Minutes from INTERACT kick off meeting in Abisko, Sweden - INTERACT-International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic
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Minutes from INTERACT kick
off meeting in Abisko, Sweden
INTERACT- International Network for
Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the
Arctic
16-19 January
INTERACT 2011 Annexes
kick off meeting Page 1Contents 1. General introduction to INTERACT ........................................................................................................... 2 2. Introduction of EU 7th Framework Programme – Research Infrastructures for Polar Research .............. 3 3. Presentations of work packages ............................................................................................................... 4 3.1 WP1 Management and Coordination ................................................................................................. 4 3.2 Project web site .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.3 WP2 Station Managers’ Forum and WP3 International Cooperation ................................................ 7 3.4 WP4 Trans-national Access ................................................................................................................. 8 3.5 WP5 Virtual Instrumentation .............................................................................................................. 9 3.6 WP6 Measurements of terrestrial biospheric feedbacks to climate ................................................ 10 3.7 WP7 Data management .................................................................................................................... 11 3.8 WP 8 Outreach. Interactions with Stakeholders including Outreach ............................................... 12 4. INTERACT Trans-National Access Board, INTERACT Advisory Board, and Concept of Observers .......... 12 5. Next steps and use of INTERACT Management Tool .............................................................................. 14 6. Station Managers Forum ........................................................................................................................ 16 7. Concluding remarks ................................................................................................................................ 16 INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 1
Summary The kick off meeting for INTERACT was held at the Abisko Scientific Research Station in northern Sweden on the 16th to 19th of January 2011. 37 participants from all Arctic countries attended the meeting representing most of the Infrastructures participating in INTERACT and all Work Packages. The main aim of the meeting was to get to know each other, to learn what everyone is doing and what their role is within INTERACT. All work packages were presented and in addition we had a few presentations on infrastructures. On the second day of the meeting, the kick off of the Station Managers Forum was held where the Station Managers started to discuss the best practice for stations and what issues are important to address at the forums. Information on the presentations and the decision made can be found below and in Appendix I. 1. General introduction to INTERACT Terry Callaghan The INTERACT project was initiated as a development of SCANNET which had started in Feb 2001 and at the end of 2010 included as many as 34 sites in its network. INTERACT will work as an international research infrastructure connecting the whole climatic envelope of the Arctic including North America and Russia. The INTERACT consortium consists of 32 partners from 14 countries and 28 infrastructures from around the Arctic. Together the actors in INTERACT present the whole scientific envelope with the different climates and environment throughout the whole Arctic. The Project Management consists of the coordinator, the chair for the Station Managers Forum and the project administration office. INTERACT also hold a number of sub divisions shown in different work packages such as Transnational Access and Joint Research Activities which disposes of the grants to distribute to partners and applicants which can and should cover larger parts of the arctic with the access to the full scientific envelope and field stations. Networking and outreach are also large parts of the INTERACT project. The project management will work closely to the advisors consisting of an International Advisory Board, the Transnational Access Board and the Station Managers Forum The meeting in Abisko consisted of general introduction of the work ahead of the organisation where all participants were introduced to each other. Every work pack leader was informed of their obligations and possibilities and a very important part of the meeting was to open discussions on the formation of the International Advisory Board and the Trans national Access Board. INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 2
2. Introduction of EU 7th Framework Programme – Research Infrastructures for Polar Research Anna-Maria Johansson The role of Community Research Infrastructure Actions is to optimise the use and development of already existing research infrastructures in Europe as well as to help to create new research infrastructures and support policy development such as ESFRI, e-IRG, impact studies and ERIC. This research Infrastructure as we are viewed as includes the facilities, the resources and the related services used by the scientific community in order to conduct leading-edge research as well as transmission, exchange and preservation of the knowledge gathered in the network. The definition of the network also includes “major equipment, scientific archives and structured information, enabling ICT-based infrastructures, and any other entity of a unique nature used for research”. This all fits in to ERA (European Research Area) where one of the visions is “to develop world class infrastructure”. Some of the key challenges are overcoming the fragmentation in Europe where sometimes nationally operated research infrastructures are not optimised since they are not sufficiently open to the full European user community. The same problems are seen in independent investments by different member states which often lead to duplication of efforts and facilities leaving gaps in other areas. Also the limitations in budgets when the independent member states are involved lead to less powerful constructions of facilities. The member states can also have problems collaborating as independent actors in the whole European community and at an international level as well as trying to act as a strong voice is hard and political influence is less as a single actor compared to the impact of an international EU- funded project like this. The actions in an RI like this focuses on the integrating activities i.e. the Network activities, the Transnational Access and the Joint Research activities. Where the objectives are accordingly: “to foster a culture of cooperation between the RI’s and scientific communities and help developing a more efficient and attractive ERA “to support scientific communities in their access to the participating RIs” and the activities are to provide access „free of charge‟ and „hands-on‟ access or remote access “to improve (in quality and/or quantity) the services provided by the RIs” and further explore new fundamental technologies or approaches underpinning the efficient and joint use of the participating RI. All important information related to this contract can be found on http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/find-doc_en.html such as Presentation of Force (Form C on-line tool for Research DG projects), Amendment guide for FP7 projects, Guide to financial issues and Guidance notes on project reporting (including templates) INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 3
Finally it is stressed that all information should go through Margareta or Hanna who will if needed ask Anna-Maria for advice, but not everyone contact Anna-Maria when a question emerges. This is both to lessen the number of emails in Anna-Marias mailbox and to make sure that the information going out is coherent. Also very important is to read the contract, including the small prints. 3. Presentations of work packages 3.1 WP1 Management and Coordination Margareta Johansson The management of the consortium is done through the management office consisting of Terry Callaghan, Margareta Johansson, Hanna Frykman and Luicella Bianco. The main objectives are to facilitate a smooth operation of the consortium as well as ensure the integration of various work packages to achieve synergy along with ensuring successful and timely completion of the agreed tasks to yield specified deliverables. This will be done in the best possible way using carrots and stick when needed. The tasks for the management office can be divided into eight parts; 1. to provide general co- ordination and administration such as financial management, meeting planning and communication within and outside the consortium. 2. to establish and operate an International Advisory Board. 3. to establish a Transnational Access Board is also headed and participated by the same organisations as above. Task two and three was initiated at this meeting using the input and knowledge from all participants. 4. to develop the INTERACT web site (see talk by Hanna Frykman) 5. to convene consortium meetings under task. It was decided that the consortium meetings should be held at the participating stations within the consortium to get a better knowledge of our partners and the different stations. The stations to host the meetings will be those who can accommodate in some way the large group of over approximately 50 people who will be engaged in the annual meetings. 6. to conduct project monitoring and performing any necessary interventions (see presentation by Luisella Bianco). Also the Task 7 of Reporting to the EC on project process, financial issues etc are done using Progecta as the tool. 8. to develop a business plan to secure maximum legacy from the project and the aim is to Develop a road map for the continuation of the activities established with INTERACT and also to ensure implementation of technology and methodology developed within the project by work packages 5-7. INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 4
The contact list for the Project Management and Coordination are as follows
Terry: terry_callaghan@btinternet.com (Overall overview of the project)
Margareta: margareta.johansson@nateko.lu.se (Overall overview of the project)
Luisella: luisella@cluweb.it (Questions related to Progecta)
Hanna: hanna.frykman@nateko.lu.se (Questions related to web site, newsletters,
day to day business)
Hanna being the science secretary of this project is the main contact for you, unless the question
is specific to the assignment of any of the others in this group. All information should be cc to
Margareta as she will be the main channel for information to Anna-Maria and the EU and as
stressed at the meeting all information goes though one person, Margareta, for coherency.
3.2 Project web site
Hanna Frykman
The work with this WP will start instantly and has already some guide lines set to be further
discussed and developed. The domain is bought and the INTERACT web site will be found at
www.eu-interact.org. A web hotel will be used who can supply significant server space and
maintenance as well as back-up systems for important information. The work now consists of
specifying the demands and requirements for the web site and it is of great importance to identify
all the features and requirements needed at an early stage when the page is to function in full
blown scale according to our requirements in four years. This to make sure the right
infrastructure is implemented at the beginning even if the page has to evolve over the years. The
choice of CMS (Content Management System) is also of great importance as costs could be held
down by using a commonly known free ware with which we are not tied to the designer who
develops the site. A web designer or web consultant will be used to optimize the knowledge in
good design and expertise on good infrastructure and content management. The maintenance of
the web site will be done by Hanna who will also be the contact person. The web site should
however by built in such way that we can have multiple administrators so that leader for separate
WP‟s can update their own section.
The workplan for the development of the website is tight and the first deliverable regarding the
web site in WP1 shows that it should be up and running in month 2, i.e. February 2011. Hanna
will have the main contact with designer and, write the spec in collaboration with consortium and
oversee the construction of the site.
INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 5Suggested content of the web site started with:
About INTERACT - General presentation of the project e.g. aim and objectives
Field sites - Map, stations, monitoring, etc
Work Packages- More specific presentation of the different WP’s. Linked to above
News- In chronological order
Participants- List of all participating countries, presentation of researchers and
others
Outreach- For stake holders and the public
Interactive login function- A log in function for all involved with news and
information
Pictures- Picture gallery
Added requirements from WP‟s at discussion in meeting:
Transnational Access
Links to data and coordination between sites
Deliverables (public only) for INTERACT
Best practice WP5 (12th month)
Login for Progecta
Electronic online application system for calls
Video output for Outreach
GIS interactive maps (WP7) (transnational stuff – via link)
Chat functions – with discussion threads for archiving and transparency
Public observation reporting system
Other languages - for stake holders?
Media - Press release, logos etc
Activities at the stations, vacancies, courses etc
Station Managers Forum
Also supporting: live webcam, java script, databases for researchers, interactive commentating
fields, moving pictures etc. All of this and more will be taken into account when the composition
of the spec is made.
INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 63.3 WP2 Station Managers’ Forum and WP3 International Cooperation
Morten Rasch
The involvement from National Environmental Research Institute (NERI) at Aarhus University
in INTERACT is in WP 2 and 3 and currently it is Morten Rasch and Jan Elmer Topp-
Jørgensen. The vacant position of a Biologist Senior Scientist is soon to be appointed. Morten
Rasch is the leader of Station Managers forum and overall responsible for the NERI deliverables
in WP 2 and 3. Elmer Topp-Jørgensen is responsible for NERI deliverables in WP2 and is an
expert in community based monitoring. Morten Rasch has been working in Zackenberg since
1995 in Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring (GEM).
Work package 2
The objective for work package 2 is to provide a platform for exchange of information between
INTERACT station managers and other participants within INTERACT. This platform should be
used to
(a) make information on research and monitoring more accessible and inter-operable
(b) provide the user community with information on the environmental characteristics and
logistic, research, monitoring and teaching capabilities of the INTERACT sites
(c) improve the services provided by INTERACT infrastructures to the user communities
(d) encourage and facilitate dialogues between the infrastructures and local and other
stakeholders, for example to develop community-based monitoring and strategies of
adaptation to climate change
The Station Managers Forum should be established as a cooperation, coordination and
consultancy platform to generate input from the individual infrastructures to the network, its
administration and its external partners and users (other projects and networks, stakeholders
etc.). They will meet twice a year, one meeting being at INTERACT‟s annual meetings and the
other might be phone or Skype conferences.
The inventories of ongoing monitoring and research at each site needed for some of the tasks in
this WP will require substantial efforts. The information will be used in the idea of creating a sort
of travel agency booklet on all sites. Also all the stations will share their experiences to develop
best practices on monitoring, learning from each other.
INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 7Work package 3 The objective of the third work package is to secure the further integration and expansion of INTERACT across the boundary of the EU, with other relevant projects and networks within the EU, and as a leader of coordinated Arctic terrestrial research and monitoring through participation in various high-level coordination activities. The specific goals of this work package are to increase the integration in INTERACT and to get a good cooperation with the non EU-partners giving them a similar role in this network and also to establish or increase the cooperation with other relevant projects and networks for example ESFRI. Another goal for this WP is with the guidance of Terry to get INTERACT into a terrestrial block in SAON and CBMP which are both being developed by the Arctic Council. Further goals for WP3 are to provide information and recommendations to, and coordinate and facilitate IASC's terrestrial component for research into environmental change in northern lands and to contribute to and facilitate the achievement of the terrestrial science agendas set by major, relevant international processes. Work package 3 is designed to establish INTERACT as an important element in the arctic observation system as a coordinated/integrated, bottom-up-driven platform for future terrestrial research and monitoring, covering the entire circum-arctic area. The vision is that INTERACT will eventually become the terrestrial ecology component in a Sustained Arctic Observing Network (SAON) and a one-stop entity for access to information on environmental change in land-based ecosystems, and landscape processes in the North. To achieve this vision, it is important to integrate INTERACT further both within the existing network (to develop the cooperation between European, Russian, Canadian and US partners) and also with relevant projects and stakeholders outside INTERACT. 3.4 WP4 Trans-national Access Kirsi Latola The Transnational Access scheme means that each station will offer free access and services to international researchers and the max length of visit is three months. The station will be paid unit cost per each day the visitor is there and it is important to remember to calculate the real unit cost when they have been there, at least with the last reporting period. In this project we have over all promised to offer 10 433 days in four years, in 18 stations, in seven countries and the smallest number of days offered by the station is 35 days and the biggest is 2 120 days. The total access cost is estimated to be 1 797 371 EUR (EU contribution). The first tasks are to get the coordinator for this WP going and establish the TA board as the first call for users should be out in Feb-March 2011 for the summer season 2011. INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 8
In total there will be six calls with the possibility for a seventh. The coordinator will be based at the Thule Institute in Finland and will work for the full length of the project. The coordinator will be responsible for everything in WP4 from the opening of calls to calling TA meetings, summarizing the information on applicants, be a link between INTERACT and the visiting scientists and prepare the reports to EU etc. The stations responsibility includes, among other things (read contract), that the station has to give access to user groups and provide guidance and technical support. The eligibility of user groups is stated in Annex III but important to remember is that the program does not allow us to “visit our selves” i.e. no Swedish researchers in Abisko and so on. This regards all Associated States and noticeable is that Russia is not part of the Associated States but are on a special agreement. A researcher from Canada and US can apply for TA if the group leader and the majority of the group is from the EU. The possibilities with the TA board are to spread the users over the network and use TA to encourage cross site work. The intention is also to make sure that stakeholders and politicians in North America are aware of TA and potentially can implement it in the future. The selection of users and the tasks and procedure for the TA board is still being defined by the consortium organization. When and how to get payments Access costs calculated either with the estimated unit cost or real unit cost (at least in the last reporting period) will be claimed (Form C) with financial reports in moths 18, 36 and 48 and equals the number of visit days x unit cost. If real unit cost differs from the estimated unit cost the adjustments can be made. Users pay their travel costs and are afterwards reimbursed by the station, who in turn claims it as other direct costs (Form C). Also remember - we use no overhead. To be able to include a field course in the TA costs the networking activities has to include training courses and this has to be decided in the TA or other. 3.5 WP5 Virtual Instrumentation Lars-Åke Larzon The goals for WP5 are to improve the data acquisition infrastructure focusing on manual data acquisition where it is necessary today. The attempt is to be able to do everything remotely and consistently having the logger connected to a network to avoid delays in data acquisition and to improve productivity and data quality. Places inaccessible in winter should not be unattended until the spring. The work will initially be focused on the Abisko and Zackenberg stations to INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 9
