Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

The POLAR POST: An International Online Journal and Virtual Community Highlighting Research and Activities of the International Polar Year  (The POLAR POST)

Outline
The POLAR POST will serve as an online “window” into the wide range of scientific research, diverse human perspectives and wide ranging activities associated with the International Polar Year 2007-2008. Using correspondents recruited from IPY research activities as field reporters and fostering a network of educators and journalists around the world, the POLAR POST will serve as a dynamic portal designed for the science attentive public, particularly teachers and students around the world. Using techniques for reviewing scientific accuracy developed by the NASA Earth Observatory and similar efforts, and working closely with national and international organizations involved with IPY, the POLAR POST will be managed by a Publishing Team of content developers and support staff, guided by an Editorial Advisory Board. The POLAR POST will showcase the spectrum of IPY activities, insights and images, provide a human dimension to IPY, focus on global teleconnections between polar and non-polar regions, and encourage data literacy through online tutorials that will help frame IPY research and data. Journalists and teachers who have previously been to polar regions will be invited to participate. Outcomes include profiles of polar-related careers, the demonstration of international co-operation towards scientific goals, a series of “data stories” to help contextualize the scientific process, and contributing to a lasting legacy for IPY. To ensure users from around the world will easily be able to access and understand the articles and information, research-based web design and usability testing will be utilised throughout the project to insure high standards and state-of-the-art design principles. The POLAR POST may be able to build on the proposed pilot-project submitted to NSF Geoscience Education entitled POLAR (Polar Observatory, Library, And Rendezvous) which plans to prototype and test a polar-focused geospatial virtual observatory, a digital library collection of polar materials for the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), and a moderated cyber-cafe for teachers, scientists and others involved with or interested in IPY to meet. IPY has been developed “to explore new scientific frontiers, to deeper our understanding of polar processes and their global linkages, to increase our ability to detect environmental and societal changes, to more fully involve Arctic residents with research activities, to attract and develop the next generation of polar scientists, engineeers and logistics experts, and to capture the interest of schoolchildren, the public and decision-makers.” (Draft Implementation Plan, p. 2). The POLAR POST will help communicate how these goals are achieved.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Building on existing institutional capacities and talents, the POLAR POST will help to increase the impact and meet the ambitious education, outreach and communication goals set out in IPY Framework, Education and Outreach Position Paper, the Report of the Implementation Workshop, as well as implement key recommendations from the “Bridging the Poles” workshop. By providing an international communications web site that is dynamic, comprehensive, international and well-designed, the POLAR POST will promote wide exposure, a compelling human dimension, a context for the research, and lasting legacy for IPY.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The POLAR pilot project has members of the University of the Arctic, GLOBE and the EGU on its advisory board. Both NSIDC and INSTAAR have strong international partnerships, and additional international partners, including private global firms who can assist with localization, marketing and cyberinfrastructure needs, will be sought.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
This effort is by nature global in scope, balancing both poles while helping articulate linkages to regions around the world and encouraging international involvement. The management will be based in Boulder, Colorado, which, through the University of Colorado and UCAR, is a center for polar research in both polar regions.

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The primary logistical support required for this project will involve the recruitment, and training of correspondents from the major IPY research efforts and activities, and coordination and communication with them in the field. These correspondents will serve as liaisons between the research and activities and the POLAR POST editorial team.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
All materials and related metadata will be archived in digital form available through the Internet, leaving a lasting legacy for IPY. The communications network and metadata developed from this effort will be a potential model for other international science and communications efforts, including Global Observing and Early Warning communication systems.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency
Military support
Commercial operator
Own support
Other sources of support

Communication logistics will be key to the success of IPY in general and the POLAR POST in particular, and everyone will need to support the shared vision for it to be successful.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The POLAR pilot project, involving CIRES Outreach, NSIDC, INSTAAR and UCAR, is currently being reviewed by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. National Committee is aware of the proposal.

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?
Expansion

The POLAR POST will build on a planned pilot project, pending funding from NSF, but can be developed as a stand-alone project as well. This effort will support and complement many planned and emerging education and outreach programs for IPY, as well as overlapping efforts such as eGY.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Management of the POLAR POST will be led by Mark McCaffrey and a support staff guided by an Editorial Advisory Board for review of scientific materials, and supported by numerous field correspondents. While formal scientific findings may require a peer review process, many of the human aspects of IPY, real-time images, and overviews of how data is collected and analyzed can be quickly compiled and communicated in a dynamic “online newspaper” format. This effort will build on the synergy and strengths of the key partners in the Boulder area: CIRES and the University of Colorado, NSIDC, INSTAAR and UCAR.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
When properly developed, marketed and deployed, the POLAR POST will greatly assist other IPY programs in meeting the education, outreach and communication goals outlined in the Framework document. This can be accomplished by requiring or encouraging a point person within a research effort to serve as the POLAR POST correspondent.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
All back-issues of the POLAR POST and associated metadata will be archived for future access. The POLAR POST will work with data managers and researchers to develop data access strategies, appropriate metadata, infrastructure, and data literacy tutorials which will be tested with end-users and evaluated for potential improvement.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
While private funding may assist in administering the cyberinfrastructure, developing the localisation for international audiences, and marketing the POLAR POST, another funding option is to partner with IPY funded research projects to assist them in creating robust broader impacts strategies and meeting their education, outreach and communications requirements.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
IPY is a “not to be missed” opportunity to convey the “who, what, where, how, when and why” of polar research and to offer timely profiles of polar realms and peoples. Building on the virtual observatory, digital library collection and cyber-rendezvous concepts of the POLAR pilot-project, the POLAR POST will leverage expertise and institutional strengths to promote scientific and environmental literacy, tap the spirit of adventure and discovery inherent in polar exploration, and inspire a new generation of people around the world to seek science related and/or polar careers.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mr Mark McCaffrey
UCB 449
Boulder
CO
80309
USA

Tel: 303.735.3155
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation