Mid-Term Assessment of Progress on the 2015 Strategic Vision for Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research (2021) / Chapter Skim
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6 Cross-Cutting Research-Wide Issues
6 Cross-Cutting Research-Wide Issues
Pages 97-110
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From page 97... ...
research vessels lack heavy icebreaking capacity, which restricts their access to the inner continental shelf, greatly limiting the capacity to address Priority I science goals. The vessels also lack equipment required to safely operate marine geophysical technology and geological drilling capacity to recover marine sediments older than 97
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From page 98... ...
A Transparent Logistics Review To ensure that NSF has the logistical support capacity to substantially advance the strategic priorities in the next 5 years, a formal, transparent logistics and infrastructure review should be conducted. This review should include a detailed assessment of confirmed or likely logistics resource demands across the entire Antarctic Sciences program (e.g., transportation, fuel, power, and equipment)
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From page 99... ...
Antarctic Sciences program. Transparency regarding current and future logistical capabilities available for science would also encourage research proposals from the science community grounded in logistical realities.
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From page 100... ...
The committee envisions forward-looking discussions about science planning and logistics coordination, engaging a broad representation of the Antarctic science community, including early-career researchers. Another opportunity to improve communications between OPP and the science community would be enhanced engagement with investigators whose proposals were rated highly on scientific grounds but were declined due to lack of sufficient logistical support.
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From page 101... ...
A successful precedent is the series of Transantarctic Mountains Science and Deep Field Camp Planning workshops,3 which led to the Shackleton Glacier Camp in 2016-2018, and aims to provide community science and site priorities for deep-field science to NSF. NSF could discuss the outlook for logistical support in coming field seasons through community update webinars or announce potential future field support in a specific area if a sufficient number of compelling research proposals are submitted.
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From page 102... ...
The South Pole Overland Traverse and the Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access (SALSA) traverse have also proven the utility of traverses for overall science support operations.
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From page 103... ...
Geosciences, a major component of polar sciences, has made little to no progress over the past 40 years addressing racial and ethnic diversity (Bernard and Cooperdock, 2018)
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From page 104... ...
leadership in STEM fields by focusing on preparing, encouraging participation, and ensuring the contributions of historically underrepresented and underserved groups, resulting in a diverse and innovative STEM workforce. Substantial efforts will be necessary to reach the INCLUDES vision within NSF Antarctic Sciences, from top-down NSF-led to bottom-up investigatorled DEI initiatives that result in cultural change within the Antarctic science community.
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From page 105... ...
The committee and community welcome the proactive NSF Antarctic Sciences efforts to ensure a safe working environment for all USAP participants. The committee applauds these NSF DEI efforts and encourages continued work to improve diversity, equity, and inclusiveness of the field and to enact systemic community change.
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From page 106... ...
Antarctic Sciences could incentivize scientists from a spectrum of career levels to take on organizational leadership roles by providing some salary or postdoctoral fellow support. Several other directorates at NSF have employed creative programs for community building on various funding scales that may serve as instructive models for helping organize communities of Antarctic researchers (e.g., Computing Community Consortium [NSF 06-551]
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From page 107... ...
NSF should consider advancing efforts that promote development and training of promising individuals, of all career stages, to have appropriate scientific, as well as management and communication, skills to stimulate community engagement, synthesis, and interdisciplinary research. The committee's engagement with the broader community of Antarctic researchers highlighted additional avenues that OPP can pursue to develop scientific communities to enhance progress toward all strategic priorities.
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From page 108... ...
For Priority II, the collection of biological samples was one large opportunity highlighted in the National Academies 2015 report. ASSESSING CONTINUED PROGRESS IN THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES As NSF Antarctic Sciences continues to advance the strategic priorities through at least 2030 and ultimately adopts other strategic priorities, the program would benefit from more refined metrics and a consistent framework to internally assess progress.
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From page 109... ...
A review of anticipated resource demands from the three strategic priorities and other research initiatives relative to logistical capacity and expected infrastructure improvements would identify resource constraints and competing demands. This analysis would support OPP science planning and decision making at a program level while improving transparency with investigators and encouraging proposals aligned with logistical realities.
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From page 110... ...
NSF should also reinstate collaborative science funding programs, such as AISS, which supported mid-sized, multidisciplinary, multi-investigator projects. NSF Antarctic Sciences should continue to develop and leverage international partnerships to increase science opportunities.
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