develop and test new systems which can then later when evaluated be implemented at other stations. The first task in networking in the Arctic on analytic models, simulations on how to obtain a noise model for a given environment and gathering the lessons learned from actual deployments should work in Feb-march presenting the knowledge gathered at the web site. The second task, the networking data loggers includes different approaches. The main purpose is to have remote access to monitoring systems using the same tools as they are used to without having to fly there or attend locally via serial connection. The remote gathering of data can be through low frequency radio or the new approach in Opportunistic data forwarding. The challenges are simplicity. Energy efficiency is important to be able to work all year and hence one attempt is to get away from batteries and antennas but to work in new challenging ways. Within the simplicity is also aiming for implementing bio combustible systems. The plan is to only work on the really challenging things within this project, where there are not already existing infrastructures. By the end of 2012 the aim is to have the first working prototype on an actual connection between station and monitoring site. The opportunistic data forwarding will work with data forwarding devices, so called data mules, which could be staff, researchers, hikers, reindeers or even UAV‟s. This part of the project requires research in remote places done for trial not situated too close to the station. The project with data mules is a vision within the progressive ambitions where simplified data gathering, remote sensor readings and remote sensor management are main issues. The goal for the third task, the Reproductive Phenology studies today at Zackenberg, is low cost imager based infrastructure and imaging process task where automating image analysing should be developed and implemented. 3.6 WP6 Measurements of terrestrial biospheric feedbacks to climate Torben R. Christensen Work package six will be the main counterpart to INTERACT in Greenland. The purpose is to up-grade, extend and integrate measurements of feedback mechanisms for terrestrial environments in a changing climate and this WP is developed in the midst of other complimentary major project developments e.g. The Nordic Top-level Research Initiative, DEFROST project and The EU ESFRI Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS). These organisations will be very integrated and even share objectives with WP6. The main objective for the work package is firstly to improve monitoring and facilitate research into key climate feedback mechanisms from northern terrestrial ecosystems in a changing climate. These key feedback mechanisms have regional and global consequences and relate to INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 10
ecosystem energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) exchange as these are affected by changes in snow and other cryospheric components such as permafrost measured at the INTERACT infrastructures. The second objective (which is shared with DEFROST and ICOS) is to qquantify interactions of snow/ice, temperature, moisture and exchanges of energy and CH4/CO2 and their intra- and inter- annual variability at multiple sites. The WP shall enter an improved INTERACT/DEFROST energy exchange measurement unit in Greenland with linkages to the Joint Research Activities within INTERACT. The time plan for establishment of improved flux measurements and distributed energy exchange monitoring sites is that it should be running by the end of the summer 2011. Both the INTERACT WP6 and DEFROST is in need of collaboration to improve data management. 3.7 WP7 Data management Tomas Thierfelder The Data Management WP7 will collaborate with WP5 Virtual Instrumentation but this WP is lead by SLU which will contribute with one doctoral student and several master students. The aim is to address the effects of data sharing and the use of informatics research and focus on setting standards on information sharing. Further to optimise collective effectiveness a rationale for sampling meta data across the stations will be constructed in order to estimate the redundancy and latency of their associated research and monitoring actions. All the information will be available in web based Geographic Information Systems sharing information such as: Who is doing what at different stations found in map? Where else is similar work being done? What is the actual research about? What is published from this station? What equipment is situated where etc. A prototype for this GIS database will be first developed for Abisko, AbiskoGIS, and then implemented at other sites. The AbiskoGIS database should be running by moth 24 and work on the web in month 32. The other objective in this work package is a repository for environmental data products (the SCANDB) will be constructed and implemented. This SCANDB will store and supply data products based on primary INTERACT monitoring data. It will supply tools for data management such as automatic data and metadata loading, provenance tracking, and descriptive statistics. SCANDB will support the data manipulation processes requested by scientists on primary and derived data products and importantly it will be developed in close collaboration with existing monitoring activities. SCANDB will be compatible with SCANGIS One important part of this work package is to define standards for the data management. The AbiskoGIS will be a complete database with metadata regarding research projects, persons and publications with a web interface allowing for query and analysis. Also the point of this database is for it to be able to connect with other similar networks and repositories. INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 11
