Contents: 1. IPO Planning - 2008 and Beyond 2. February 2009 dates and events 3. Canada 2012 4. UNEP Children's Conference - call for material 5. Polar Books 6. IPY.org,- , bloggers needed, fly the IPY flag! 7. Report from SAON 8. IPY Science at the European Geophysical Union (EGU) meeting 2008 Report no. 13, May 2008 From: IPY International Programme Office To: IPY Project Coordinators cc: IPY Community Google Groups 1. IPO Planning - 2008 and Beyond Many IPY participants consider post-IPY activities and events. IPY Project Coordinators consider project data responsibilities, special publications, project summary meetings, and th...

From May 15-24, 2008, science centers worldwide are joining forces with local students for an international, educational event about the importance of the Polar ice caps. To fully understand how these regions are critical to helping the Earth maintain its climate through their reflection of the sun's rays (a process called albedo), youngsters will create large white spots using available material. At a scheduled time determined by optimum overpass angle, NASA satellites will pass overhead, measuring the reflectivity of these white spots and recording images of the white spots. On June 9, the World Ocean Network will participate in the Albedo Experiment as part of its World Ocean Week closing ceremony. ...

On Christmas Eve morning 2007, as I listened intently to the steady and pleasing voice of 85-year-old William H. "Tommy" Thomson, I detected only a faint accent — not what one usually encounters with a Scottish native. Sensing a story, I asked Thomson about his accent, and his past began to roll smoothly off his lips. In the early years of the Second World War, Thomson was at Glasgow University — and bored. Since the nearest recruiting station was a naval one, that's where he ended up. Given his education standard, it was suggested he try for the Fleet Air Arm, and Thomson duly became an officer in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). The obvious necessity for clear radio communications while flying meant only one thing: the suppression of Thomson's Sco...

PRESS RELEASE Commencing in August 2008, the University of Akureyri will be offering a Master's Program in Polar Law. This Program is designed for both lawyers (two semesters leading to an LLM-degree) and non-lawyers (four semesters leading to an MA-degree), preparing them for work in both public and private sector, in national and local governments, international organizations, with indigenous peoples of the Circumpolar North, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations, and national and transnational corporations. The deadline for applications is June 5 for Home/EU students and April 15 for overseas students. The Master's Program will provide a unique focus on Polar Law. It lays emphasis on certain chapters in public international law, such as...

By Dr. Manish Tiwari Scientist, National Centre For Antarctic & Ocean Research, Goa, India As the IPY completes one year successfully, India has contributed strongly to its scientific & outreach program that will continue into 2008-09 & beyond. National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India) is acting as the national coordinating agency and has well defined outreach activities that seek to educate school children, general public & scientific community about the challenges & need of the polar research. Towards this, NCAOR has contributed & participated in exhibitions to celebrate IPY. It has also put effort in getting published many articles outlining the activities under IPY themes in Indian scientific journ...

The previously untold complete story of the first vessel to reach the North Pole, the nuclear submarine USS Nautilus, will be released in July 2008 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. The book is written by Captain William Anderson, the captain of Nautilus for the trip, and by best-selling author Don Keith. THE ICE DIARIES tells the inside story of how Nautilus made three attempts to reach the North Pole beneath the polar ice pack. The first two almost ended tragically. The third attempt took the submarine and her crew of 116 through the North Pole, from Pacific to Atlantic, in late July and early August 1958 via the long sought Northwest Passage. The data collected about navigation in those high latitudes, the oceans, the sea bottom, and the pack ice contributed mightily to future exploration of...

The latest edition of field notes, the magazines of CH2M HILL's Polar Field Services, is out. In this issue (PDF): Learn how Shari Gearheard, a research scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSDIC), is combining the rich ecological knowledge of the Inuit with scientific investigations to better understand just how the sea ice in three arctic communities is changing. Read about how Fairbanks residents celebrated their frozen habitat ...

Please find enclosed a poster (PDF) announcing the IAMAS/IAPSO/IACS 2009 Joint Assembly to be held in Montreal, Québec, Canada in July 2009. We would like to invite the international atmospheric, oceanographic and cryospheric research community to this 2009 Joint Assembly, to be held in July 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Should you have any questions regarding this request or the Assembly itself, please do not hesitate to contact Christine Saintonge directly at the numbers indicated below. 613-993-9495 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it fax: 613-993-7250 Assistant to the Conference Manager / Conference Services Office / Administrative Services and ...

Previous International Polar Days have focussed on Sea Ice, Ice Sheets, our Changing Earth, and Land and Life. The IPY Day on September 24th will focus on People. Back to main People Pages ...

This enjoyable on-line training system Antarctica: Challenging Forecasts for a Challenging Environment features an educational introduction to Antarctica including some history, interesting facts, real-life experiences, climate, and the challenges inherent to this frozen continent. After the short (12 minute) introductions, those viewers who want more information can follow on-line instructional units designed to give prospective Antarctic forecasters or meteorology students an understanding of the challenges in forecasting in Antarctica and an overview of the tools used to monitor and forecast Antarctica’s weather. Using recent ima...