Call for Nominations for U.S. Team to Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The NRC Polar Research Board serves as the U.S. National Committee to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR http://www.scar.org/), an international body charged with initiating, developing and coordinating Antarctic and Southern Ocean research, as well as providing independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. In this role, we identify and nominate the lead and alternate U.S. delegates to SCAR, and members of the three SCAR Standing Scientific Groups (SSGs --Life Sciences, Geosciences, Physical Sciences).

Several of the current SSG members will be completing their terms at the end of this year, and so we are seeking nominations to fill these roles. Delegates participate in the international SCAR business meetings that occur every two years, and in between meetings they help keep the US research community connected to broader international-level research planning efforts. The delegation plays a critical role in representing, encouraging, and expanding participation of the US science community in SCAR programs and activities. The term of office is 6 years, to allow participation in three SCAR meetings. Following our standard procedures, nominations are vetted by PRB members and undergo final review and approval by the National Academies leadership. We welcome your ideas for nominees to the three SSG groups. Below is our current list of delegation members, indicating who will be rotating off this year. We seek delegation members who are respected scientists with extensive Antarctic research experience and experience participating in and planning international programs. Candidates can be from any relevant discipline, but should be broad, multi-disciplinary thinkers and have a willingness to put time and energy into SCAR. We attempt to select a blend of younger and more senior scientists. Self-nominations are welcome as well. Suggestions are requested by April 6 to Laurie Geller (lgeller@nas.edu). Please include the candidate’s name, affiliation, area of expertise, and a few notes why the nominees is appropriate.

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Current U.S. Representation to SCAR [Those in red (and marked with an asterisk) will rotate off in 1/2016. In blue we indicate each person’s general areas of expertise].

U.S. DELEGATE

• Terry Wilson, Ohio State University, Department of Geological Sciences [antarctic geology/tectonics]

Life Sciences SSG

• Alison Murray, Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute [molecular microbial ecology and diversity]
• Deneb Karentz [and Alternate U.S. Delegate], Departments of Biology and Environmental Science, University of San Francisco [ecological implications of stratospheric ozone depletion. Antarctic marine biology
• *Marc Shepanek NASA Deputy Chief of Medicine of Extreme Environments [aerospace medicine. polar analogs for space flight environment]
• *Diana Wall, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University[soil biodiversity; Antarctic Dry Valleys ecosystem processes]

GeoSciences SSG

• Berry Lyons Byrd Polar Research Laboratory, The Ohio State University [geochemical tracer techniques for lake sediments, soil profiles, and ice cores]
• *Philip Bart, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University [sedimentology; marine geology]
• *Brenda Hall, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine [glacial geology and geomorphology, geochemistry]
• *Douglas Wiens, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University[seismology, antarctic/marine geophysics]

Physical Sciences SSG

• Allan Weatherwax, Siena College, Department of Physics[space plasmas and aurora, impacts of space weather events on technological systems]
• *Terry Deshler, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Wyoming [in situ measurements of tropospheric/stratospheric aerosol]
• *Joseph McConnell, Director, Ultra-Trace Chemistry Laboratory, Desert Research Institute [snow hydrology, ice core and atmospheric chemistry]