3.8 WP 8 Outreach. Interactions with Stakeholders including Outreach Lis Mortensen/ Jan Dick The outreach and the interaction with Stakeholders is a two way dialogue. The work package aims to disseminate the current knowledge and future discoveries of the SCANNET community in order to highlight the importance of the Arctic, to alert people to changes and to influence attitudes and behaviours. Further it aims to gather information from stakeholders on topics such as traditional/indigenous knowledge, community monitoring programmes while working together to contribute to local adaptation strategies to cope with impacts of climate change. Those stations that already have experiences on contact with local communities will be contributing in the setup of different communicating functions. Some of the ideas in the start-up of this work package are to implement community groups in societies and local communities and to create hands on activities. This work package has for major tasks which all links into each other. The first task is to widen the knowledge exchange, which is close to the second task which is to conduct interviews and set up a two way transfer of knowledge. The third task can be seen as a TA on a student level getting young people involved giving them opportunities. This will be done by providing mobility opportunities. All these three will funnel down to the fourth task –Outreach. The main goal here is to Make Arctic Research Come Alive. 4. INTERACT Trans-National Access Board, INTERACT Advisory Board, and Concept of Observers Terry Callaghan/Margareta Johansson INTERACT Trans-National Access Board At the meeting the discussion of the two boards for INTERACT, the Transnational Access Board (TA board) and the International Board which is an advisory board, were initiated. The person who will be the coordinator for WP4 will be the secretary for the TA board and manage the contacts and information flow. It is important to remember that the TA board is a strategic board with important representation and people linked into international initiatives which feed into governments if possible. The board is also an advisory board. The Transnational Access project is developed to spread the money over all the stations and to be able to be clever in how to propose the calls in order to widen the spread of research activity to cover the whole arctic climate and environmental envelope in an satisfying way. The tasks for the TA board is to in a satisfactory manner ensure a good spread on the EUR 4 million held within the project for INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 12
international research enabled by a passive and active actions. The passive way – to set outcall
and review applications and the active way being that the TA board will target gaps in stations
and formulate the calls saying “priority will be given to station x and activity x” or “ …given to
transverse research including…” This underlines the importance of the station managers having
very good knowledge of all stations and that those who are representatives at the TA board
knows what is missing or needed at each separate station in their region to ensure that those
needs will be considered. The board will also review the applications. The calls will be open
according to EU regulations.
It was decided that the TA board should consist of five Station Managers from the INTERACT
infrastructures and five independent people. Independent in this case means independent from
legal entities represented in the calls. The composition of the board can change over time i.e. a
representative does not need to be elected for the full period of time, but can be so for one year at
the time. However it is allowed to stay on the board for the four years of the INTEACT project.
Each region in this table has to appoint their representative by the 25th of Jan 2011.
Transnational Access Board
Infrastructure representatives Independent
Greenland Morten Rasch Terry
Callaghan
Finland Riku Paavola North ?
American
Iceland, Scotland & Jan Dick Scientist ?
Faroe Islands
Russia ? ? ?
Sweden Christer Jonasson ? ?
INTERACT Advisory Board
Discussions were held regarding the composition and the number of members included in
INTERACT‟s Advisory Board. It should be kept in mind that it is already outlined in the
Description of Work what we will do within the coming 4 years so the role of the Advisory
Board will be more of an Ambassador of the project rather than one that provides scientific
INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 13advices. It was suggested that the Board should consist of 5 to 6 persons and the following
suggestions came up:
INTERACT Advisory Board
EUR Kari Laine European Polar Board
US Brendan Kelly National Science
Foundation
CAN Nick Xenos INAC (Dept. of Indian
Affairs and Northern
Development?)
RUS ?
Global ? GEOSS
Circum Arctic Volker Rachold IASC
5. Next steps and use of INTERACT Management Tool
Luisella Bianco
The work with INTERACT also means a lot of administration work, especially for each WP
leader. To have good control and keep an overview over every milestone in this major project,
we will use a tool, Progecta. This program is currently in process for a new updated version to be
launched in February. It has been the tool for several similar projects over the years and in
February our version of the program will be filled in and ready to run. It is very important to get
to know the program well, learn to use it and use it frequently. Stick to your schedule. Progecta
will help you be on time. It will let you:
• Follow your own schedule
• Check your Task/Deliverable‟s list and details
• Start/Complete Tasks (if you‟re responsible)
• Submit and release Deliverables (if any)
• Declare when Milestones has been reached
• Monitor WP progress (only WP leaders)
• Add (View) Progress Notes for a specific activity
• View your Partner‟s budget
• Submit contribution to periodic report
Progecta has a hierarchal structure meaning that each WP leader is the only one who can submit
work packages and milestones, task leaders can also submit tasks and deliverables along with the
INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 14WP leader. Each responsible for a deliverable must declare when a deliverable was released and
submitted. Different activity status in the program will let you know when to initiate a task, when
you are late, completed and approved etc. There are alert systems sending emails to concerned
persons depending on task to notify in case of when to start or complete, if deliverable is late,
any notes are added etc. All tasks are in chronological orders and everyone should know what to
do and when. In Progecta you can only see the actions you are responsible for in your TO DO-
list. In ACTIVITIES it is shown everything you are included in. The use of Time Recording
system is utterly important for the reporting to the EU.
