As Northern Hemisphere fall rolls in, SZ4D is gearing up again for another busy year. September brings new classes, new energy and the fall leadership meeting. Over September 20-22, the Steering Committee, Operations Planning Committee and Collective Impact Committee will meet together in-person in Santa Cruz to map out the next stage of SZ4D. On the agenda is clarifying the domestic instrumentation and activity needs as well as planning a Geohazards Center proposal to enable the system-wide, integrative science required by the SZ4D Implementation Plan. The meeting will also be discussing data management needs and the efforts of the instrumentation arrays to finish the development phase and move into the engineering design phase of the project. 

Fall brings new members to the SZ4D committees. In the spring, we had an open volunteer call. The Committee on Committees has worked over the summer to match as many of these volunteers as possible with SZ4D committees with careful consideration to balancing diversity in all its forms. The new committee members will begin their terms on October 1. Thank you everyone for your incredible energy in volunteering. If you were not placed on a committee this year, please do not worry. SZ4D is a long-term effort that will certainly need your efforts in the future. It is important to stagger committee member terms and so many excellent volunteers were preserved so that reinforcements are available in upcoming years. 

In the next few months, we will be launching SZNet, which is the international component of SZ4D that is funded under the NSF AccelNet program. Overall, the mission of SZNet is: 1. to compare observations of subduction zones around the globe with a common dataset and understanding, 2. to cooperate to consistently instrument critical subduction zones that can provide key and transferrable insights, and  3. to develop and nurture an international and diverse cadre of early career scientists that is equipped to make the necessary breakthroughs. The AccelNet program supports networks of scientific networks. In our case, SZNet has two, overlapping network sets to coordinate: (1) a Chile-focussed collaborative network that aims to coordinate AndesNet, SZ4D and other international partners with an interest in studying the Chilean subduction zone and (2) a largely virtual, larger collaborative network of international entities that have instrumentation or scientific interests in subduction zones to enable technical, data and knowledge exchange. The coordination will be achieved through workshops, field schools, pilot projects and student exchange programs. Please keep an eye on upcoming e-newsletters for open calls to participate in each of these activities. 

September and October also start our preparations for AGU. SZ4D will be hosting a town hall meeting as well as mini-workshops the Sunday before the meeting (see below). The SZ4D meeting room can also be reserved through program manager Anaïs Férot if you need a space to coordinate a meeting for SZ4D-related activities.

See you all then!

Emily