US-SCAR News

Dr. Thomas Wilch has been appointed as Program Director for Antarctic Earth Sciences (AES) as a participant in the Intergovernmental Personnel Act Program (IPA). He will be replacing Dr. Mark Kurz, who has managed the AES program since April 2013 and whose appointment ends on September 30, 2015. Continue Reading

NSF’s Division of Polar Programs is seeking an Antarctic Integrated System Science Program Director. The successful candidate will have experience with interdisciplinary science, including managing the challenges presented by such projects. The current AISS portfolio includes projects involving glaciology, geology, biology, atmospheric and ocean sciences and also management of the awards for two Antarctic Long Term Ecological Research Sites. Applications must be received by June 23, 2015. Continue Reading

There are just two weeks remaining to the deadline for applications for the 2015 SCAR and COMNAP Fellowship Schemes. SCAR and COMNAP fellowships are worth up to US$15,000 each and up to six fellowships in total are on offer for 2015. The fellowships enable early career researchers to join a project team from another country, opening up new opportunities and often creating research partnerships that last many years and over many Antarctic research seasons. The deadline for applications is 3 June 2015. Continue Reading

Ms. Susanne LaFratta has been appointed as Section Head for Polar Environment, Safety & Health. Ms. LaFratta has been with Polar Programs since January 2003, first as the Deputy for what was then known as the Polar Research Support Section and more recently as Senior Advisor. Ms. LaFratta replaces Mr. Arthur Brown who was Acting Section Head following Dr. Montopoli's departure in 2013. Continue Reading

In preparation for the next SCAR Strategic Plan (2017+), SCAR is undertaking a structural review. As part of this process, we would like you to give your opinion in a short questionnaire. Note that you only need answer those questions you feel are relevant to you and your organisation. Your feedback by Wednesday 8th April is much appreciated! Continue Reading

Upon receipt of several requests, and considering that several scientists have not yet returned from Antarctica, the final date for submission of abstracts for XII ISAES 2015 (the 12th SCAR International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences) is extended to 15 April 2015. This is the last and final extension. Please utilize this extension to submit your abstracts Continue Reading

We would like to invite you to the 6th International Conference on Polar & Alpine Microbiology. The conference will be held between 6-10 September 2015 in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. The deadline for abstract submission and early registration is 1 May 2015. Continue Reading

In preparation for the next SCAR Strategic Plan (2017+), SCAR is undertaking a structural review. As part of this process, we would like you to give your opinion in a short questionnaire. Note that you only need answer those questions you feel are relevant to you and your organization. Your feedback by Wednesday 8th April is much appreciated! Continue Reading

The NRC Polar Research Board serves as the U.S. National Committee to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 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. Suggestions are requested by April 6. Continue Reading

The NSF Geo-PLR Section for Antarctic Sciences is providing funds to support participation of U.S. scientists in the 12th International Antarctic Earth Science Symposium. Funds are intended primarily to support early-career researchers, graduate students and individuals who would increase the diversity of the Antarctic earth science community. Submit the completed application form together with your submitted ISAES abstract by March 31st, 2015. Continue Reading

A training school focused on glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) modeling will be held from 13-19 September, 2015, at the Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie, Ohio. The school is aimed at early-stage researchers from a wide range of backgrounds, and no previous experience in GIA modeling is required. There is no registration fee, and participants will be provided with food and lodging for the duration of the training school. Funding for additional travel expenses, including airfare, may be available for both US and non-US participants. The deadline for application is 31 March, 2015. Continue Reading

The full website has been launched for the SCAR International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences (XII ISAES 2015), which is being held in Goa, India, from 13-17 July 2015. Abstract submission is now open on the website, with a submission deadline of April 15th 2015. Continue Reading

Please join other U.S.-based scientists at the Fall AGU meeting for coffee and discussion about future trends and new possibilities in geologic drilling in the Antarctic. This discussion group follows the Antarctic Geologic Drilling Workshop that took place in Houston during November, 2013. Date: Thursday, December 18th, 2014, 8:00-9:30 am Location: Powell Hotel (California Room), 28 Cyril Magnin St., San Francisco Continue Reading

The National Research Council (NRC) Committee to Advise NSF Science Priorities for Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research is seeking your input on "Future Science Opportunities in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean", as well as other relevant efforts such as the SCAR Horizon Scan. As input for this study, the committee is drawing widely on the expertise and experience of people across the Antarctic and Southern Ocean science communities. The committee has set up an online "Virtual Town Hall" where you are invited to submit your ideas in writing. This NRC study presents an important opportunity to help shape the future of Antarctic and Southern Ocean research, and we do hope you will submit your comments and ideas. The "Virtual Town Hall" will remain open for just a few more days, until November 20, 2014. Continue Reading

During the SCAR Delegates’ Meeting held in New Zealand this September 2014, two new countries joined SCAR: the Czech Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran, bringing the total number of countries in the SCAR family to 39. Two new Vice Presidents were also elected – Azizan Abu Samah (Malaysia) and Terry Wilson (USA). Continue Reading

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) are pleased to announce this year’s Fellowship awardees. The Fellowships for early career researchers are worth up to US$ 15,000 each and, this year, 25 applications were received with six Fellowships (four SCAR and two COMNAP) being awarded. The SCAR Fellowships are awarded to: Jaimie Cleeland (Australia), Camila Negrão Signori (Brazil), Fiona Shanhun (New Zealand) and Manoj M.C. (India). The COMNAP Fellowships are awarded to: Sandra Potter (Australia) and Keith Soal (South Africa). Continue Reading

Dr. Eric Saltzman has been appointed to the position of Section Head, Arctic Sciences (ARC) in the Division of Polar Programs, Geosciences Directorate. He will begin his service at NSF on September 15, 2014. Dr. Saltzman will be joining NSF from University of California, Irvine where he holds join appointments as Professor in Departments of Earth System Science and Chemistry. Continue Reading

For the past several months, the NSF GEO Advisory Committee has been working with GEO staff on an update to its 2009 report, GEO Vision. This draft report, Dynamic Earth: GEO Priorities and Frontiers 2015-2020, takes a different perspective than the last report. In the current climate of limited resources, this document seeks to set actionable goals and objectives for the next five years. It is not meant to be a comprehensive document of all GEO programs but rather a near-term plan of GEO-wide priorities. Feedback and comments on the document are requested. The deadline for feedback/comments is Friday, September 12th. Continue Reading

Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) is an National Science Foundation (NSF) program that supports international activities across all NSF-supported disciplines. The primary goal of PIRE is to support high quality projects in which advances in research and education could not occur without international collaboration. PIRE seeks to catalyze a higher level of international engagement in the U.S. science and engineering community. The Division of Polar Programs (PLR), Geosciences Directorate, strongly encourages international collaborations as international partnerships are particularly important for addressing critical science and engineering problems in the polar regions. Accordingly, the polar community should be well poised to submit proposals to the current PIRE competition. The deadline for preliminary proposals is 21 October 2014. Full proposals are due on 15 May 2015. Continue Reading

The official outcomes of the 1st SCAR Antarctic and Southern Ocean Science Horizon Scan were published online today as a COMMENT in Nature entitled “Six priorities for Antarctic science”. In April 2014, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) convened 75 scientists and policy-makers from 22 countries to agree on the priorities for Antarctic research for the next two decades and beyond. This is the first time the international Antarctic community has formulated a collective vision through discussions, debate and voting. The Horizon Scan narrowed a list of hundreds of scientific questions to the 80 most pressing ones. Continue Reading