As part of an Implementing Arrangement between the Polar Research Secretariat and the Swedish Research Council and the National Science Foundation for Cooperative Research and Logistical Activities in Polar Regions, approximately 20 days of dedicated science time for the Swedish Icebreaker Oden in the Southern Ocean are anticipated for the next 4 years. This science opportunity is being supported by both the US and Sweden and arose in conjunction with the arrangements for the Oden to break a resupply channel into McMurdo station each of these years. This collaborative proposal requests support for coordination and participation of 20 US science participants in a workshop to develop science priorities for the US-Swedish research cooperation on the Oden. The Swedish Research Secretariat is hosting the workshop and will support 20 Swedish scientists to attend. The workshop will be held near Stockholm on 10-14 February 2008. The PIs will be responsible for selecting US participants, arranging for and covering their travel, working with Swedish colleagues to organize and run the workshop, coauthor a workshop report with the Swedes and making the report broadly known to the US research community. The Swedish research Secretariat is covering the costs of accommodations and meals for the US research scientists. The main outcome of the workshop will be a report, posted to the web immediately following the workshop, which outlines the vessel capabilities, identifies science themes appropriately addressed from the Swedish Icebreaker Oden under this opportunity, and provides an open registry of scientists interested in bi-lateral collaboration. The PIs will assure broad advertisement of the report and opportunity through a variety of media and list-servers. The purpose of this report is to provide guidance to the broader community for competitive proposal development under open solicitations to be released both in the US and Sweden. US researchers will have the opportunity to compete for available ship time as part of the Annual Antarctic Solicitation. The US participants in the workshop will be selected to cover a range of disciplines, institutions, ideas and career stage and to include members of underrepresented groups. They will be asked to represent their larger communities. This workshop will provide a new opportunity for US Swedish research collaboration consistent with NSF's focus on broadening participation and developing new partnerships.
