ACTIVITIES OF THE POLAR RESEARCH BOARD

Dramatic environmental changes are taking place in the polar regions and have profound implications for the United States in terms of environmental protection and sustainability, natural resource stewardship, the health and well-being of communities in the Arctic, national security, and economic growth. As a result, there is a growing need to assure strong national capabilities to observe and understand such changes and their impacts, and to be able to translate new scientific insights into understandable, actionable information for a wide range of stakeholders. Founded in 1958, the Polar Research Board (PRB) is the focal point within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for providing scientific advice to the nation on issues related to the Arctic, Antarctic, and cold regions in general. In the next three years, the PRB will build on its long history of working closely with federal agencies and the research community, to help the nation understand and respond to the changing conditions in the Arctic and the Antarctic. The PRB provides a forum for leading scholars, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to explore needs, challenges, emerging issues, and opportunities for polar science, including around complex and controversial issues. Primary activities include biannual board meetings, development and oversight of ad hoc studies and workshops, often held in collaborating with other National Academies’ boards that bring complementary expertise. The PRB is also engaged with the international community by acting as the U.S. National Committee for the Science Committee on Antarctic Research and the International Arctic Science Committee. In the next three years, the board will initiate a series of “convergence dialogues” aimed at cultivating relationships and connecting researchers and policy makers in new ways across a broad range of topics relevant to the polar regions, to enhance the guidance the PRB can provide to the nation. 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.