NDACC Steering Committee Appointments and Elections

The Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) Steering Committee (SC) is composed of:

• two Co-Chairs;
• nine pairs of Science Team Representatives selected from Principal Investigators (PIs) representing the main NDACC sub-activities (i.e., Lidar, UV/Visible, Microwave, FTIR, Spectral UV, Dobson and Brewer, Ozonesondes and Aerosol Sondes, Theory, and Satellite);
• a group of Peer Representatives ; and
• a group of Ex-Officio Representatives (representing countries, agencies, or organizations providing support for the explicit NDACC activities (i.e., site implementation and use of resulting data).

The replacement of the individual Co-Chairs and Science Team Representatives are to be staggered in time so as to maintain a favorable balance between experienced and new individuals. The two Co-Chairs and the Science Team Representatives for each subgroup shall be from different institutions and geographical locations to facilitate attendance at the various meetings as well as international investigator contact and communication.

The NDACC SC should apply the following voting procedures for the election of these two Officers:

• Insofar as possible, the Officers should be current members of the SC and possess overall expertise/understanding of the NDACC activities. Furthermore, they should have some managerial experience and the means to act as Secretariat for the NDACC. The nomination of an individual not presently serving on the NDACC SC will require ensuring that the candidate possess the above qualifications and approval by the current SC.

• Nominations for either of these two positions shall be submitted by an SC member at or (preferably) prior to the SC meeting at which elections will be held.

• Voting can be conducted by secret ballot or by a show of hands, with the former procedure being adopted if a member of the SC requests it. Proxy voting is authorized. A minimum of two-thirds of the SC membership shall constitute a quorum for such elections.

• The election of an Officer shall require a majority of the total votes cast.

• The term of office of the Co-Chairs shall each be three years. There shall be no limit to the number of terms served.

• A pre-term resignation (to be notified at least six months prior to its occurrence) or an unexpected departure should be dealt with at the following SC meeting.

• The various NDACC organized subgroups (corresponding to the nine measurement and analysis activities mentioned above) will nominate their two SC Science Team Representatives and present them to the SC for approval.

• The terms of the Science Team Representatives will nominally be three years. The terms can be extended/reduced on a case-by-case basis if agreed upon by the Science Team members of the subgroup concerned and the SC. There shall be no limit to the number of terms served. If necessary, the SC shall have the ultimate authority for a unilateral decision in such matters (for example, in resolving a conflicting situation involving an SC Science Team Representative.

• The resignation of an SC Science Team Representative should be submitted to the NDACC SC Co-Chairs and to the Science Team members of the subgroup being represented at least six months before the effective date. An unexpected departure should be dealt with as quickly as possible. In such a case, the new nomination should be submitted to the SC (via the Co-Chairs) for an immediate decision rather than waiting for the next SC meeting.

• Both Science Team Representatives will coordinate their SC-related activities and responsibilities, and will make arrangements so that at least one of them is present at any such meetings.

The NDACC SC has the authority to evaluate and make decisions regarding the nomination, appointment, and terms of Peer and Ex-Officio representatives. Such flexibility shall ensure that specific science matters are tasked and/or reviewed, that special NDACC-related issues are adequately addressed, or that international organizational interests are represented.