Management Structure

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility is managed to ensure it fulfills its mission to provide observation data to improve the understanding of climate processes and the representation of those processes in climate models.

This mission is fulfilled by operating atmospheric observatories around the world that collect massive amounts of atmospheric measurements to provide data products that help scientists study the effects and interactions of clouds and aerosols and their impact on the Earth’s energy balance. In addition, computing resources and analytical tools are provided to facilitate the application of ARM measurements to pressing science issues.

Management of ARM’s complex operations is overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy and nine national laboratories, with significant input from the science user community. ARM’s management structure is described below.

U.S. Department of Energy

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility is managed by and accountable to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science.

Program Manager: Sally McFarlane, ARM Infrastructure and Science, in the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division

Infrastructure Management Board

The DOE works with the ARM Infrastructure Management Board (IMB) to manage ARM, with input from the research community and ARM staff.

Members of the IMB represent:

• Director’s Office
• Associate Director for Operations
• Atmospheric observatory operations
• Data services
• Instrument operations.

The IMB is responsible for:

• strategic planning
• managing components of ARM and communicating the status of those elements to DOE
• maintaining the overall ARM budget
• reviewing use requests for ARM.

Infrastructure Management Board Chart

Director’s Office

The day-to-day technical activities of ARM—planning, budgeting, contracting, and interactions with the science community—are led by ARM Director Jim Mather.

The Director’s Office:

• coordinates field research campaign proposals
• helps coordinate implementation of approved campaigns
• oversees the operation and enhancement of ARM
• responds to review committees
• coordinates, plans, and implements communications with the science community
• ensures DOE user facility policies and reporting requirements are followed
• manages the ARM inter-laboratory integrated budget
• procures instruments and equipment
• manages change to ARM.

The ARM Technical Administrator Kim Stewart is often the first contact for people encountering ARM.

Director’s Office Organization Chart

Associate Director for Operations

The Associate Director for Operations Nicki Hickmon is responsible for ensuring efficient, effective, and continuous operation of instruments and data systems and helps coordinate the review of field campaigns.

The Associate Director for Operations also serves as the communication link between the:

• ARM IMB and the ARM Science Board, which is responsible for reviewing major proposals to use ARM.
• Field Campaign Administrator, who is responsible for coordinating the overall field campaign screening process.

Operations Organization Chart