Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

IPY Histories: International Polar Year Activities Past and Present, Museum and Virtual Exhibitions  (IPY Histories)

Outline
The International Polar Year 2007-2009 is not just about research. Of great importance is also the public engagement with polar science and the involvement of local groups and of ethnic minorities. The IPY should be a time for everyone to learn and reflect on regions of our world which few have visited but which are essential to the future well-being of all of us. This international outreach project is dedicated to contribute to make the polar regions in general, and the IPY in particular, present in the minds of people. The point of departure in our effort is the awareness of previous international polar years and their legacy. By bringing the rich, complex, successful, yet also problematic, history of the previous IPYs to the fore in physical and virtual exhibitions we want to follow and reflect on its coming development in interaction with the widest possible audience. We aim to do this through a series of exhibits in major centres or institutions of key IPY countries. To present IPY 2007-09 in its historical context will be an intellectually rewarding way to make its research available and open for discussion by many. History of science has proved itself to be one particularly fruitful way to open such two-way communication with a broader audience. The cooperating countries all hold rich visual and physical collections of previous IPYs, including materials demonstrating the development of the Western exchange with the indigenous peoples of the north. A selection of these materials will be used in exhibitions at museums or other suitable institutions in each country. Along with the physical exhibitions there will be a virtual presentation linking all local/national exhibits into one website. This site will contain background texts, historical analysis, and in particular feature materials that cannot easily be displayed for reasons of space or security. The web site will make it possible for users to engage in issues of the IPY, and thus serve as a pedagogical tool for use in classrooms, as well as by individuals. Throughout the coming IPY there will be presentations of ongoing IPY activities and research, including links to web cameras showing images from participating field stations, research groups, and indigenous communities. We will aim to make it possible to interact with scientists and local populations in the field. For further information, in particular of the respective national contributions, see the web site of this IPY proposal: http://www.spkp.se/IPY/IPYOU01.htm

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will significantly strengthen the human dimension and outreach of IPY 2007-08. It will make the four IPY’s, historical and actual, accessible to the public for the first time in a concerted effort in significant polar nations. There will be links to on-going research (especially EoI 686) to make sure that both the web-based and the printed materials in the exhibitions reflect state of the art research. In that sense, new results both from science and from the social sciences and the humanities, will contribute to making this an exciting and important enterprise within the IPY.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
At present six countries are involved: Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, UK; Arctic Centre, Finland; Danish Polar Centre; Arctic Centre, University of Groningen, Netherlands; Canadian participants initially through the Canadian IPY Committee; Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the National Museum of Natural History [both pending], Sweden. q2_1_Location : This outreach programme will base it self partly on archaeological and historical research made on site in the Arctic and Antarctic through contacts with the following IPY projects EoI: Polar Field Stations and IPY History # 686, Kinnvika #564, LASHIPA #636.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

This project does not intend to carry out field activities on its own

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been officially endorsed by a majority of the participating national institutions in the countries involved (Swedish institutions still pending). For further details see the country section of the website presenting this project: http://www.spkp.se/IPY/IPYOU03.htm

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

How will the project be organised and managed?
To further enforce international cooperation and interdisciplinarity this EoI has two main proponents, Julian Dowdeswell, Cambridge, and Sverker Sörlin, Stockholm. This proposal has been developed through cooperation between key staff in the respective cooperating institutions. If the project is favourably assessed by the IPY-JC the individual partners will organize a planning meeting among themselves in the fall of 2005 to plan and organize the future work. All participating countries/institutions are responsible for their respective exhibition. However, some coordination as well as IT expertise is needed to assemble inventories of historical material and prepare the design of web presentations.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This is a dedicated IPY outreach project, see § 1.3

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Scientific data presented to the public in this outreach project will be from historical and actual IPY projects and managed according to their plans. Materials gathered for the presentation of IPY legacy and history of science in this proposal will be made retrievable on the web.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The funds needed are estimated to a total of about 100 000 Euro per institution, including services provided in kind by the participants. The majority of the new funds will be needed for setting up the respective exhibits, organizing the web site, and providing the historical back-ground.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
A sample of the outreach planned as part of this EoI, all of which will also be presented in virtual versions on the www: SPRI, Cambridge: An exhibition in our Polar Museum combining the historical/heritage aspects of IPY with the modern significance of the Arctic and Antarctic to global environmental change; Arctic Centre Finland: A popular DVD telling a story of the Arctic and Antarctic research from the viewpoint of Russian and Finnish scholars; The Polar Centre and Natural History Museum, Denmark: An exhibition in The North Atlantic House on the IPY legacy and the on-going IPY.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Professor Julian Dowdeswell
Scott Polar Research Institute
University of Cambridge
Cambridge
CB2 1ER
UK

Tel: +44 1223336541
Mobile: no
Fax: +44 1223336549
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation