Volunteers needed- International environmental data rescue organization

published Feb 23, 2010 4:32pm

Nov 23, 2009 - Nov 23, 2009

We are the International Environmental Data Rescue Organization (IEDRO) an IRS certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which was recently awarded a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) Grant to travel throughout the world, mainly to developing countries and set up data rescue and digitization projects (DR&D). These DR&D projects photograph old weather observations now on deteriorating paper before they are lost forever. We then take the digital images and key the data into an open and unrestricted world data base (NOAA's National Climatic Data Center) for use of the world's scientists, researchers and educators for the benefit of all humanity.
These data help prevent starvation, the spread of disease like malaria, improve flood forecasts and hundreds of other uses.

We are supported by NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and have 11 data rescue sites scattered over the planet. We are trying to get another 9 started in the next 12 months.

We are in great need of recently retired meteorologists, hydrologists, oceanographers, climatologists, earth scientists who might be willing to be part of a two person team that visits some of these developing countries to help establish a data rescue activity. It would be great if they could also speak Spanish, French or Portuguese but it's not required. We can't afford to give a salary (IEDRO is 100% all volunteers) but we can pay for the air fare and per diem costs for the trips which generally last about 5 days.

If you are interested, please contact Richard Crouthamel (R.Crouthamel@IEDRO.ORG) or see the IEDRO website.