Organizing Science at the
Southern Research Station

Research Planning

In many ways, the operation of RWUs will remain the same under this reorganization. However, important changes are anticipated for the way that decisions are made regarding the fundamental research portfolio of the Station. The five Science Areas will provide disciplinary “home bases” for RWUs and a framework for coordinating the research activities of the Station.

Research planning will take place at two levels within this organizational model. At the strategic level, a research plan will be developed for each Science Area. Each of these plans will identify long term and issue-driven research questions to be addressed by the Station’s science program and will assign specific Problem Areas to RWUs. Problem Areas will be assigned to (1) a single RWU, (2) two or more RWUs within a Science Area, or (3) two or more RWUs in different Science Areas (see graphic, below). Assignment of Problem Areas, which has traditionally been done at the RWU level, will now be coordinated at the Station level. This will ensure that the research program addresses the highest priority problems—i.e., it forces explicit tradeoff analysis among research areas--and will prescribe interdisciplinary research through shared Problem Areas.

Development of each Science Area plan will involve scientists, constituents, and partners using a public science review managed at the Station level. Broadening the scope of science planning in this way should allow research customers and partners to engage more effectively in Station strategic planning. The Assistant Director will be responsible for developing the plan and for coordinating participation of RWUs. The duration of the Science Area plan will be five years and reviews will be staggered.

The second, tactical, level of planning will occur in the field. Unit-level Technical Assistance Visits will be convened with local constituents and research partners to review the studies and research methods proposed to address each Problem Area. Narrowing the focus of Technical Assistance Visits should allow for a more detailed and thorough peer review of the research program. Cross-unit coordination will be required to review and plan for work under shared Problem Areas.

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