The Polar Research Board will conduct a consensus study to assess progress in addressing research goals outlined in its 2015 report: A Strategic Vision for NSF Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research. The study will identify significant recent advances in scientific understanding and technical capabilities that present important new opportunities for progress in addressing the mission of NSF?s Antarctic Sciences Section. In addition, for the three priority research topics from the 2015 report in particular (on changing ice sheets, evolution and adaptation of organisms and ecosystems, and cosmic microwave background), the study will address any current implementation challenges in advancing these research areas and suggest strategies to overcome these challenges. The overall goal of the study is to provide NSF with an objective assessment of progress in advancing the recommendations of the 2015 report and strategies to accelerate this progress. This activity will also help the scientific community to stay engaged in the priority-setting process, and to understand how NSF is pursuing the recommendations emerging from this process.
This activity will consider a diverse array of research initiatives and topics that are each advancing frontiers of scientific knowledge. In addition to topics that are suitable for core-funding support, this research also relates to (1) the dynamics of the rapidly changing Antarctic ice sheet and its implications for global sea-level rise, (2) the consequences of environmental change for the evolution and adaptation of unique Antarctic organisms and ecosystems, and (3) observations of cosmic microwave background radiation as a means to understand the origin and ultimate fate of the universe. The proposed activity will add value to current knowledge of these and other Antarctic research topics by helping NSF and the research community understand what research progress has been made since the 2015 report, what impediments may be limiting this progress, and what opportunities exist to advance such efforts going forward. This activity will be planned by an ad hoc committee of approximately 8 to 10 members. The committee will convene 2 to 3 meetings over a period of one year. The committee will hold an initial meeting to gather information and perspectives from NSF representatives. The subsequent information-gathering steps will involve a mixed set of virtual outreach methods to reach the research community at large. The committee will produce a short report with findings and recommendations.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
