Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Scientific and professional supplements on human health in polar regions-the International Journal of Circumpolar Health  (Science based publications on polar human health)

Outline
The emphasis of the proposed activity are on dissemination of scientific and professional information, promoting communication, outreach, knowledge translation and education within circumpolar health. For this purpose the journal will produce a separate series of Circumpolar Health Supplements to serve as a forum of topics of general interest and related to the IPY themes. The target groups of the supplements are the scientists of the circumpolar health society, health care practitioners, professionals as well as vocational and higher education. The aim is to publish 8-10 supplements within the framework of the IPY in scientific and economical collaboration with researchers and different funding sources from Arctic countries and Antarctic health officers. The publishing association of the journal will promote the arrangements of expert meetings from which the material to the supplements will be produced. The key topics from the IPY Supplements will be collected for publishing a book about Circumpolar Health to be used as education material in universities and polytechnics and as a manual for health care professionals. Planned themes of IPY supplements: 1) Governmental and intergovernemental policies in human health, 2) human health and cold, 3) Health and Environment, 4) Health Care in Antarctica, 5) Infections, 6) Child health, wellbeing and society, 7) Wellbeing and care of elderly, 8) Sami health and wellbeing, 9) Health and Society, 10) Injuries Schedule of activities: 2005) organising international co-ordination group, planning, applications for funding, 2006) networking, applications for funding, sharing responsibilities to local organising committees, 2007) 6 scientific expert meetings, 2 IPY supplements, 2008) 3 scientific expert meetings, 6 IPY supplements, 2009) 3 IPY supplements, book on circumpolar health, presenting the results to IPY The published material represents a “snapshot" and benchmark for detecting and understanding past and present environmental and human change in the polar regions, as well as the processes that shape the resilience and sustainability of circumpolar societies. It will leave a legacy for future research on circumpolar health and for the needs for making health policies. Producing this scientific and professional material promotes international co-operation of the polar areas by bringing together experts studying human health issues. The journal will co-operate with all relevant Arctic and Antarctic actors (e.g. circumpolar organizations and associations, scientific networks, scientists, officials, local and intergovernmental health authorities and other decision-makers) to promote information exchange. The journal will through its activities support and promote education in the polar regions by being a vehicle for publishing scientific reports and for producing education material intended for vocational and higher education. The activities of the journal have been presented and accepted in a collaborative international meeting for human health activities in IPY and also at the national level in the Finnish IPY Committee.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The produced supplements and education material improves past and present understanding of the environmental and human change in the polar regions and the versatile identity of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. It leaves a legacy for future research on circumpolar health and for the needs for making health policies. The production of the scientific and professional material promotes international co-operation of the polar areas by bringing together experts currently studying human health issues. Overall, the activity will involve collaboration with all relevant Arctic and Antarctic actors.The journal will through its activities support and promote education in the polar regions by being a vehicle for publishing scientific reports and for producing education material intended for vocational and higher education.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The journal and its publishing association has a wide contact surface to all relevant circumpolar actors and promotes through its activities international collaboration in both polar regions. The collaborators include the International Union of Circumpolar Health, the Internationational Network of Circumpolar Health Research, the Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research, other circumpolar health organisations and societies, local health authorities and various governmental decision-makers.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
he project does not include field work but concentrates on the production of scientific and professional material.

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?
The project will produce a series of circumpolar health supplements showcasing the most recent research results of selected topics relevant to human health. During the project activity a book on circumpolar health for education purposes will also be produced. The project activity will promote the international collaboration of scientists and education of circumpolar health professionals.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The plan for the project is to apply for funding from different international and national funding sources. The activities of the journal have been presented and accepted in a collabo-rative international meeting for human health activities in IPY and at the national level in the Finnish IPY Committee.

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?


New inititative/component of the planned development project of the Journal.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be self-managed and co-ordinated through the journal’s international association of circumpolar health publishers (IACHP). The co-ordinating activities will largely be performed from the University of Oulu. An advisory review committee will assist in planning the IPY publications. Separate program committees will be established when preparing the expert meetings and associated supplements. The project activity will be managed through regular planning meetings. The association of publishers and the journal already possess an established management structure and wide international and national connections enabling to carry out the proposed activity.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The activity is strongly associated with dissemination of information and knowledge translation of scientific information for the use of health professionals and education. Educational material for vocational and higher education will be produced. Most of the produced material will be availabe free-of-charge at the journal’s web-pages reaching a wide circumpolar audience. The project activity and produced material support the different master or doctoral levels programs and scientific networks linked to human health in polar regions.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding for the project will be seeked from different national funding sources of Arctic countries, SCAR members, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the European Science Foundation (ESF), World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union (EU).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The project has already initiated so that for each supplement a responsible person for the planned theme has been nominated.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Research Professor Juhani Hassi
International Association of Circumpolar Health Publishers
Aapistie 1
FIN-90220
Finland

Tel: +358 8 537 6200
Mobile: +358 40 829 4285
Fax: +358 8 537 6203
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation