STIP Teleconference Meeting

November 19, 2003

STIP Managers/representatives participating in November 2003 Teleconference:

Dave Hamrin (ORNL), Pam Novak (PNNL), Mary Petersen (BNL), Dennis Gound (ORO), Cathie Witker (SRS), Mina Perrin (SRS), Wileva Dunbar (SRS), Heath O’Connell (FNAL), Dale Claflin (INEEL), Yolanda Bolivar (ALO), Kate Sordelet (Ames), Kathy Macal (ANL), Isom Harrison (LLNL), Cathy Wright (ALRC), Betty Robinette (Y-12), Amy Lawless (ORAU), Diane Quenell (YMP), Bonnie Hall (YMP), Sharon Jordan (OSTI), Bonnie Lasky (OSTI), and Jannean Elliott (OSTI).

OSTI News (Sharon Jordan) –

· Sharon noted that Kathy Waldrop has a new grandson, born last week, and apologized for the lack of an agenda.

• The Atoms for Peace Conference was held on October 22 in Washington.  OSTI had an exhibit, including some historical artifacts.  There is a video download available off OSTI's Home Page [(Video: “Sharing Scientific Knowledge, Then and Now” (12 minutes in length)]. See also the revised R&D Accomplishments page at http://www.osti.gov/accomplishments/. As a result of the Atoms for Peace Conference, there is some interest in having OSTI digitize some Manhattan Project documents.  If you think you have some Manhattan Project documents that suit the project, coordinate with OSTI.
• On Nov. 7, 2003, OSTI hosted a "Science.gov Way" celebration. The City of Oak Ridge renamed the road adjacent to OSTI (formerly part of Athens Road), and  the Oak Ridge mayor took part in the ceremony.  The STIP Web site has a local news story and some photos. More information has been posted on the science.gov website (http://science.gov/communications/index.html) and on the OSTI home page. (http://www.osti.gov/stip/newsandupdates.html).
• Patty Simmons (865-576-1290 or simmonsp@osti.gov) is the back-up for E-link when Kathy Waldrop is unavailable. 
• Bonnie Lasky joined OSTI staff this week.  She's located at the Washington, D.C. office where she'll work with STICG and other information people at HQ.  Bonnie was at DOE earlier in her career, then the Dept. of Commerce, and is now back with DOE.  Half of her time will be OSTI; the other half is with the Portfolio Management project.  (301) 903-8481 is her phone number.  She will help us get "face time" with HQ staff.

Planning for Spring Meeting (Sharon Jordan)

Kathy Waldrop has been talking to various hotels and conferences centers in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, but no definite date or meeting site has been set. Whether there will be an "InForum"-like co-conference is also still undecided.  OSTI intends to share more details within the next month or so and will elicit comments on agenda items and other logistics.

Harvesting Current Status and New System Plans (Jannean Elliott)

OSTI is now sending harvested records, including all those harvested since the program began in 2001, to a contractor for enhancements relevant to international exchange standards. This enhancement involves adding minimal indexing data, e.g., descriptors, subject categories, etc. Records will continue to flow directly and quickly into the database for announcement, but each one will be updated with the enhanced record when that enhanced record is completed. This update will not cause a change in the record’s OSTI ID number.

The migration of harvesting sites that are already in production mode is on hold due to the government’s continuing resolution. Some progress is being made in the BNL testing, however. Also, INEEL has been in touch with OSTI to discuss issues as they work on configuration changes to their system.

STIP Home Page Redesign (Jannean Elliott)

Jannean reminded the group that the STIP Community Page is available for draft documents that need protected review or other uses requiring password access. The password utility will be added when the first need is identified. In addition, minor changes are being made to the site as the old site directory is being reviewed and cleaned out.

Classified STI (David Bellis)

David Bellis had no news to report or issues to raise.

Miscellaneous -

Library Operations Working Group: The Library Operations Working Group met recently in Idaho Falls.  This forum is a content-heavy affair, and lots of useful info was shared across the DOE library complex.  One item informally discussed at the meeting was the perception that the trend/expectation from Elsevier seems to be more cost for the sites while getting fewer titles…and those titles may include a site’s own publications. The question was raised in the STIP teleconference as to which site libraries are still active in the DOE Consortium. Sharon Jordan will ask Judy Gilmore of OSTI will provide the requested list to the STIP community.

Research and Development Project Data Call: The question was asked whether OSTI would continue to handle this function. OSTI collects the data for the Office of Science and Technology Policy and submits the results to them.  Data from those results that is for public release is put into the R&D Project Summaries Database.  The aforementioned Portfolio Management project (see Bonnie Lasky item) will at some point in the future be the system that houses R&D project information. However, how and when that will happen has not been worked out. Until it is and until the plan is implemented, OSTI will continue to handle the R&D data call and reporting.

The Next STIP Managers Teleconference will be held on January 14, 2004.