AIMES Working Groups
AIMES scientists and scholars are encouraged to actively engage in initiating and coordinating activities that contribute to the scientific objectives of AIMES. This can include longer running community-building activities that constitute the formation of a working group. Working groups may include the organization of workshops and activities that facilitate model improvement, integrate observations and measurements with models, support model development and new experimental designs, synthesize an interdisciplinary framework on a chosen topic within Earth system science, and many other activities. A proposed working group should facilitate multi-disciplinary and multi-national activities aimed at addressing integrative questions which can’t be addressed by individual scientists/institutes. AIMES working groups are expected to sustain a certain level of activity by creating an active community, communicating regularly, providing updates to the AIMES International Project Office, holding workshops when possible, and generating group products. Working groups should have defined goals that are presented in a brief application that outlines a work plan, and provide a timeline of milestone events, products, and an anticipated termination date.
Working Group Expectations
AIMES working groups are managed by a designated coordinator or co-coordinators that direct their goals/activities. All working groups must have at least one designated liaison from the AIMES scientific steering committee or international project office (either chosen or assigned) and regularly inform their liaison of the group’s progress and plans. The international project office will make at minimum yearly inquiries on the working group progress via a brief annual report, which will form the basis for annual review by the scientific steering committee. It is also expected that the working group will make the results and deliverables available for dissemination to the larger AIMES community via website and/or other platforms as available.
Working Group Benefits
Working group benefits include a broad range of support and opportunities from their affiliation with AIMES. Working groups strengthen the research community and through AIMES receive enhanced visibility, access to the Future Earth research network with opportunities for collaboration with Future Earth’s Knowledge Action Networks when desirable/appropriate, featured dissemination of news and results through the AIMES and Future Earth websites, letters of support for funding proposals, and priority showcasing during AIMES Open Science Conferences. Each working group will keep a maintained page on www.aimesproject.org that includes photo/s, a brief summary description, working group leads and members, activities, news, etc.
How to Become a Working Group
Working group applications are open to the AIMES community at large. The proposal guidelines and application template can be found here. Prior to submission, the AIMES executive officer or an AIMES scientific steering committee member should be contacted to discuss the proposal. Applications should outline the work plan with a timeline, milestones, and products for each phase. The expected duration of a focused, efficient working group is 3 years. However, more complex working groups can request to extend into a second phase with a new proposal to the AIMES scientific steering committee. Co-sponsoring of working groups by other organizations (e.g. other Future Earth global research projects, WCRP core projects, or other organizations) is highly encouraged when appropriate. Proposals should be emailed to aimes@futureearth.org and will be evaluated for approval by the AIMES scientific steering committee on a rolling basis.
