In this guide
Working with PGC
Last Updated: December 7, 2021
Getting started with the PGC and the support workflow.
Initial Contact
PGC’s primary Point of Contact and User Services Lead, Mike Cloutier, will assist with initial inquiries and new Users.
Newly-funded or first time Users will contact PGC User Services (see “Contact Us!” below) to initiate communication and discuss requests. Users can expect a response within one week from the initial request for assistance.
Support Information Package (SIP) requests for Principal Investigators for the U.S. Antarctic Program are received by PGC in May-June every year. Correspondence will occur at that time.
Email communication will follow and will outline the assigned Point of Contact at PGC for the User. The Point of Contact is assigned based on the type of request (e.g. analysis, imagery delivery, maps, etc.).
All further correspondence will be between the assigned PGC Point of Contact and the User.
The following documentation will accompany initial emails:
Required Information
PGC expects to receive the following information from Users when communication begins:
- First and last name
- U.S. federally funded program award number (e.g. NSF, NASA, US FWS, NOAA)
- Position/Title
- Affiliation
- Primary email
- Address (office preferred)
Other required information will be dependent on services requested.
Support Process and Timeline
PGC handles requests from hundreds of researchers and polar operations personnel throughout the year.
Please be aware of your request requirements and allow ample time for PGC to accommodate them. Typically, we require notice several weeks to months in advance.
Every project is different: simple map requests can be completed in relatively short periods of time, but others, for example DEM creation of a glacier system, could require acquisition of data, dedicated and compute-intensive processing time, and QA/QC. Sometimes these requests can take months.
PGC Points of Contact will keep the User updated on progress and informed of timelines for delivery, but it is up to you to give enough advance warning.
Deliveries
The delivery method for requested products depends on file size and User preference.
PGC’s suggested method for files under 5 GB is via FTP. Small requests may be emailed or transferred through a file sharing and storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. HTTP transfer is another online option.
Larger data requests may require Users to purchase and ship a hard drive to PGC.
Related Guide: PGC USER ACCOUNT
Related Guide: Imagery Delivery
Contact Us!
We suggest you familiarize yourself with all of PGC’s data and services before initiating contact with us. Continue through the User Services guide for more information.
But, if you’re ready to get in contact with the PGC User Services team you can request support through our web form or by emailing us at pgc@umn.edu.
Summary
In this Guide, we’ve covered:
- Initial contact with PGC User Services
- Information required from Users
- Requested lead time for requests
- Data deliveries via FTP or other methods
- How to contact User Services