ENSEMBLES WORKSHOP
Organized by Research Themes RT8 and RT4

Extreme climatic events and impacts

Riederalp, Switzerland
Saturday, March 25 - Tuesday, March 28, 2006




Rationale for the Workshop and suggested structure
Contact the organisers
Previous "extremes" workshops (PRUDENCE and ENSEMBLES projects)
Venue, Accommodation and Transportation
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Workshop aim

To bring together scientists in the ENSEMBLES project who work on extreme events to help define the most important scientific questions and share knowledge about their activities on extreme events. It is hoped that this will help better integrate extremes activities within and across research themes in the whole ENSEMBLES project. External invitees will help contribute ideas from other extremes activities around the world.                 


Participants:

 

This will be a small workshop (not a conference) with no more than 30 participants consisting mainly of scientists working on extremes in ENSEMBLES plus a few invited extremes experts. Numbers of invitees will be constrained by how many ENSEMBLES people wish to come. Priority will be given to scientists in ENSEMBLES who are actively working on extreme events towards ENSEMBLES deliverables.

Oral presentations will be limited in number in order to enable useful discussions, but there will be opportunities for poster presentations and discussions too. Allocation into oral or poster presentations will be decided by the program committee.

Key questions to be discussed at the meeting will be circulated prior to the event, based on a consolidated list that should be submitted before mid-February using the Internet-based forum dedicated to this event



Objectives

 

  • To bring together scientists working on extremes within the ENSEMBLES project so that we have a better idea of ENSEMBLES activities in this area;
  • To define a small set of the most important scientific questions that need to be addressed by ENSEMBLES scientists;
  • To discuss possible approaches for solving these questions;
  • To share knowledge, both scientific and statistical, between participants and foster future working collaboration.
  • Produce a synthesis report on extremes and how they will be addressed in the ENSEMBLES project.


Proposed agenda

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Saturday, March 25, 18:30-20:00            Introduction

Welcome session with pre-dinner drinks. Opening remarks from workshop organizers followed by round-table introduction of everyone. Informal discussions around posters to allow participants to find out what work everyone is doing.
 

Sunday, March 26, 09:00-12:00            Overview  talks

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Chairperson:  David Stephenson

Scientific presentations from a limited number of participants to help define key scientific questions and possible areas for future extremes research.

 
Sunday, March 26, 18:30-20:00            Breakout Session 1

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Split into 4 smaller groups that can brainstorm on approaches to questions that have been provided by the participants before the meeting. Breakout group leaders should attempt to summarise key ideas from the sessions.

 
Monday, March 27, 09:00-12:00            Reporting; overview talks

<><>Chairpersons: Chris Ferro/Markus Stoffel
 

Reporting back from each of the breakout groups by group leaders (short <15 minute powerpoint talks) together with questions/answers from the whole group of participants.

Scientific presentations from a limited number of participants to help define key scientific questions and possible areas for future extremes research.

Identify areas that require more discussion (e.g. specific types of extreme event) for a second round of breakout sessions in the evening.

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Monday, March 26, 18:30-20:00            Breakout Session 2

Split into groups (not the same as the first ones!) that can discuss approaches to specific areas raised in the morning. Breakout group leaders should attempt to summarise key ideas from the sessions.

 
Tuesday, March 27, 09:00-12:00            Reporting; outlook

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Chairperson: Martin Beniston

Reporting back from each of the breakout groups by group leaders (short <15 minute powerpoint talks) together with questions/answers from the whole group of participants.

Discuss future plans of what work needs to be done in ENSEMBLES (action points) and possible collaborations.

Any other business.


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For more information, please contact:

David Stephenson, University of Reading, United Kingdom
Martin Beniston, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Markus Stoffel, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Chris Ferro, University of Reading, United Kingdom


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Riederalp: A car-free resort in the UNESCO World Heritage "Aletsch Glacier" Region

Riederalp is a small summer and winter village in the region of the largest glacier of the European Alps, the Aletsch Glacier. It lies on a south-facing slope with spectacular views to the high summits of the Valais Alps on the other side of the Rhone Valley. It is one of about 14 Swiss resorts that are free of all road traffic.

The village is located at 1,900 altitude, and end March should still be good for skiing (despite global warming!), with ski pistes going above 2,500 m. You can check out the webcams (click on "Moosfluh" for views of the Aletsch Glacier, on "Talstation" for views of the village) for views, snow and weather.


How to reach Riederalp

If you are coming by plane, the best gateway is Geneva Airport, from where you take a direct train to Brig. From Brig, you connect to the Furka-Oberalp mountain railway for a 10-minute ride to Mörel, where you then change to the cable-car that will take you up to Riederalp. Alternatively, you can also come via the new airport in Milan-Malpensa and then take the train through the Simplon Tunnel to Brig (or rent a car at Malpensa Airport and drive across the Simplon Pass that is normally kept open all year).

Train timetables from Geneva, Milan or elsewhere are accessible via the Swiss Federal Railways homepage.

If you are coming by car, drive to Brig and then on to Mörel, where there is a large car-park at the base station of the Riederalp cable-car.


The Venue

The hotel were the meeting will be held is the Wellness Resort Art Furrer in Riederalp. 


Conference Fees

Each participant will be charge a lump sum of CHF 900.-. This will cover the following:

1) 3 nights' hotel accommodation
2) 3 evening meals (including the Conference Dinner)
3) Coffee breaks
4) Registration fees



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