Antarctic researchers meet in Bremen

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) convenes July 25 through July 31 2004

The 28th International Antarctic conference of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research will take place in the Congress Centre in Bremen July 25 through July 31 2004. About 600 scientists from more than 30 countries are expected to attend this most important Antarctic research meeting. All disciplines of Antarctic research will be represented. Hence, the SCAR conference will provide a good opportunity to find out about the current status of and perspectives for Antarctic science.

The SCAR conference will present cutting edge Antarctic research. It will also, in particular, provide a forum for young scientists to present their work, and to deliver impetus for new research themes. Moreover, current international research programs will be coordinated and new ones initiated. To meet these objectives, the meeting will be divided into a 3-day scientific conference (July 26 through July 28, 2004) for all interested Antarctic researchers, and a 2-day planning phase for SCAR members only.

An industrial exhibition of the newest trends in polar technology will take place concurrently. Among others, new developments for the transport of personnel and material under extreme conditions will be exhibited, as well as innovations concerning the supply of remote regions.

New international Antarctic projects and research suggestions emerging from the scientific conference will be discussed and reliably agreed upon during a further conference of SCAR delegates in Bremerhaven, scheduled for Oct. 3 to Oct. 9, 2004.

SCAR is the leading committee in Antarctic research. Its current president, Prof. Jörn Thiede, is the scientific director of the Alfred Wegener Foundation for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). SCAR is an international NGO founded in 1958 by the International Council for Science (ICSU). It promotes and coordinates worldwide research in Antarctica, and makes recommendations on further development of the Antarctic treaties and for the protection of the Antarctic environment. At the same time, SCAR works to raise interest on Antarctic issues among politicians, the media and the general public and to elucidate the societal relevance of Antarctic research.

In 1988 COMNAP (Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs) was created to provide the managers of the individual signing parties to the Antarctic treaty with a forum for discussion and for international cooperation on logistics. The XVI. COMNAP meeting will take place in Bremen in 2004 at the same time as the SCAR conference.

The German representative on SCAR is the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), which will provide the major funding for the SCAR conference in Bremen. The Alfred Wegener Foundation for Polar and Marine Research will be hosting both the research and the delegates meeting of SCAR in 2004.

December 17 2003, Bremerhaven