Office of Polar Programs Office of Polar Programs Plans for the International Plans for the International Polar Year Proposal Polar Year Proposal SolicitationSolicitation

Marie BundyMarie Bundy

Associate Biology Program Associate Biology Program ManagerManager

Office of Polar ProgramsOffice of Polar Programs

NSF and OPP IPY NSF and OPP IPY activitiesactivities

Planning is currently underway for an NSF solicitation for participation in the International Polar Year

Anticipated release date- Aug. 2005 Anticipated target date- November

2005

Planned Scope of NSF Planned Scope of NSF Solicitation Solicitation

Three Science Themes:

1. Development of an integrated polar observing system in concert with the ongoing Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH)

2. Adaptations to life in extreme cold and prolonged darkness, with emphasis on ecological and genomic processes that occur during the polar night

3. Studies of the stability and dynamics of polar ice sheets

Planned Scope of NSF Solicitation

Two Cross-cutting areas Education and Outreach must be

integral part of research proposals. Stand-alone proposals for E&O (e.g., for TEA-like programs) will also be considered

Data management providing open data dissemination is critical.

Topics still under Topics still under discussion:discussion: How to handle data management?

• Encourage proposals to create central data portal for U.S. IPY activities? “Virtual Observatory” concept.

Language in solicitation to involve other directorates (and agencies)

• Descriptions and links to other directorate IPY interests in OPP Solicitation + “Dear Colleague Letter”?

• Joint solicitation with other directorates?

Topics still under discussion:Topics still under discussion:

Characteristics of IPY projects from ICSU/WMO criteria as additional review criteria.

For example…

Language from 2005 Language from 2005 Antarctic Antarctic announcement:announcement:

For proposals being submitted as contributions to IPY, a statement articulating the relevance to IPY and addressing the IPY goals as expressed by U.S. National Academy of Sciences (U.S. NAS) and the International Council of Scientists (ICSU) should be included in the proposal description. For U.S. NAS IPY information, see http://dels.nas.edu/us-ipy/. For ICSU IPY information, see http:// www.ipy.org or http://www.ipy.org/concept/index.html .

Some of the ICSU criteria Some of the ICSU criteria used for EoI:used for EoI:

1.  Makes significant advances within one or more IPY 2007-2008 themes

2. Involves at least one polar region and takes place within the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe

3. Contributes to international collaboration 7. Signs up to the principles and aims of IPY

2007-2008 data management and proposes a viable data management plan

8. Proposes a viable plan or approach for education, outreach and communication activities

9. Shows how it will foster the next generation of polar researchers