3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium GOALS -- Define an Observation Strategy (types of data/mix of platforms) -- Identify priorities, challenges & opportunities for R&D -- Define advanced computer capacity needs (multiple source DA/Modeling) -- Identify new products & services needed, leverage existing, speed R2O, and consider role of probabilistic predictions -- Investigate the socioeconomic impacts of improved WIST products & services -- Identify emerging dissemination technologies to get the “right message” to surface transportation stakeholders -- Establish stakeholder partnerships to ensure understanding of how to use WIST products and services in their decision-making processes.

Investigate the socioeconomic impacts of improved WIST products & services -- Ultimate metric for improved WIST is based upon user (public) needs -- User needs and resulting impacts often defined by the process of interpreting and responding -- Suppliers of the information must understand this process -- Social Scientists vs Meteorologists understand this process best

Investigate the socioeconomic impacts of improved WIST products & services -- This social science view of the process also includes communication channels -- Quantifying socioeconomic impacts involves understanding the entire process -- Must involve partnerships among agencies and social scientists in addition to physical scientists (two way street) -- Well planned surveys and analyses are required to do this! Cultural factors often outweigh technological solutions