Application
deadline is August 24, 2012; deployments scheduled for December 8-15, 2012
The National Science Foundation (NSF),
manager of the U.S. Antarctic Program, is accepting written requests from
professional journalists to report on scientific research supported by NSF's
Office of Polar Programs (OPP) in Antarctica.
Selected journalists will deploy to
Antarctica for approximately one working week.
NSF annually chooses a small group of
journalists, representing a range of news organizations, to make individual
visits to McMurdo Station, NSF's logistics hub on the continent. In addition,
reporters visit Amundsen Scott South Pole Station (weather permitting), and
report on NSF-sponsored research at field camps in close proximity to McMurdo.
For additional background on the U.S.
Antarctic Program, please see the Arctic Sciences Web page on the NSF website.
OPP and NSF's Office of Legislative and
Public Affairs jointly manage and coordinate media visits to the Polar Region.
Examples of projects that will be open
to media visits include:
- A site near McMurdo Station where a
unique drill is being tested as part of the Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial
Access Research Drilling Project, a six-year, interdisciplinary deployment
studying glaciology, microbiology, geochemistry and oceanography of the
ecosystem. Media also may be able to speak to WISSARD researchers returning
from the field. It will not be possible for reporters selected as media
visitors to visit the remote WISSARD field camp.
- The South Pole Telescope and IceCube
Neutrino Observatory at NSF's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
- The Long-term Ecological Research
(LTER) Project in the McMurdo Dry Valleys
- Studies of population dynamics of
penguins and seals in McMurdo Sound
How to apply: Applicants must submit a
written expression of interest in participating in the program, the equivalent
of no more than two printed pages, detailing the outlet(s) in which the
reporting will appear and a description of the audiences for those outlets.
Competition for the opportunity to
deploy is expected to be intense, as Antarctic logistics are a constraining
factor on how many people may deploy. Logistical limitations make it nearly
impossible to modify itineraries once in Antarctica.
A panel consisting of science and
logistics staff from the Office of Polar Programs and media officers from NSF's
Public Affairs office will review all proposals and select finalists. The panel
will look for proposals that indicate an understanding of the nature and
challenges of NSF's scientific enterprise in the Antarctic as well as the
desire and ability to communicate that understanding to the public.
Application Deadline: August 24,
2012--U.S. media receive preference in selection.
Application: Applications that indicate
solid working knowledge of the U.S. Antarctic program and its science goals and
the ability to communicate the research being undertaken to a wide audience
stand the best chance of selection.
Debbie Wing, the NSF public affairs
officer responsible for OPP, can provide access to NSF-supported researchers
who are scheduled to be in the field during the deployment period to assist
reporters in obtaining information about the science they may expect to see
while in Antarctica.
Freelancers are eligible for
consideration but must supply with their letter of application evidence of a
firm commitment, on their employer's letterhead, from the prospective employer
to publish or air their work.
General reporting about Antarctica,
travel or logistics are not given priority. The program does not support
feature-film proposals. Documentary filmmakers may consider applying to the
Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program managed by NSF's Education & Human
Resources directorate.
Medical: In order to deploy to
Antarctica, it is necessary to pass rigorous medical and dental
examinations. These examinations are
conducted at the finalist's expense by a personal physician and dentist, using
USAP medical screening forms, which will be evaluated by USAP-contracted
medical experts. Certain medical conditions detected during the physical and
dental examinations may disqualify a candidate from visiting Antarctica, even
if initially selected as a media visitor.
Expenses: Reporters selected for the
media visit, or their employers, pay for round-trip transportation to--and
accommodation in--Christchurch, New Zealand.
Reporters must visit NSF headquarters in Arlington, VA., at their own
expense for pre-trip planning. NSF furnishes, at no cost to participants,
cold-weather clothing solely for use in the field, as well as housing,
transportation, and food while in Antarctica.
Note: From time to time, the NSF has
received requests for media opportunities from reporters who plan to travel to
Antarctica at various times of the year via non-governmental means. Such
requests are reviewed on a case by case basis. Such requests should be directed
to the NSF media officer listed below.
Where to Send Applications: Contact the
NSF media officer listed below by phone or by email as soon as possible to
express interest. Send the application letter to:
National Science Foundation
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1245
Arlington, VA 22230
Attn: Debbie Wing, (703) 292-5344 / dwing@nsf.gov
-NSF-
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