1. Office of Polar Programs Plans for the International Polar Year Proposal Solicitation Marie Bundy Associate Biology Program Manager Office of Polar Programs

2. NSF and OPP IPY activities Planning is currently underway for an NSF solicitation for participation in the International Polar Year Anticipated release date- Aug. 2005 Anticipated target date- November 2005

3. Planned Scope of NSF Solicitation Three Science Themes: 1.Development of an integrated polar observing system in concert with the ongoing Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) 2.Adaptations to life in extreme cold and prolonged darkness, with emphasis on ecological and genomic processes that occur during the polar night 3.Studies of the stability and dynamics of polar ice sheets

4. Planned Scope of NSF Solicitation Two Cross-cutting areas Education and Outreach must be integral part of research proposals. Stand-alone proposals for E&O (e.g., for TEA-like programs) will also be considered Data management providing open data dissemination is critical.

5. Topics still under discussion: Topics still under discussion: How to handle data management? Encourage proposals to create central data portal for U.S. IPY activities? “Virtual Observatory” concept. Language in solicitation to involve other directorates (and agencies) Descriptions and links to other directorate IPY interests in OPP Solicitation + “Dear Colleague Letter”? Joint solicitation with other directorates?

6. Topics still under discussion: Characteristics of IPY projects from ICSU/WMO criteria as additional review criteria. For example…

7. Language from 2005 Antarctic announcement: For proposals being submitted as contributions to IPY, a statement articulating the relevance to IPY and addressing the IPY goals as expressed by U.S. National Academy of Sciences (U.S. NAS) and the International Council of Scientists (ICSU) should be included in the proposal description. For U.S. NAS IPY information, see http://dels.nas.edu/us-ipy/. For ICSU IPY information, see http:// www.ipy.org or http://www.ipy.org/concept/index.html.http://dels.nas.edu/us-ipy/http:// www.ipy.org http://www.ipy.org/concept/index.html

8. Some of the ICSU criteria used for EoI: 1. Makes significant advances within one or more IPY 2007-2008 themes 2. Involves at least one polar region and takes place within the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe 3. Contributes to international collaboration 7. Signs up to the principles and aims of IPY 2007- 2008 data management and proposes a viable data management plan 8. Proposes a viable plan or approach for education, outreach and communication activities 9. Shows how it will foster the next generation of polar researchers