Project Grant 2446211

UNITED STATES REPRESENTATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC SCIENCE COMMITTEE (IASC): 2019-2026 -THE ARCTIC IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING THE EARTH SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A FOCAL POINT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, DEMOGRAPHIC AND POLITICAL CHANGE. IT IS INTIMATELY CONNECTED TO THE GLOBAL SYSTEM VIA OCEAN, LAND, AND AIR MASSES, AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE THAT INHABIT AND/OR ARE CONNECTED ECONOMICALLY TO THE ARCTIC REGION. THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME IN TERMS OF RAPID CHANGES OCCURRING IN THE ARCTIC, AND OUR ABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND, PREDICT, AND RESPOND TO THOSE CHANGES ARE OF US AND INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC INTEREST. NO SINGLE COUNTRY IS ABLE TO SUPPORT THE LEVEL OF RESEARCH NECESSARY TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGING ARCTIC, AND THEREFORE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC SCIENCE COMMITTEE (IASC) REPRESENT VITAL PLATFORMS FOR DISCUSSING SCIENTIFIC ISSUES AND PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL, INTERDISCIPLINARY, AND IN SOME CASES LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS IN THE REGION. THE IMPACTS FROM MELTING SEA ICE ON BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES, THAWING PERMAFROST AND RESULTING CHANGE TO THE CARBON CYCLE, BIODIVERSITY AND NORTHWARD SPECIES MIGRATION AND ECOSYSTEM REORGANIZATION, AND ASSOCIATED HUMAN INTERACTIONS AND RESPONSE ALL LINK THE ARCTIC TO THE GLOBAL SYSTEM AND REPRESENT ISSUES SO IMPORTANT AND SO LARGE THAT NO ONE COUNTRY CAN ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THEM IN ISOLATION. ADDITIONALLY, NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FISHERIES, RESOURCE EXTRACTION AND TOURISM CARRY A RELATIVELY HIGH RISK BECAUSE ARCTIC SCIENCE REMAINS RELATIVELY IMMATURE. TO THIS END, THIS PROJECT PROVIDES NATIONAL SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE US LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIPS IN IASC, AS WELL AS OUR PLANNING AND COORDINATING ROLES FOR RESEARCH EFFORTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA. THE INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC SCIENCE COMMITTEE (IASC) IS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION THAT ENCOURAGES AND FACILITATES COOPERATION IN ALL ASPECTS OF ARCTIC RESEARCH, IN ALL COUNTRIES ENGAGED IN ARCTIC RESEARCH, AND IN ALL AREAS OF THE ARCTIC REGION. IASC WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1990 AND TODAY COMPRISES TWENTY-TWO MEMBER COUNTRIES. IASC IS AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE (ICSU) AND AN OBSERVER IN THE ARCTIC COUNCIL AND HAS CONNECTIONS TO NUMEROUS OTHER INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC ORGANIZATIONS. THE US IS ONE OF EIGHT ARCTIC NATIONS IN THE ARCTIC COUNCIL, WITH IASC PLAYING A ROLE IN PROVIDING SCIENTIFIC INPUT TO THIS INTERNATIONAL POLICY ORGANIZATION. IASC ASSISTS WITH SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING SCIENTIFIC ADVICE AS WELL AS COORDINATION TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT. SINCE THE FOUNDING OF IASC, THE SCIENTIFIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REALITIES OF THE NORTH HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. NEW PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES DEMAND NEW AND IMPROVED SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND ENHANCED COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATIONS. THIS GRANT PROVIDES FUNDS TO ENABLE THE PRESIDENT OF IASC AND THE US DELEGATES TO IASC TO IMPLEMENT THE ACTIVITIES AND EXECUTE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF IASC. 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.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.