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Notes from the SCAR President, number 32 (22 November 2010)
Matters of Interest
Colleagues,
It is hard to believe that we are rapidly approaching the close of 2010! I am sure I am biased, but in my opinion it has been another eventful and productive year for SCAR! I was hoping that the pace of SCAR work would slow after the biennial meetings but it seems SCAR has truly become a year-round effort! We came away from our enjoyable and exciting time in Buenos Aires with quite a long "to do" list and I am pleased to report great progress has been made on many fronts. Below I provide a brief update on several important matters of interest.
SCAR Strategic Plan 2011-2016 – The next-to-final revisions have been made to the Strategic Plan and the draft text sent to a professional editor for lay-out. While a little behind schedule, we continue to make progress and will send around a near complete version of the Strategic Plan for final comment shortly. We thought it best to have the next draft in the final format so you can review the document as it will look once completed. The plan is to finish the document by year's end and begin operating under the new plan on 1 January 2011.
Business Case for an Increase in SCAR Membership Fees – a draft business case for the proposed increase in SCAR membership fees in 2012 is nearing completion. This is in response to the resolution passed by the Delegates that the Secretariat provide a sound justification for increasing SCAR membership fees. Vice President for Finances Ad Huiskes (Netherlands) will visit the SCAR Secretariat in a few weeks to produce the final version of this document for distribution by year's end. This information is being provided to support your efforts to convince funding agencies that an increase in membership fees is not only warranted, but necessary if SCAR is to maintain its current level of activities.
SCAR History Book Review – An Action Group has been assembled and all Chapters of the SCAR history book "Science in the Snow" are now being reviewed for accuracy and completeness. This review should be complete by the end of the year. Michael Sparrow, SCAR Executive Director, is ably leading this review.
The Human Element – Terms of Reference are agreed and membership is being finalized for an Action Group to consider the various aspects of a new dimension for the SCAR portfolio that addresses the human element of Antarctic research and science. The group will consider the overall question of incorporation of humanities and social sciences within the SCAR portfolio of activities, taking into account limited resources and the need to first support the core activities of SCAR. Experts within and external to SCAR will be engaged to consider if SCAR should pursue this new direction and if the answer is yes, provide recommendations on how best to proceed. Former Vice President Toni Meloni (Italy) has agreed to Chair this AG.
2012 SCAR Biennial Meetings - preliminary planning is well under way for the SCAR meetings in Portland, Oregon, USA in 2012. The local organizing committee and the SCAR Secretariat are working to accelerate the timing of the planning process. A dedicated group led by Alan Cooper is proposing an ambitious cultural program that will add a new aspect to SCAR meetings and increase engagement of the local community. A theme will be announced soon and the International Scientific Organizing Committee will be assembled soon after the first of the year. The Secretariat is moving forward with plans to internally manage assembly of the Open Science Conference science program.
Partnerships – Available SCAR Executive Committee members will jointly meet with the International Arctic Scientific Committee (IASC) in Potsdam in January 2011 at the IASC workshop and discuss various aspects of the IPY legacies. Related to IASC, the BiPolar Action Group Terms of Reference have been agreed and a membership is being invited to join (this group will assess and identify opportunities for bipolar science activities). The Secretariat met with the Association of Early Career Scientists (APECS) leadership and enhancements of joint projects in a number of areas are being pursued. I am pleased to report that the invitation by New Zealand to host the ICSU General Assembly in 2014 has been accepted and will be coordinated with SCAR's meetings in Christchurch in 2014. Mike Sparrow continues to represent SCAR on the 2012 IPY Montreal Conference Steering Committee and planning is continuing at a brisk pace.
I am sure there are many more items I could report on but will stop here. As always please let me know if you have any questions, ideas, or concerns. Before going to Germany for the IASC meetings, my wife and I will visit the Indian National Antarctic program in Goa and meet with India's Minister of Earth Sciences in Delhi. I am trying to visit as many SCAR countries a possible during my tenure as President and hope to be in your country soon!
Chuck K.
President of SCAR
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