included during the two-week colloquium.

 

ASP Policies

Obligations of ASP Postdoctoral Fellows:

As described in the job description, ASP postdoctoral fellowships allow recipients considerable freedom to pursue their research interests. Postdoctoral Fellows are not obligated to pursue the research outlined in their proposals to NCAR/ASP, and indeed are encouraged to consider all opportunities available to them before committing to a particular research project. The foremost goal of ASP is to promote the development of the careers of promising early career scientists in scientific areas that overlap with NCAR's mission. We believe that we advance this goal best by developing independence in young scientists and by offering them flexibility at a time in their careers when they tend to be most creative.

This aspect of the ASP fellowship differs from most other postdoctoral positions, in which the postdoctoral scientist is supported by a funded research proposal of an NCAR scientist. The postdoctoral scientist in those cases is therefore obligated to address the goals of someone else's project, often under close direction of the project manager. In the ASP, postdoctoral fellows are instead expected to define their own research projects and to assume responsibility for their successful completion.

ASP, however, does have supplementary goals that we try to promote through the postdoctoral fellowship program. One is to broaden the perspectives of young scientists. We think that research in atmospheric science and related disciplines will increasingly require interdisciplinary approaches, so we encourage postdoctoral fellows to develop a broad appreciation for the full range of research at NCAR. We also hope that the postdoctoral fellows will become familiar with the computational and observational tools available at NCAR, and that they will develop contacts and collaborations at NCAR that will persist after they leave the ASP. We try to promote these goals through the various activities (seminars, research reviews, planning meetings, socials, etc.) that we organize for the postdoctoral fellows.

Postdoctoral fellows are expected to participate in the following activities:
* Research reviews (both as presenters and audience members). These are opportunities to learn from other fellows about a broad range of topics and to develop collaborations or exchange advice and ideas.
* The ASP seminar series and the Phil Thompson Lecture Series. These are designed for the broad education of postdoctoral fellows.
* Meetings with the ASP Director. Fellows will meet minimally with the Director on the following schedule:
+ At arrival
+ Within 3-6 months of arrival with scientific collaborators for a research planning meeting to review the status of the fellow's scientific plans. These meetings often result in new ideas, and through them the fellows obtain expert opinions regarding the feasibility and value of their project.
+ At one-year renewal
+ Before leaving ASP.

In order to schedule meetings efficiently, the ASP office uses the Meeting Maker tool. You can find information about Meeting Maker at http://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/services/calendar/calendar.html

Postdoctoral fellows may also meet regularly with the ASP director at scheduled appointments, or during "Drop in on the Director" hours held at each campus weekly.

At renewal, postdoctoral fellows will be required to provide a review of their activities during the first year of their appointment. This information will be updated by the fellow upon the appointment's end. The ASP uses this information to help evaluate the extent to which the postdoctoral fellowship program is meeting NCAR/ASP objectives.

Policies Regarding the Submission of Manuscripts:

UCAR policies regarding publications are defined in the UCAR Policy and Procedures Manual . These policies specify some requirements (including acknowledgment of NSF sponsorship) and in addition require that divisions and programs assume responsibility for the scientific and editorial quality of submitted manuscripts. To meet this requirement, ASP requires that manuscripts submitted for publication should be reviewed by at least two colleagues, usually from NCAR, whose comments should be addressed before the manuscript is submitted. ASP personnel should also conform to any requirements established by Divisions or Programs with whom they are working. If there is no appropriate Division or Program or if there are no specific guidelines to be followed, then the following should be considered the minimum set of requirements:

1. The lead author should solicit written reviews from two colleagues.
2. If the reviews indicate that the manuscript should not be submitted in its present form, the authors should not submit the manuscript without the approval of the ASP Director.

The ASP office will request the following publication information on a monthly basis:
1. The title and authors of any manuscripts submitted,
2. The names of the two colleagues who have reviewed the manuscript
3. The full bibliographic information for any published manuscripts and an electronic version of the published manuscript.

ASP pays page charges for publications by ASP postdoctoral fellows, in accord with the relevant UCAR policy. Provide the journal payment form, reprint order, and title page and abstract to the ASP administrative office to obtain a purchase request for the page charges. For publications written jointly with authors from other institutions, we ask that those institutions pay a proportionate share of the page charges.

ASP encourages publication of research results through publications in scientific journals, but also asks that authors consider ways of minimizing page charges because they can be substantial. Generally, by reducing or eliminating color figures, the cost of the paper is greatly reduced.

End of ASP Appointment:

ASP Postdoctoral Fellowship appointments may not last for more than two years. As your appointment approaches its termination date, you will be asked to update your report of activities and plans and to meet with the ASP Director. The ASP will generally collect any computer equipment and/or peripherals that have been purchased for you during your time in ASP.

Please note that you may not leave NCAR prior to your term date and use your PTO to extend your paychecks until your term date. Your last day of employment at NCAR must be your last day worked, and any remaining PTO will be issued to you in the form of payment. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact me immediately.

