SGER: Development of Community Networking and Outreach for GeoSystems

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GeoSystems is a developing community-based initiative that focuses on the importanceof the deep-time perspective for understanding the complexities of Earth's atmosphere,hydrosphere, biosphere and surficial lithosphere using climate as the focus. The GeoSystemsinitiative holds the potential to catalyze rapid and innovative progress in research and educationon Earth's climate and related systems, but will require concerted effort in (1) networking withother initiatives in Geoinformatics (e.g. CHRONOS), to forge alliances on topics of mutualrelevance and begin to formulate tools appropriate for mining and linking large databases, (2)building the community of GeoSystems researchers and stimulating collaboration within thatcommunity, and (3) initiating outreach efforts aimed at education in GeoSystems and the role ofGeoinformatics in this effort. To begin to realize these objectives, funds are requested forworkshops and meetings, and information dissemination via development of the GeoSystemswebsite and related materials (newsletters, brochures, etc.).Intellectual Merit--Ultimately, these efforts will augment our understanding of Earth'sclimate and related systems, expanding our grasp of climate-system behavior, thresholds,feedbacks, nonlinearity, and positively impacting climate modeling and prediction.Broader Impact-Planned outreach and education efforts will capitalize on theremarkable Earth-system couplings and biotic impacts preserved in Earth history, which capturethe imaginations of all-- the university professor to the grade-schooler-- and thus provide idealfodder for science education at all levels.