A Mid-Term Assessment of NSF Progress on the 2015 ‘Strategic Vision for Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research’

极地研究委员会将进行一项共识研究，以评估其2015年报告中概述的研究目标的进展：NSF在南极和南大洋研究投资的战略愿景。这项研究将查明最近在科学认识和技术能力方面取得的重大进展，这些进展为在执行国家科学基金南极科学科的使命方面取得进展提供了重要的新机会。 此外，特别是对于2015年报告中的三个优先研究主题（冰盖变化、生物和生态系统的演变和适应以及宇宙微波背景），该研究将解决当前在推进这些研究领域方面的任何实施挑战，并提出克服这些挑战的战略。这项研究的总体目标是为NSF提供一个客观的评估，以推进2015年报告的建议和加速这一进展的战略。这项活动还将帮助科学界继续参与优先事项的制定过程，并了解NSF如何执行这一过程中提出的建议。这项活动将考虑各种各样的研究举措和主题，这些举措和主题都在推进科学知识的前沿。除了适合核心资金支持的主题外，这项研究还涉及（1）迅速变化的南极冰盖的动态及其对全球海平面上升的影响，（2）环境变化对独特的南极生物和生态系统的进化和适应的后果，（3）宇宙微波背景辐射的观测，作为了解宇宙起源和最终命运的一种手段。拟议的活动将通过帮助NSF和研究界了解自2015年报告以来取得的研究进展，可能限制这一进展的障碍，以及存在哪些机会来推进这些努力，从而为目前对这些和其他南极研究主题的了解增加价值。 这项活动将由一个约8至10名成员的特设委员会规划。委员会将在一年内召开2至3次会议。该委员会将举行首次会议，收集来自NSF代表的信息和观点。 随后的信息收集步骤将涉及一套混合的虚拟外联方法，以接触整个研究界。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Polar Research Board will conduct a consensus study to assess progress in addressing research goals outlined in its 2015 report: A Strategic Vision for NSF Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research. The study will identify significant recent advances in scientific understanding and technical capabilities that present important new opportunities for progress in addressing the mission of NSF’s Antarctic Sciences Section. In addition, for the three priority research topics from the 2015 report in particular (on changing ice sheets, evolution and adaptation of organisms and ecosystems, and cosmic microwave background), the study will address any current implementation challenges in advancing these research areas and suggest strategies to overcome these challenges. The overall goal of the study is to provide NSF with an objective assessment of progress in advancing the recommendations of the 2015 report and strategies to accelerate this progress. This activity will also help the scientific community to stay engaged in the priority-setting process, and to understand how NSF is pursuing the recommendations emerging from this process. This activity will consider a diverse array of research initiatives and topics that are each advancing frontiers of scientific knowledge. In addition to topics that are suitable for core-funding support, this research also relates to (1) the dynamics of the rapidly changing Antarctic ice sheet and its implications for global sea-level rise, (2) the consequences of environmental change for the evolution and adaptation of unique Antarctic organisms and ecosystems, and (3) observations of cosmic microwave background radiation as a means to understand the origin and ultimate fate of the universe. The proposed activity will add value to current knowledge of these and other Antarctic research topics by helping NSF and the research community understand what research progress has been made since the 2015 report, what impediments may be limiting this progress, and what opportunities exist to advance such efforts going forward. This activity will be planned by an ad hoc committee of approximately 8 to 10 members. The committee will convene 2 to 3 meetings over a period of one year. The committee will hold an initial meeting to gather information and perspectives from NSF representatives. The subsequent information-gathering steps will involve a mixed set of virtual outreach methods to reach the research community at large. The committee will produce a short report with findings and recommendations.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.