The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) was established in 2006 as a continental-scale observatory designed to collect high-quality, standardized data from field sites across the United States. From the onset of the project, engagement with a variety of stakeholders was seen as crucial to the project’s success. We distributed a survey in 2018, as a follow-up to one conducted in 2009, to examine changes in awareness, knowledge, interest and perceptions of the project as it transitions from construction into operations. We used several approaches for reaching our existing and potential user community, including two emails sent to ESA members, personal communications to targeted groups to ensure a diversity of responses (e.g., minority serving institutions, community colleges, natural resource managers), targeted social media campaigns, and partner organization newsletter requests.
Results/Conclusions
Respondents (N=929) shared similar demographics to 2009, with a majority being white (90%) and affiliated with research universities (86%). Those showing little to no interest in the project (23%) provided reasons for their lack of interest: project not relevant to research (52%), nearing retirement (19%), and project not useful (19%). There was an increase in those disagreeing that the project is cost effective and a good use of funds (4% in 2009 to 10% in 2018) with many citing that the funds would be best used for more valuable projects in the ecological sciences. Thirty-eight percent of respondents marked “don’t know” to statements regarding quality and usability of NEON data, indicating that many had not tried accessing NEON data in the past. A higher percentage of respondents felt that NEON data are of high quality (55%) than felt the data are easy to discover and download (34%). Although most respondents were aware of the types of data NEON is collecting, only 69% were aware that NEON data are freely available. The project plans to take these findings to inform strategic engagement of the project moving forward under direction of its new Chief Scientist.