3rd EGEE User Forum

We have organized this book in a sequence of chapters, each chapter associated with an application or technical theme introduced by an overview of the contents, and a summary of the main conclusions coming from the Forum for the chapter topic. The first chapter gathers all the plenary session keynote addresses, and following this there is a sequence of chapters covering the application flavoured sessions. These are followed by chapters with the flavour of Computer Science and Grid Technology. The final chapter covers the important number of practical demonstrations and posters exhibited at the Forum. Much of the work presented has a direct link to specific areas of Science, and so we have created a Science Index, presented below. In addition, at the end of this book, we provide a complete list of the institutes and countries involved in the User Forum

Environmental Scanning and Business Insight Capability:_x000D_ The Role of Business Analytics and Knowledge Integration

Environmental scanning is an important process that helps organizations sense what is happening in their environments. However, environmental scanning has been found to be less effective than its proponents had hoped for. The problem appears to be that environmental scanning does not lead to the business insights that managers need to order to help their organizations survive and grow (LaValle et al., 2011). This paper reports a study into the role of data analytics and knowledge integration on environmental scanning and business insight capability. Fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted with data analytics professionals to get a deeper understanding of how what they do impacts the results of environmental scanning processes and the generation of business insights. The results indicate data analytics and knowledge integration need to play a bigger role in the environmental scanning process if greater business insights are to be generated

Energy policy in transitional economies: The case of Bulgaria

For several decades, the countries in Central and Eastern Europe pursued an energyintensive strategy of economic development based on distorted relative prices of energy. This typical feature of central planning created the illusion of a virtually unlimited supply of energy. The illusion came to an end in the 1980s, when the widening gap between energy supply and energy demand faced by the region led to a severe energy crisis. 9 Bulgaria is one of the countries most affected by the energy crisis in Central and Eastern Europe. Poorly endowed with energy resources, Bulgaria relies largely on international trade to satisfy its demand for energy. During Bulgaria's membership in the CMEA, energy-intensive growth resulted in a strong dependency on only one energy exporter, the former Soviet Union. With the CMEA's dissolution, Bulgaria was left to design and implement a new energy policy as a part of its own efforts to transform its economy into a market economy. • In spite of the far-reaching liberalization of prices experienced by Bulgaria in 1991, economic transition has been rather slow and energy reform has been neglected. Domestic energy prices have remained under government control, and energy prices have been falling in real terms due to the high overall inflation. Domestically produced primary energy is not priced at international levels, and consumer prices for final energy do not reflect domestic production costs. Moreover, current energy pricing favours small-scale users (households) and discriminates against large-scale users (industry). The continuing high level of energy consumption and the prevailing fuel mix (oil products and lignite) have a particularly adverse effect on the environment in terms of SO2 and CO2 emissions. • In the short run, energy policy should concentrate on the liberalization of domestic energy prices. Primary energy should be priced at world market prices and final energy at marginal costs. A realistic valuation of energy products will support the structural change component of the transformation process and increase energy efficiency in Bulgaria. A policy of fuel diversification complemented by one of regional diversification of energy imports will constitute the best long-run hedge against the risk of supply disruptions. Energy utilities should be privatized, and foreign companies should be allowed to play a leading role in the modernization of the energy sector. The Bulgarian government should create optimal conditions for cooperating closely with EC member countries in the field of energy, as already delineated in the European Energy Charter and in Bulgaria's Association Treaty with the EC. As long as sophisticated emission fees can be neither implemented nor enforced, energy-related environmental pollution should be dealt with by taxing energy use at the consumer level with a simple uniform ad valorem rate applied to all fuels. --

CIRA annual report FY 2017/2018

Reporting period April 1, 2017-March 31, 2018

Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah Center for Water Resources Research, A Program Overview

Organization of Prepared Material: This overview presents the water resources research program administered through the Utah Water Research Laboratory and the Utah Center for Water Resources Reserach. The document is prepared for an internal review by a faculty team organized by the Administration of Utah State university and an external review by a team organized by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of a national effort to evaluate the water research centers in every state over a 2-year period. These materials are prepared to stimulate discussion and spark innocative ideas for building an even stronger program. The UWRL/UCWRR administration sees opportunity in this assessment, welcomes the review teams as friends, and solicits constructive input. The total UWRL/UCWRR program, not counting work in administratively separated but technically associated units, conducts water research exceeding $2.5 million annually spread over about 100 projects in 10 program areas and involving about 300 people from the Director to undergraduate students hired on an hourly basis. This short overview gives highlights. Additional information on organization and goals is found in the Draft UWRL Mission Statement, on current activies in the most recent Annual Report, and on theoretical and applied contributions in numerous publications ranging from theoretical journals to popular brochures. All are open to those interested in probing. The review and evaluation cover both UWRL and UCWRR. However, whereas the two units are operated as a whole and the smaller UCWRR program provides a more manageable focus within the space and time constraints on this review, the UCWRR projects are emphasized in the research descriptions to follow. They provide a microcosm of the total not unlike other components that could be considered. The attached supporting materials provide: 1. Summary statements on goals, organization, people, facilities, and accomplishments, organized in response to the outline provided for the U.S. Geological Survey program review and including supporting table son research budgets, funding agencies, and personnel. 2. A draft UWRL Mission Statement prepared as a research program planning document and organized to address issues raised by the USU Provost. 3. A proposal to build a center of excellence integrating expertise campus wide in expanding the water sciences as an example of a new research thrust. 4. Short reports on accomplishments by research projects since the UCWRR program came under USGS sponsorship. 5. Historical highlights. 6. Supplemental background materials: a) Annual Report 1985 of the Utah Water Research Laboratory, Center for Water Resources Research, Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering, and Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit. b) Utah State University Bulletic 1984-86 Catalog and Utah State University Bulletin 1985-1987 Graduate Catalog. c) Water Resources Research Goals and Objectives for FY 1982 (UWRL General Series UWRL/G-81/01). d) Brochures (USU In Fact 1986, 1978-85 Utah Water Research Laboratory Publications, Solving Today\u27s Water Problems Through Research and Development, Solving Problems in Water Quality, Solving Problems in Hydraulics, Fluid Mechanics and Soil Erosion