Highlights for February 2, 2001
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• Cooperative Training Effort Integrated Across Divisions/Disciplines: Susan Stitt, Center for Biological Informatics, will assist the Geographic Information Program Office as one of two trainers providing an Introduction to ArcInfo 8 class in Helena, MT. This weeklong class is being held Feb 5 - 9, 2001 and will consist of 14 people, all Water District staff. (Susan Stitt, Denver, 303-202-4234)

• U.S. Prepares for Convention on Biological Diversity: Dr. Michael Ruggiero, Center for Biological Informatics, will meet with representatives from the State Department, other agencies, and non-government organizations on February 5 and 6 to prepare for U.S. representation and input at the March 12-16 meeting in Montreal of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technological and Technical Advice (CBD/SBSTTA 6). The Convention on Biological Diversity is the major framework Convention for conservation, use, and sharing benefits of biological diversity. SBSTTA is the principal scientific body that advises the Conference of the Parties, the decision making body for the Convention. 179 countries have ratified the CBD. Major topics will include invasive species and scientific assessments. For more information, see http://www.biodiv.org/. (Mike Ruggiero, Smithsonian/Washington, 202-208-3799)

• USGS Scientist to Conduct Graduate Seminar in Remote Sensing and GIS: At the invitation of Colorado State University (CSU), Karl Brown, Geospatial Technologies Specialist with the Center for Biological Informatics (CBI) will speak on current user developments and the effects of reduction of selective availability in GPS for Natural Resource Professionals on January 29, 2001. Selective availability previously limited civilian receivers to 100 meters of accuracy, but they now enjoy better than 20 meters, a 5-fold increase. This is not universal in all field conditions, and natural resource users still need to consider tree cover and topography when selecting equipment, as the civilian signal does not perform as well in those more limiting signal environments. Forty undergraduate and 20 graduate students in CSU’s Geospatial Sciences Program will attend the seminar. (Karl Brown, Denver, 303-202-4240)

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives: No report.

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.