Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

One of the ways that SCAR brings researchers together is through meetings. These include biennial Open Science Conferences (OSCs), Delegate Meetings, the SCAR Biology Symposium (every 4 years), the International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences, and the Humanities and Social Science Symposium.

SCAR has been organising biennial Open Science Conferences (OSCs) in various member countries including Germany, Australia, Russia, Argentina, USA, New Zealand, Malaysia and Switzerland, since 2004. The OSCs give Antarctic scientists opportunities to draw attention to Antarctic issues, hold scientific group meetings, share their work, and network.[7]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical 2020 conference and meetings scheduled to take place in Hobart, Australia, were cancelled. SCAR 2020 Online was held online from 3–7 August and delivered the highlights of the conference through a combination of live streaming, recorded presentations, text-based chat and a poster gallery.[8][9]

Over 30 groups coordinate Antarctic research across a variety of disciplines and themes through SCAR. SCAR has three permanent Science Groups:

• Geosciences
• Life Sciences
• Physical Sciences

Each Science Group encompasses Scientific Research Programmes (SRPs) in priority areas. SRPs have a lifetime of about 8 years and new programmes can be suggested and developed through Programme Planning Groups (PPGs).

In 2018, a permanent Standing Committee on the Humanities and Social Sciences was set up to recognise the important and growing contribution of the humanities and social sciences communities to Antarctic research. Antarctica’s human history is relatively recent and this important area of study explores how humans interact with the region.

Each Science Group also has Action Groups (AGs), which have a lifetime of two to four years and are intended to solve short-term issues, and wider-focus Expert Groups (EGs), which last between six to eight years.[10] Examples include the AntArchitecture Action Group, the Expert Group on Birds and Marine Mammals, the Earth Observation Action Group, and the Action Group on Meeting and Managing Antarctic Environments.

One aspect of SCAR’s work is identifying emerging issues from Antarctic and Southern Ocean research and bringing them to the attention of policymakers, including the Antarctic Treaty, the UNFCCC and IPCC. Environmental and conservation related science is a large and growing part of SCAR’s policy work.[11]

In 2002 SCAR received the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.[12][13]

SCAR provides independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings via its Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System (SCATS). SCATS brings together global scientists to create papers on the status of particular areas of research, to present at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. SCAR is also tasked with providing advice to a number of other bodies, including the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

In 2019, SCAR’s long-standing contribution to the Antarctic Treaty System was recognised by the passing of a resolution calling for the representative countries’ Governments to enhance support, collaboration and cooperation in scientific research and protective measures for Antarctica.[14]

SCAR awards four medals at its biennial Open Science Conferences, in recognition of excellence in Antarctic and Southern Ocean research and outstanding service to the international Antarctic community,[15] these are:

• The Medal for Excellence in Antarctic Research
• The Medal for International Coordination
• The Medal for Education and Communication
• The President’s Medal for Outstanding Achievement

SCAR offers Visiting Scholar Awards, which enable researchers and academics to visit other SCAR member countries.

SCAR provides fellowships to early-career researchers to allow them to join research groups in other countries.[16]

As one of the principles of its parent organisation, the International Science Council (ISC), SCAR ‘promotes equitable opportunities for access to science and its benefits, and opposes discrimination based on such factors as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age.’[17]

As part of the push to improve the representation of women on Wikipedia, the SCAR community has already included more than 70 new biographies for notable women in Antarctic research.[18]