In case you missed it — here's a recap of news from the Unidata Program Center for the month of September, 2014.
Rich Signell Receives 2014 DeSouza Award
![DeSouza Award](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/img/v3/logos/unidata_community-75x75.png)
Richard Signell of the United States Geological Survey has been awarded the 2014 Russell L. DeSouza Award by the Unidata Users Committee. The DeSouza Award honors “individuals whose energy, expertise, and active involvement enable the Unidata Program to better serve the geosciences.”
HIWPP Aims to Improve High Impact Weather Forecasts
![HIWPP](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/blog_content/images/2014/20140904_HIWPP_logo.jpg)
The High Impact Weather Prediction Project (HIWPP) is a collaboration between a dozen or more organizations led by the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) and the OAR/Office of Weather and Air Quality. Funded as part of the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations, the project aims to improve near term (from “now” to several weeks or months in the future) prediction of dangerous weather events including hurricanes, floods, and blizzards.
LDM 6.12.6 Released
![LDM](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/img/v3/logos/ldm-75x75.png)
Version 6.12.6 of the LDM has been released.
NetCDF-Java library and TDS version 4.5.3
![NetCDF Java](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/img/v3/logos/netcdfjava-75x75.png)
The NetCDF-Java/Common Data Model (CDM) library and THREDDS Data Server (TDS) version 4.5.3 were released on September 12, 2014. The development team recommends this upgrade for anyone using the CDM or TDS.
Register Now for 2014 Software Training Workshop
![Training](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/blog_content/images/2014/20140916_workshop.jpg)
Registration for Unidata's upcoming 2014 Software Training Workshop has been extended until October 10, 2014. The workshop features Unidata's display and analysis packages GEMPAK (with an introduction to AWIPS-II) and the IDV, as well as data access and management tools including the Local Data Manager (LDM) and the THREDDS Data Server (TDS). This year's workshop will also include a session on using the Python programming language with Unidata technologies.
A Multi-platform Observing System in the Balearic Islands
![SOCIB](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/blog_content/images/2014/20140923_6_tortuga.png)
The Balearic Islands Coastal Ocean Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB), is a multi-platform Marine Research Infrastructure located in the Mediterranean Sea. A joint initiative between the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación) and the Balearic Islands Government (Govern de les Illes Balears), SOCIB provides free, open and quality-controlled data from nearshore to the open sea.
On the Developer's Blog
Unidata Program Center developers write regularly on technical topics on the Unidata Developer's Blog. Numerous recent articles by John Caron have dealt with converting GRIB files to netCDF-4 format — interesting stuff!
Governing Committee News
Unidata's Users Committee met September 15-16, 2014, in Boulder, Colorado. The meeting summary will be available here in the near future.
Unidata's Strategic Advisory Committee (formerly the Policy Committee) meets October 8-9, 2014 in Boulder, Colorado. The meeting agenda is available here.