SCAR XXXIV WP09a: SRP (Scientific Research Programme) Review Process Popular

SCAR XXXIV WP09a: SRP (Scientific Research Programme) Review Process

Executive Summary:

Authors: J. Baeseman, Delegates

Important Issues or Factors: As agreed by the Delegates in 2004, all of SCAR's Scientific Research Programmes (SRPs) are to be reviewed internally every two years and externally every four years in order to ensure that SCAR is obtaining good value for its investment and that results are emerging at an appropriate rate. The SRP Astronomy and Astrophysics from Antarctica (AAA) was externally reviewed in 2014. The following are due for review in 2016:

• Antarctic Climate Change in the 21^st Century (AntClim21)
• Antarctic Thresholds - Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation (AnT-ERA)
• Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics (PAIS)
• Solid Earth Responses and influences on Cryospheric Evolution (SERCE)
• State of the Antarctic Ecosystem (AntEco)

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Reviews for each of the 5 SRPs have been made available to the Delegates. Delegates were asked to provide their ranking (A, B, C, or D) to the SCAR Secretariat by 1 August. These scores will be talleyed and discussed at the meeting to determine if SRPs are to continue, etc.

Budget Implications: SRPs are funded at ~$20,000 / year. Continued support of these 5 SRPs will be reflected accordingly in the budget.