Time Cards:

Employees are required to complete timecards every two weeks. Your first timecard will be a paper timecard, but any timecards after that will be done electronically. In order to submit your timecard electronically, you will need what is called a UCAS password. Please work with your host division to get that password. You may complete your timecard at any time during the pay period; you do not need to wait until the end. If you are going to be away, please make sure that you have electronic access to the timecard system, or arrange to have ASP staff fill in your hours for you. If you forget to complete your timecard, Payroll will use your PTO to cover the pay period.

You will receive a paycheck every two weeks. Generally, paychecks a deposited directly into your bank account. To see the payroll schedule, along with a list of all the UCAR holidays, please go to http://www.fin.ucar.edu/b_f/payrollsched.html.

Vacation and Sick Leave:

Please inform Kathleen when you expect to be away from NCAR, either on vacation or on business travel, and when you are ill for more than a few days. It is important to account for this time properly on your time card.

Mail/Telephone/FAX:

Use the appropriate account code on all business mail. The same account number is needed to place long-distance calls and to send long-distance FAXes. For personal long- distance calls, use your employee number as the account key. Charges for personal calls will be deducted from your paycheck once a month.

 

Support for Postdoctoral Fellows

Travel Award Policies:

ASP postdoctoral fellows have a normal allocation of $1500/year to support their scientific travel. The year follows the fellow's year, not the fiscal year. In other words, the fellow's second year of funding will be available to him/her at the time of their renewal.

It is normally expected that postdoctoral fellows will present a talk or paper at meetings that they attend with ASP support (although exceptions are allowed). The UCAR travel policies apply to all travel that ASP supports. There are many different rules and regulations that ASP must follow, which means that if you want to reimbursed for your travel, you must ensure that all of the travel procedures are followed carefully.

All work-related travel must be approved before departure. The approval process is done via the Travel Authorization Form. Please work with Kathleen or your local administrative assistant well in advance of your departure to complete the form. Kathleen is also available to assist you with reservations and arrangements. In cases where the travel is supported completely by another agency and involves no NCAR funds, a travel authorization is still required because it activates coverage under NCAR's accident policy. No travel authorization form is required for travel within 150 miles of NCAR.

There are special procedures regarding use of US airlines, and keeping receipts, which means that travelers should investigate these requirements in advance of their travel. For more information about Travel, please consult the travel webpage at http://www.fin.ucar.edu/travel/ and/or Kathleen Barney.

Travel advances can be requested to cover the costs of business trips, but requests must be made AT LEAST two weeks in advance. On completion of the trip, a Travel Voucher will be completed to reimburse you for any allowable out-of-pocket expenses. Please work with Kathleen or your local administrative assistant to ensure the proper completion and submission of the form. Before you will be reimbursed for your travel and upon return, you must provide one of the following three items:
* a pdf file of the presentation that you made while on travel
* a pdf file of the poster that you presented while on travel
* a detailed trip report, outlining the purpose of your trip and its impact on your research and/or professional development (N.B. ALL acronyms need to be defined in this report).

Local and UCAR Meetings:

The ASP will cover the cost of registration fees for UCAR meetings such as the WRF Tutorial without the cost impacting the overall balance of the fellow's travel stipend. In addition, the ASP will cover the cost of registration fees for one local non-UCAR meeting during the fellow's two-year term. Some meetings are sponsored by outside agencies, but arranged by local meeting organizers at UCAR, (JOSS or the VSP programs). These meetings are not considered UCAR meetings. If you are not sure, please contact ASP staff.

Relocation to Boulder:

ASP will pay up to $1000 for domestic fellows and their families to travel to Boulder. Up to $2500 will be provided to international fellows and their families to come to Boulder and to return home at the end of two years. The maximum shipping allowance allowed is $750 for both domestic and foreign fellows. Domestic fellows may be reimbursed for either airfare to Boulder, or if they choose to drive, may be reimbursed at the current mileage rate for one-way mileage from their current home to Boulder. For those flying, please work with Kathleen Barney (leeney@ucar.edu) to purchase your ticket to Denver International Airport (DIA). Your travel must be ticketed on a U.S. Carrier in order to comply with the mandatory Fly America Act.

Computer Equipment:

The ASP considers it our obligation to provide appropriate computers for use by ASP personnel, although we often need assistance from divisions and programs to meet this obligation. In most cases, the ASP provides equipment but relies on the computing personnel in NCAR divisions and programs for installation of that equipment and connection to local networks.

Special needs should be brought to the attention of the ASP office.

Computer Allocations (GAUs):

ASP postdoctoral fellows requiring access to the supercomputers and mass storage systems will need an allocation of GAUs. Initially, fellows must work with the Computational and Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) to acquire what is called a University Account. This will automatically provide you with an initial allocation of GAUs. After receiving the University Account, please work with your host division to determine project numbers that you may use to conduct your research. Finally, ASP has a small allocation of GAUs that must be managed and shared by all fellows. This account cannot be your default account; it is supplemental. For more information about ASP GAUs, please see http://www.asp.ucar.edu/gau.jsp. Fellows must work with the ASP Director to be added to the ASP GAU account.