Dear Colleague Letter - Call for Comment
Three Draft Policies Related to Arctic Fieldwork
15 September 2015
Arctic Sciences Section
Division of Polar Programs
National Science Foundation
Dear Colleagues,
The National Science Foundation, Division of Polar Programs is preparing
to release three new policies applicable to people conducting fieldwork
in the Arctic supported by the Division of Polar Programs.
The draft policies are available for public review on the Interagency
Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) collaboration portal
(http://www.iarpccollaborations.org/index.html) or
the IARPC News website (http://www.iarpccollaborations.org/news/3083).
The draft policies are posted on the IARPC collaboration portal because
this collaboration portal invites the public to be informed about and
contribute to federal government efforts in arctic research.
The comment period is 15 September to 2 October 2015. Please submit
comments to Renee Crain (rcrain [at] nsf.gov).
These policies codify expectations of NSF's Division of Polar Programs
on subjects that are covered by policies at most institutions and
clarify the circumstances under which NSF requires physically qualifying
for fieldwork:
- Code of Conduct: Guiding principles and expectations for behavior.
- Field Safety Risk Management: Reinforces the individual and
institutions' roles in identifying, avoiding, or mitigating risk. - Physical Qualification for Fieldwork: States the NSF policy on
requiring physical qualification (PQ) for fieldwork in the Arctic.
Comments that improve the simplicity or clarity of the policies are most
helpful. Input from the Arctic research community will help ensure the
policies are comprehensible and effective across the broad range of
disciplines and locations supported by the Division of Polar Programs,
Arctic Sciences Section. Although grantee institutions are responsible
for the work performed under the auspices of NSF awards, NSF supports
fieldwork through several contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements
in service to grantees.
A companion rationale document explains the purpose of the policies.
These are the first NSF policies covering the Arctic, although similar
policies exist for the U.S. Antarctic Program. These policies are an
outcome of the Arctic Field Safety Risk Management workshop
(http://rslriskworkshop.com/) and are also being circulated through the
Community of Practice established at that workshop. You can join the CoP
for Arctic Field Safety Risk Management by emailing Renee Crain
(rcrain [at] nsf.gov).
The policies do not supersede the terms and conditions defined in the
NSF Award and Administration Guide, which clearly states that the
grantee institution has full responsibility for the conduct of the
project or activity supported under an NSF grant. The policies are
intended to apply to Program Participants sponsored by the Division of
Polar Programs. Program Participants include but are not limited to:
- NSF employees and hosted distinguished visitors;
- Persons affiliated with or employed by an NSF grantee institution
engaged in science activities as a consequence of an NSF grant, or other
persons who work or visit the Arctic or facilities under NSF sponsorship; - Persons affiliated with or employed by other U.S. Government entities,
except Department of Defense (DoD) military personnel when subject to
equivalent or more stringent DoD or component safety policy and risk
management systems; and - Contractors, subcontractors, and consultants engaged in supporting NSF
Arctic program activities.
I encourage you to read the policies and provide comments. Input from
Arctic researchers and others involved in the Arctic research enterprise
is welcome, including all disciplines, stages of career, and geographic
regions of the Arctic.
Comments will be incorporated to the extent possible into the final
versions that go through NSF's approval process. Once the policies are
approved, final versions will be disseminated through email listservs,
posted on websites, and distributed via email by NSF and its
contractors. Suggestions for other mechanisms of distribution are
welcome.
Sincerely,
Renee Crain
Arctic Research Support & Logistics Program Manager
Geosciences Directorate, Division of Polar Programs
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington VA 22230
Phone: 703-292-4482
ArcticInfo is administered by the Arctic Research Consortium of the
United States (ARCUS). Please visit us on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.arcus.org/
Follow ARCUS on twitter: @ArcticResearch
At any time you may:
Subscribe or unsubscribe by using the web form located at:
http://www.arcus.org/arcticinfo/subscription.html
To be removed from the list at any time send an email to:
arcticinfo-unsub [at] arcus.org
To resubscribe send an email to:
arcticinfo-sub [at] arcus.org
Subscribers to ArcticInfo will automatically receive the newsletter,
Witness the Arctic.If you would prefer not to receive Witness the Arctic,
specify on the web form.
Subscribe and unsubscribe actions are automatic. Barring mail system
failure you should receive responses from our system as confirmation to
your requests.
If you have information you would like to post to the mailing list visit :
http://www.arcus.org/arctic-info/submission
You can search back issues of ArcticInfo by content or date at:
http://www.arcus.org/arctic-info/search
If you have any questions please contact the list administrator at:
list [at] arcus.org
ARCUS
3535 College Road, Suite 101
Fairbanks, AK 99709-3710
907-474-1600
907-474-1604 (fax)
ArcticInfo is funded by the National Science Foundation as a service to
the research community through Cooperative Agreement PLR-1304316 with
ARCUS. Any information, opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this material are those of the information
sources and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation or ARCUS.