Usage & Feasibility Survey for an
Earth Observation World Information Center
Conducted By CIESIN and NASA
on the behalf of the Italian Space Agency (ASI)
BACKGROUND:
Scientific findings indicate that changes to the environment may be
occurring at an unprecedented rate. A clearer understanding of the
combined impact of natural and social forces is urgently needed by
researchers, policy makers, and the world's people as they seek solutions
for sustainable development of the Earth's resources. These activities
must
begin with the sharing of information such as satellite data, and knowledge
derived from its analysis that transcends political and cultural
boundaries.
CIESIN (the Consortium for International Earth Science Information
Network) is undertaking a survey on behalf of NASA. This is part of NASA's
contribution to the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) efforts to coordinate an
extensive feasibility study to evaluate the concept and need for an Earth
observation information network. The study is being conducted on behalf of
G7 countries and relevant international organizations such as the CEC, ESA,
EUMETSAT and the WMO. This survey is intended to assess the needs of
researchers and scientists as well as applied science users particularly in
the developing world for access to environmental and global change data and
information (especially satellite data).
In addition, more assessment is needed on current capabilities, needs, and
requirements for an Earth observation world information center. The
proposed service, if determined to be both necessary and feasible, will
enable various world-wide user communities to obtain the information
necessary to access and use the various centers and networks established to
archive and exchange data relevant to the study and monitoring of global
change. The results of this survey will be provided in a report by CIESIN
and NASA to the Italian Space Agency in the very near future to support
ASI's feasibility study.
CIESIN's role in the arena of global change is to build and maintain
information gateways for accessing, collecting, integrating, disseminating,
and exploring data and information on the human dimensions of global
environmental change. CIESIN is part of NASA's Earth Observing System
Data Information System (EOSDIS) program, serving as NASA's Socio-Economic
Data Applications Center (SEDAC) within the EOSDIS program.
QUESTIONNAIRE:
This survey is designed to provide guidance concerning who potential
global change information users are as well as information of the direction
of possible future efforts as they pertain to user classifications,
categories, and requirements for data and information on the environment
and
global change. Your survey response is critical to completing the
feasibility study phase! PLEASE RESPOND BY JANUARY 25, 1993. (If you do
not wish to respond electronically, feel free to send your phone number so
that a CIESIN representative may contact you later to fill in this survey.
The CIESIN survey response phone number is (517) 797-2700 ext. 2634)
Name:
Title:
Organization:
Address:
Zip or Country Code:
Country:
Phone number:
Internet Address (if available) or other email address:
FAX Number:
Q1. What is the nature of your organization? (For example - college or
university, government agency, citizen's advocacy group, special interest
group, consulting firm, commercial/corporate, policy, educational, or any
other.)
Q2. How would you describe the mission of your organization? (For example
-
extension, planning, research, consultation, education, advocacy,
regulation, etc.)
Q3. What environmental or global change issue is the primary focus of your
organization? (For example - land use/planning, industrial metabolism,
economic planning, roads/highways, etc.)
Q4. How many employees are in your whole organization?
Q5. How would you best describe your job function? (For example -
researcher, scientist, manager, planner, unit administrator, project
supervisor, computer systems operator, analyst, educator, etc.)
Q6. What type of software services or Geographic Information System (GIS)
do
you currently use? Specify by name and platform. (If your answer is
"none," go to question #16.)
Q7. How many computers does your organization have?
PC or Clone (pre-286):
PC or Clone (286):
PC or Clone (386):
PC or Clone (486):
Apple Macintosh:
UNIX Workstation:
Other:
Q8. How many computers is your organization going to obtain this year?
What kind?
Q9. Are you currently wide area networked? If yes:
Modem type? Speed?
ISDN? Provider?
X.25? Provider?
Internet Direct Connection? Provider?
56KB?
T1?
UUCP?
Bitnet?
Fidonet?
Other?)
Which of the above services do you most often access and connect to
electronically?
Q10. How would you describe your level of expertise in working with your
computer and wide area networking systems?
Q11. If you are using a GIS, what type of data input formats are you using?
Vector file format? Type:
Raster file format? Type:
Image file format? Type:
Database file format? Type:
Screen picture format? Type:
Q12. How many people utilize the computer and/or network support at your
organization?
Q13. What other organizations assist your organization with computer or
network support? List organizations, names, addresses, and phone numbers
if
you have this information available.
Q14. What are the network operating systems that you use?
Q15. Which of the following do you use? WAIS( ), World Wide Web(
),
Gopher ( )
Q16. If you are not currently using computers and computer networks, how
do you obtain data, and information, and relevant research material? (For
example - phone calls to acquaintances and knowledgeable sources, faxes to
sources of information such as government agencies, libraries and/or
exchange of diskettes or CD-ROM?)
Q17. Name specific places and sources you currently contact to get the
data
and information that you need (for example: names of libraries, government
agencies, institutions, foundations, individuals, etc.):
Q18. What one thing would most improve the quality of access to global
change information at your site?
Q19. If you are not currently using computers and computer networks, do
you
plan to begin using these technologies in the next 2 years? If yes, what
type?
Q20. Is there any type of data and/or information that would be of use but
that is currently unavailable to you? (For example: space data, natural
science data, remote sensing data, any others.) Be specific and feel free
to elaborate.
Q21. Please list space (satellite), global change, and environmental
datasets that you would be interested in accessing. (For example: SPOT,
AVHRR data sets, etc.)
Q22. What types of textual data (if any) do you currently access? (For
example: text on policy, regulations, scientific reports and articles,
etc.)
How do you currently access these texts?
Q23. What types of textual data would you MOST LIKE to be able to access?
(For example: text on policy, regulations, scientific reports and articles,
etc.) Be specific.
Q24. Prioritize the tools that would most help you locate and acquire data
and conduct research in your area of interest. (1 is highest)
_____ An on-line Global Change Resource Directory to aid in locating data
and information resources.
_____ Data sharing p
