NSF Launches Outreach Effort to Help Shape the USAP Sexual Assault/Harassment Prevention and Response Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has established Agency-wide policies and requirements to help ensure research environments are free from sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other forms of harassment. At the same time, NSF realizes that the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) is a unique research environment, with participants from a wide variety of institutions and backgrounds. With the recognition that more work is needed to develop a robust Sexual Assault/Harassment Prevention and Response (SAHPR) program to support the entire deployed community, regardless of affiliation, NSF is launching an extensive outreach effort consisting of an online survey and a series of focus groups to gather feedback that will guide efforts going forward.

“USAP participants were clear in their calls for NSF to do more, and so it is vital that we hear from them directly on the tools and resources that would be most impactful,” said Stephanie Short, who manages Antarctic operations for NSF’s Office of Polar Programs (OPP). The survey and focus groups are voluntary; participants are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences.

NSF is partnering with the Department of the Interior’s Federal Consulting Group (FCG) and their contracted team of experts at LDSS Corporation, Alteristic, Inc., and the Victim Rights Law Center (VRLC). LDSS will soon send an online survey to the email address OPP has on file for current USAP participants, as well as those who have deployed with the program within the last three years. Additionally, some individuals will also be invited to participate in targeted focus groups. All email communications will be sent from survey@ldsscorp.com.

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Terri Edillon
Communications Specialist
NSF Office of Polar Programs
www.nsf.gov | www.usap.gov
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