IPY Joint Committee and International Programme Office (IPO) established, post of IPO Director advertised, Expression of Intent being accepted

ICSU and WMO have established the IPY JC which will be responsible for the scientific planning, coordination, guidance and oversight of the IPY. In addition, an IPY International Programme Office at the British Antarctic Survey has been established and applications for the IPO Director are being accepted until 20 January 2005.

In October 2004, the ICSU-WMO International Polar Year Joint Committee (IPY JC) was established. The JC has 14 members and 5 ex- officio members; the JC Co-Chairs are Ian Allison (Australia) and Michel B?nd (Canada). The full membership of the JC is given here. This Committee will be responsible for scientific planning, coordination, guidance and oversight of the IPY. For more information please see the full Terms of Reference of the IPY JC. The first meeting of the IPY is planned for 7-9 March 2005 and will be followed by an Open Discussion Forum 10-11 March 2005; both meetings will be in Paris.

The IPY JC replaces the ICSU IPY Planning Group, which at the end of September 2004 completed its work, including the drafting of the IPY 2007-2008 Framework document . The Framework document contains the proposed IPY Science Plan, Data Management Plan, Education, Outreach and Communication Plan, and describes the IPY organizational structure and approach to implementation. The document was developed in close consultation with the international polar scientific community.

The JC is supported by a central IPY International Programme Office (), which is located at the British Antarctic Survey. ICSU and WMO in consultation with the JC Co-Chairs selected this office based upon offers received after an international call for applications. In addition to the International Programme Office it is expected that there will be International Project offices established. For coordination of WMO activities on IPY the WMO IPY office was established in Geneva (). ICSU and WMO are inviting applications for the post of Director of the IPY International Programme Office, which will be located in Cambridge, UK. The deadline for applications is 20 January 2005. In the meantime, Dr Cynan Ellis-Evans will act as Interim Executive Director.

An expression of intent for potential IPY projects has been announced. The deadline for submission is 14 January 2005. At their first meeting in March 2005, the IPY JC will review and identify IPY projects, using criteria given in the IPY Framework document. To submit an expression of interest, click here.

?Further information

For more information, please contact Cynan Ellis-Evans email jcel@bas.ac.uk .