Final negotiation steps
→Consortium Agreement signature signed by Coordinator and beneficiaries. This contract
should be ready in mid February 2011 and then paid in February
→Grant Agreement Signature signed by Coordinator and EU. Once this is signed the
prepayments can be paid out. The money is transferred to consortium which then distribute them
to partners. The money “belongs” to EU until the end of the period when you have to prove you
have spent it within the project. Hence the importance of the time recording system spread sheets
→FormA signature signed by Coordinator and beneficiaries.
Guarantee Fund (5%)
From the FP7 Financial Guidelines: “The contribution to the Guarantee Fund (5% of the total
EC contribution for the project) will be part of the pre financing (and its calculation); however,
it will not be paid into the account of the Coordinator, it will be transferred directly from the
Commission to the Fund at the time of the payment of the pre-financing.[…] it will be returned to
the beneficiaries via the coordinator at the moment of the final payment, at the end of the
project.”
Note – Each partner will have to explain and submit their own financial report
– Technical report has to be done by each WP
Report’s approval by EU
At the end of each reporting period, the Commission shall evaluate and approve project reports
and deliverables and distribute the corresponding payments within 105 days of their receipt.
A Cost is eligible if it:
- is actual (non estimated)
- incurred by the beneficiary.
INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 15- incurred during the project-life (2011-2014) - follows the accounting practices of beneficiary - is used for achieving objectives of the project - is recorded in the accounts of the beneficiary - have been indicated in the estimated overall budget A Cost is non-eligible if it is: -identifiable indirect taxes including value added tax -costs declared or incurred, or reimbursed in respect of another EU project, (avoiding double funding) For more information on costs, financial issues check Luisella‟s PPT or the Financial Guidelines For more information regarding the Progecta tool check Luisella‟s PPT or the Progecta program itself. 6. Station Managers Forum Morten Rasch The history of the idea of using a Station Managers Forum originates from SCANNET. It never got implemented but was further developed in ENVINET however both these projects ran out of money. The ideas on what and how to work this has evolved over time and will be fine-tuned under the development of the INTERACT project. In the end of the project, the Station Managers Forum should result in very good knowledge on all stations, the creation of a catalogue over sites, a report manual over Station Managers Forum and the development of a Best Practice for monitoring based on compiled information from all sites. The Station managers Forum held at this first meeting focused on the following questions: Safety and policies at the stations, Best practice for monitoring, How to put together the catalogue, Data back up and archiving, Data network on web site and What is the limit when it comes to staff/station support for the researches etc. Morten Rasch will ensure that minutes and results from the discussions in break out groups will be available on INTERACT‟s web site 7. Concluding remarks Terry Callaghan/Margareta Johansson This kick off meeting gave all the members in the consortium the possibility to get to know each other, to learn about their work and their role within INTERACT. It was obvious from the presentations that we have a very exciting project ahead of us with excellent staff involved. Already at the outset of INTERACT there has been a great interest in the project from other Arctic organisations and the momentum and influence which is enabled in this network is tremendous. INTERACT, Minutes from Kick off meeting, Abisko 16-19 Feb 2011 Page 16
Annex I To do list and important decisions made → It is stressed that all information should go through Margareta or Hanna who will if needed ask Anna-Maria for advice, but not everyone contact Anna-Maria when a question emerges. This is both to lessen the number of emails in Anna-Marias mailbox and to make sure that the information going out is coherent. → Also very important is to read the contract, including the small prints. → It was decided that the consortium meetings should be held at the participating stations within the consortium to get a better knowledge of our partners and the different stations. The stations to host the meetings will be those who can accommodate in some way the large group of over approximately 50 people who will be engaged in the annual meetings. → One of the first tasks are establish the TA board as the first call for users should be out in Feb-March 2011 for the summer season 2011. →It was decided that the TA board should consist of five Station Managers from the INTERACT infrastructures and five independent people. Independent in this case means independent from legal entities represented in the calls. The composition of the board can change over time i.e. a representative does not need to be elected for the full period of time, but can be so for one year at the time. However it is allowed to stay on the board for the four years of the INTEACT project. Each region in this table has to appoint their representative by the 25th of Jan 2011. Final negotiation steps. →Consortium Agreement signature signed by Coordinator and beneficiaries. This contract should be ready in mid February 2011 and then paid in February →Grant Agreement Signature signed by Coordinator and EU. Once this is signed the prepayments can be paid out. The money is transferred to consortium which then distribute them to partners. The money “belongs” to EU until the end of the period when you have to prove you have spent it within the project. Hence the importance of the time recording system spread sheets →Form A signature signed by Coordinator and beneficiaries. INTERACT kick off meeting Annexes Page 1
Annex II
INTERACT Kick off meeting
Date: 17-18 January 2011
Venue: Abisko Scientific Research Station
Agenda
Date and Time Activity Presenter
16 January 2011 Arrival at the Abisko Station
19:00 Dinner at the station
17 January
07:30-08:30 Breakfast
09:00-10:30 Welcome address and round table Terry Callaghan
introduction (partners should present who
they are, their role in INTERACT and very
briefly introduce their infrastructure if
appropriate)
10:30-11:00 Coffee break
11:00-11:15 General introduction to INTERACT Terry Callaghan
11:15-11.30 Introduction of EU 7th Framework Anna-Maria Johansson
Programme – Research Infrastructures for
Polar Research
Presentations of work packages
11:30-11:40 WP1 Management and Coordination Margareta Johansson
11:40-11:50 Project web site Hanna Frykman
11:50-12:20 WP2 Station Managers’ Forum and WP3 Morten Rasch
International Cooperation
INFRA-2010-1.1.19: Research Infrastructures for Polar Research12:20-12:40 WP4 Trans-national Access Kirsi Latola
12:40 -14:10 Lunch at the Mountain Lodge
14:10-14:30 WP5 Virtual Instrumentation Lars-Åke Larzon
14:30-14:50 WP6 Measurements of terrestrial Torben R. Christensen
biospheric feedbacks to climate
14:50 – 15.10 WP7 Data management Tomas Thierfelder
15:10 – 15:30 WP 8 Outreach Lis Mortensen/ Jan Dick
15:30 – 16.00 Coffee break
16:00-17:00 Plenary Discussions among WPs
19:00 Dinner at the Station
20:30 Entertainment Anna Sarri
21:30 – 23:00 Tundra Bar
Date and Time Activity Presenter
18 January
07:30-08:30 Breakfast
08:30-10:00 Station Managers’ Forum Morten Rasch
08:30 - 08:50 Introduction of Station Manager Forum
08:50 - 09:40 Discussions in break out groups
09:40 - 10:00 Presentation of break out group results
10:00-10:30 Coffee break
10:30 – 12:45 Presentation of ongoing research at the Christer Jonasson
Abisko Station – Outdoor excursion
12:45-14:15 Lunch at the Mountain Lodge
INFRA-2010-1.1.19: Research Infrastructures for Polar Research14:15-14:45 INTERACT International Board Terry Callaghan/
INTERACT Trans-National Board Margareta Johansson
Concept of Observers
14:45-15:30 Next Project steps and use of INTERACT Luisella Bianco
Management Tool
15:30 - 16:00 Coffee break
16:00-17:00 Concluding remarks Terry Callaghan/
Margareta Johansson
19:00 Dinner at the Station
21:00-23:00 Tundra Bar
19 January
07:00-08:00 Breakfast
08:15 Bus departs for trip to Ice Hotel in
Jukkasjärvi (www.icehotel.com)
12:15 Bus arrives at Kiruna Airport
INFRA-2010-1.1.19: Research Infrastructures for Polar ResearchAnnex III
List of participants Abisko meeting 16-19 January 2011
Name Research Station/ Address Phone Email
Organisation
Brian Barnes Toolik Field Station Institute of Arctic Biology, +1 907 474 7648 bmbarnes@alaska.edu
University of Alaska Fairbanks
PO Box 757000
Postal:99775-7000
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
Luisella Bianco CLU ltd Via Spagna, 5 Castelfranco +39 338 3537185 Luisella.bianco@gmail.com
Emilia (MO), 41013
Italy
Wladimir Bleuten YSU Utrech University +31 65492647 w.bleuten@geo.uu.nl
Heidelberglaan 2
PO Box 80115 TC
3508 TC Utrecht, Nederland
Donie Bret-Harte Toolik Field Station Institute of Arctic Biology, +1 907 474 5434 msbretharte@alaska.edu
University of Alaska Fairbanks
PO Box 757000
Postal:99775-7000
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
Terry Callaghan Royal Swedish PO Box 50005104 05 +44 145 7763003 terry_callaghan@btinternet.com
Academy of Sciences Stockholm
Sweden
Torben R. Lund University Dept. of Earth and Ecosystem +46 46 222 3743 torben.christensen@nateko.lu.se
Christensen Sciences
Sölvegatan 12
223 62 Lund, Sweden
Fiona Danks Norsk Polarinstitut, Tuftebakken 9P, 90 16 +47 77 750661 fiona.danks@npolar.no
Svedrup Station Tromsö, Norway
Jan Dick Edingburgh / CEH + 44 1314454343 jand@ceh.ac.uk
Cairngorms Bush Estate, Penicuik
EH26 0QB, UK
Bo Elberling Institut for Geografi og Institut for Geografi og Geologi +45 353-22520 be@geo.ku.dk
Geologi Øster Voldgade 10
1350 København K
Denmark
Hanna Frykman Royal Swedish Dept. of Earth and Ecosystem + 46 708 423639 hanna.frykman@nateko.lu.se
Academy of Sciences Sciences
Sölvegatan 12
223 62 Lund, Sweden
Snorre B Hagen Bioforsk Svanhovd Bioforsk Soil & Environment +47 932 40 197 snorre.hagen@bioforsk.no
Svanhovd
9925 Svanvik, Norway
Yannis Ioannidis Athena Research University of Athens +30 210 727 5224 yannis@di.uoa.gr
Center, Institute for Dept. of Informatics & Telecom or mobile: +30
Management of Info Sys Panepistimioupolis, Informatics 697 707 4305
Buildings157-84, Ilisia, Athens,
Greece
INTERACT kick off meeting AnnexesAntero Järvinen Kilipisjärvi Biological Kilipisjärvi Biological Station, FI- +358 40 antero.jarvinen@helsinki.fi
Station 99490 Kilipisjärvi, Finland 5034473
Anne M Jensen Ukpeagvik Inupiat PO Box 750, Barrow +1 907 852 0924 anne.jensen@uicscience.org
Corporation Science Alaska, USA or home:+1 907
LLC 852 5946
Anna Maria EU European Comission, +32 2 2957615 anna-
Johansson RTD-B3 Research maria.johansson@ec.europa.eu
Infrastructures, Brussels
Margareta Royal Swedish Dept. of Earth and Ecosystem +46 46 222 4480 margareta.johansson@
Johansson Academy of Sciences Sciences nateko.lu.se
Sölvegatan 12
223 62 Lund, Sweden
Mikko Jokinen Kolari unit/ Finnisf Muoniontie 21 +358 50 391 mikko.jokinen@metla.fi
Forest Research FIN-95900, Finland 3525
Institution
Christer Jonasson Abisko Scientific Abisko Scientific Reseach +46 980-40179 christer.jonasson@ans.kiruna.se
Reseach Station Station
981 07 Abisko, Sweden
Dag Klaveness Finse Alpine Research Finse Alpine Research +47 22 85 45 16 dag.klaveness@bio.uio.no
Station Station/Department of Biology, mobile:
Univ of Oslo, 47261197
PO Box 1066 Blindern, Oslo,
Norway
Kari Laine Thule Institute / oulanka Thule Institute, University of Home:+358-40- Kari.Laine@oulu.fi
Res. station Oulu, P.O.Box 7300 558 3006 office:
FI – 90014, Finland +358-8-5533550
Lars-Åke Larzon Uppsala University Dept. Of Information +46-18-4712781 lln@it.uu.se
Technology, Box 337
751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
Kirsi Latola Thule Institute Thule Institute, P.O.Box 7300, +358- kirsi.latola@oulu.fi
90014 University of Oulu, 400274056
Finland
Trofim Maximov Spasskaya Pad & 41, Lenin ave. Yakutsk +7 9142355354 t.c.maximov@ibpc.ysn.ru
Chokurdakh 677980, Russia
Lis Mortensen Jardfeingi Nidaragøta 84 +298 22 32 44 lm@jf.fo
FO-188 Hoyvik
Faroe Islands
Hlynur Óskarsson Litla-Skard Agricultural University of Iceland, + 354-862-5047 hlynur@lbhi.is
Keldnaholt, Reykjavik
IS-112, Iceland
Morten Pejrup University of Department of Geography and 0045 35 32 25 mp@geo.ku.dk
Copenhagen Geology Øster voldgade 10 05
1350 Copenhagen K, DK
Morten Rasch Zackenberg / National NERI, Frederiksborgvej 399, +45 46301917 mras@dmu.dk
Environmental 4000 Roskilde
Research Institute Code: 4000, Denmark
Katrine Raundrup Greenland Institute of P.O. Box 570 +299 361200 (at kara@natur.gl
Natural Resources 3900 Nuuk, Greenland GINR); mobile:
+45 22548299
INTERACT kick off meeting AnnexesChristian Rohner Uppsala University Dept. Of Information chrohner@it.uu.se
Technology, Box 337
751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
Ninis Gunhild Tarfala Research Department of Physical +46(0)8164983 gunhild.rosqvist@natgeo.su.se
Rosqvist Station Geography & Quaternary
Geology Stockholm University
10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Glenn Sheehan Barrow Arctic Science PO Box 750, Barrow, Alaska +1 907 852 4881 basc@arcticscience.org
Consortium (BASC) 99723, USA home: +1 907
852 5946
Andrew Sier Centre for Ecology & CEH Lancaster, LEC, Library +44 (0) 15 24 59 arjs@ceh.ac.uk
Hydrology Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster 58 40
LA1 4AP, United Kingdom
Martin WWF Global Arctic P.O.Box 6784 St. Olavs Plass +47 92606995 msommerkorn@wwf.no
Sommerkorn Programme 0130 Oslo, Norway
Otso Suominen Kevo Subarctic Vallmogränden 10 E 8 +358 40 otso.suominen@utu.fi
Research institute, FI-20320 Åbo, Finland 5637816
University of Turku
Elmer Topp- National Environmental C/o Andersen, Kymervej 16 +45 52 32 47 65 elmer_topp@hotmail.com
Jørgensen Research Institute, Code: 4140 Borup
Denmark Denmark
Tomas Thierfelder Swedish University of Dept. of Energy and +46 (0)18 Tomas.Thierfelder@slu.se
Agricultural Sciences, Technology, P.O. Box 7032 671793
SLU 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
Warwick Vincent The CEN Network Centre for Northern Studies +1 418-656- warwick.vincent@bio.ulaval.ca
(SCANNET-Canada) (CEN), Laval University, Quebec 3340
City
QC G1V 0A6, CANADA
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