Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

University of Colorado INSTAAR/NSIDC Program of Polar Public Outreach and Education.  (INSTAAR/NSIDC Education/Outreach)

Outline
This is a multifaceted effort by the University of Colorado’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and National Snow and Ice Data Center to formalize and consolidate a suite of outreach/educational activities under a single ‘umbrella’, and expand the range and effectiveness of these activities. Some components are also being submitted to IPY independently. 1. Public lectures (new). A travelling series of lectures on polar science issues for general audiences is planned, designed as modules to create ideal presentations for specific circumstances to be given by any one of our group members. Likely venues are libraries, museums, universities and civic organizations. 2. Teacher Training (ongoing). Short courses for K-12 teachers on science issues. We are exploring collaboration with educational partners for this objective. 3. Media Training (new). Workshops (in person and web-based) to educate media specialists in scientific issues will be organized for journalists from the local, national and international media. Discussions and continuing communication beyond the workshop will be an emphasis of this activity. 4. International Polar Year Special Issues of Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research, Suzanne Anderson (INSTAAR). (New, see separate EoI) 5. Books (new and ongoing). We have several general audience book projects in progress. All aim to increase public awareness of polar and cold-regions environmental issues for an audience not typically influenced by the main body of scientific literature: Prof. Diane McKnight (INSTAAR) is organizing a children’s book series. One has been published already regarding alpine hydrology (‘My Water Comes From The Mountains’), a second book is planned about the environment of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, and third work about Alaska’s North Slope is being discussed. (new and ongoing) Prof. Tad Pfeffer (INSTAAR) is working on a photographic study of interaction between people and the environment in the arctic, as seen in the built environment. (new, see separate EoI “Arctic Community and Arctic Change”) Dr. John Behrendt (INSTAAR) is completing a second memoir on IGY-era Antarctic science. His first book (‘Innocents on the Ice’) was published in 1999. (ongoing) Prof. James Dixon (INSTAAR/CU Museum) is working on a book entitled ‘Cultural History of Beringia’, with support from the National Park Service. (ongoing) 6 . Telemetered remote observations (new). INSTAAR personnel are presently investigating autonomous telemetered systems for research and public education in remote regions of Alaska and elsewhere. See http://instaar.colorado.edu/tundracamII. 7. Museum Exhibits (new, separate EoI “Artifacts on Ice: The Emerging Archeology of Glaciers”). Prof. James Dixon (INSTAAR and CU Museum) is developing a traveling museum exhibit entitled ‘Artifacts on Ice: The Emerging Archeology of Glaciers’. 8. Polar Post web dissemination of information. CIRES Science Communication Specialist Mark McCaffrey. (new, separate EoI)

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Polar issues are presently at the forefront of environmental science, but while public awareness of these issues is increasing, perceptions of the role of the polar regions in global environmental science vary widely. The larger issue of present day global environmental change is extremely politicized and the public is often misinformed on important scientific matters. The University of Colorado is a world leader in polar research and its members are well placed both in terms of individual expertise and connections to colleagues nationally and internationally to provide public education on polar science issues.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
International collaboration includes but is not limited to participants in lecture series (planned), teacher and media training; loans of artefacts and exhibition venues for museum exhibit (ongoing), and local community contacts for ‘Arctic Community and Arctic Change’ (planned).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Outreach/education field activities include lecture series, museum venues. Actual field research implementation includes locales visited in ‘Arctic Community and Arctic Change’ project and telemetered web cam installations.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 02/06—08/06 (already funded)      02/07 – 11/07      02/08 – 08/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Primary logistics requirements will be for telemetered web camera installations and for ‘Arctic Community and Arctic Change’ project, and will involve travel to remote sites in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandanavian Arctic, and Russian Arctic/Far East.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Material legacy will be primary the publication of the books outlined above, systems and institutionalized events and services for outreach and education, and other materials related to the outreach and educational goals of this project. All programs are intended to continue past the IPY timeframe. Actual physical infrastructure includes telemetered web cameras. We will be seeking collaborators to participate in this effort, possibly through the Arctic Observing Network now under discussion.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Some aspects have been submitted to NSF for funding or have been approved at a pre-proposal level.

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

Various aspects are either ongoing or new – See section 1.3

How will the project be organised and managed?
W.T. Pfeffer - Overall manager. Management of individual projects by individuals to be designated. INSTAAR/NSIDC collaboration managed by W.T. Pfeffer, R. Weaver, and C. Judy. Information dissemination managed by M. McCaffrey (CIRES), D. Lubinski (INSTAAR), and S. Sommer (INSTAAR).

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This is the core effort of this project. See section 1.3

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management per se is not a major part of this project, while dissemination of information is. See Section 3.4.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Some bBase-level funding will be provided by the University of Colorado. External funding is being sought or will be sought from NSF and elsewhere. Pilot funding for ‘Arctic Community and Arctic Change’ is in hand and future funding will be sought from private foundation sources, including the Guggenheim and Fulbright Foundations, and from the Graham Foundation, where W.T. Pfeffer presently has funding for a similar project.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
PleaseNote that several of the individual projects described here have been submitted as EoI under separate cover, as indicated. EoIs referred to here are dedicated principally to outreach/education goals. Several other EoIs are being submitted by participants for research-oriented projects. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado is also submitting an EoI for a broad outreach program, entitled ‘Center for Polar Education and Communication’ (CPEC) (Lead Contact Susan Buhr). This EoI and CPEC have complimentary objectives, and opportunities for integrating aspects these two efforts will be pursued.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Tad Pfeffer
1560 30th St
Boulder, Colorado
80303
USA

Tel: 303 492 3480
Mobile: no
Fax: 303 492 6388
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation