OMEX II-II 1997-2000 : Project Description

Work Package V

Project Management and Coordination

A large multidisciplinary project such as OMEX II-II requires an efficient project management and coordination so that its integration can be maximised. The main objectives of Work Package V (WP V) include three components:
 

1) Data collection and management.

The Data Management constitutes a very important central part of a large programme such as OMEX.

Its main goal is to provide a harmonised management of the field data collected within OMEX II-II, both for the benefit of the Project's scientists and to ensure that OMEX II-II leaves a legacy of safely archived, fully documented data for comparative studies in years to come.

The Project Data Centre provides scientists with a single point of contact, both for delivering their own data and for accessing other data collected within the project. Likewise, it provides a clear focus for the interchange of OMEX II-II data with other projects.

In facilitating the inter-exchange of data within the Project, the database serves to encourage closer collaboration among the contributing scientists. The regular exercising of the Project's database by scientist users serves also to provide an additional level of quality assurance.

The Data Management Centre activities will need to continue for a short period beyond the main three year period of OMEX II-II in order to ensure that all the project's data are published, including data submitted by scientists towards the end of the project.
 

2) Scientific coordination.

The scientific coordination of a multidisciplinary project subdivided into Work Packages with different aims, but with common final objectives, is extremely crucial. The structure of OMEX II-II has been organised in terms of interdisciplinary Work Package groups. Within this framework, WP IV acts as an integrating tool mainly via modelling, necessary to synthesise the measurements and observations of individual partners. In addition to this horizontal structure, coordination is also required vertically within the various disciplines. The general coordination of OMEX II-II thus is performed by a Scientific Steering Committee which is composed of the leaders of each Work Package groups. Moreover, the Coordination Office has the responsibility to organise the general project planning, the coordination between the leaders of various Work Packages and even between individual scientists on specific topics and finally to ensure the secretariat of OMEX.

In addition to the preparation and running of regular Scientific Steering Committee meetings, the OMEX Coordination Office is responsible for the organisation of the annual OMEX workshops, subgroup or more restricted meeting on specific topics to stimulate knowledge exchange. It also has an important role to play in the organisation of the numerous cruises planned during OMEX II-II, especially to ensure that all the requested fundamental parameters and measurements are performed. Finally, the OMEX Coordination Office is also responsible for relevant national and international contacts.
 

3) Administrative coordination.

The administrative bureau at the Institution of the Coordination Office has in charge the negotiation and contract assertion with all the associated partners, as well as the financial management aspects including the collection, justification and transmission of the documents from all partners.

 

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