Public Lecture Announcement
International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008
Polar Research Board
The Keck Center of the National Academies
Washington, DC
Wednesday, 12 May 2004
For anyone in the Washington, DC area or people planning to attend the
ARCUS 16th Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum, please note that the Polar
Research Board will host its annual public lecture on the evening of
Wednesday, 12 May 2004. Everyone is welcome to attend.
OVERVIEW
The idea of nations coming together to organize coordinated field
campaigns in the polar regions originated some 125 years ago, with the
first International Polar Year (IPY) in 1882-1883. The IPYs and
International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957-1958 created a tradition of
collaborative science that continues to influence the world today. In
this year's lecture, Philip M. Smith, who played a key role in planning
the International Geophysical Year, will look back on IGY and explore
why it was so effective, from both scientific and political
perspectives. Chris Elfring, who has been involved in planning IPY
2007-2008 at both the international and national levels, will describe
the planning process and highlight the science themes of the upcoming
campaign. She will present an overview of the new National Academies
report, "A Vision for US Participation in International Polar Year
2007-2008." There will be time for discussion about what might be
similar, and different, between these two efforts 50 years apart.
LECTURE SPECIFICS
Date: Wednesday, 12 May 2004
Address:
The Keck Center of the National Academies
500 Fifth Street, NW
Room 100
Washington, DC
Schedule:
Reception 5:15 - 6:15 p.m.
Lecture 6:15 - 8:00 p.m.
Why Organize "International Years" - Looking Back on IGY 1957-1958 and
Looking Ahead at IPY 2007-2008
Special Introduction by Fae Korsmo, National Science Foundation, with
scenes from the IGY film "Secrets of the Ice"
Lecture by Philip M. Smith, Partner, McGeary & Smith and Chris Elfring,
Director, Polar Research Board
The PRB meeting, 12-13 May 2004 (with a focus on the Antarctic on
Thursday May 13 to avoid conflicting with the ARCUS meeting), is open to
the public.
A meeting agenda is available at:
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/webcr.nsf/(MeetByDocID)/
02507CC31E58280385256E850051630B?OpenDocument
The nearest metro station is Judiciary Square. Limited parking is
available underneath the building, if requested in advance from the PRB
at 202-334-3479 or rshiffle [at] nas.edu
The parking entrance is on Sixth Street between E and F.