UAH has initiated a number of research collaborations with the NOAA-supported Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites (CICS), which open research and funding opportunities for researchers in UAH's Earth System Science Center. CICS connects researchers at more than 20 affiliated institutions with NOAA and two of its centers, the National Center for Weather and Climate Prediction, and the National Climatic Data Center. NOAA expects to spend $93 million over the next five years to support existing CICS research programs. ESSC director John Christy said the cooperative institute is a vehicle designed to make it easier for federal agencies to work with university researchers.