News

Regional Office Science Planning Group on Health & Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment Meet in Kuala Lumpur

The newly established Science Planning Group on Health & Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific met in Kuala Lumpur to plan the agenda for a programme on health and wellbeing in Asia and the Pacific on 16 and 17 July 2010. In attendance were Jaime C Montoya, Tony Capon, Reiko Kishi, Yong-Guan Zhu, Philippa, Indira Nath, Mohd Nordin Hasan (Ex-Officio). Two observer Bruce McKellar (Chair,ICSU RCAP), and Tan Sri Shahrizailah Abdullah (ICSU RAOP Review Panel) attended the meeting.

The aim of the plan is to guide the work of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the next three to ten years in enhancing research activities and understanding on health and wellbeing in Asia and the Pacific especially in areas where the urban environment is changing rapidly. ICSU will be launching a new interdisciplinary programme - Global Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment: A System Analysis Approach some time next year and the plan by ROAP will seek to apply at the regional level, plans developed at the global level. It is envisaged that the Plan will focus on several determinants of urban health including for example urban housing, transport and air quality; waste management; and social infrastructure. The proposed plan will adopt a systems analysis approach and examine related  cross cutting issues such as urban metabolism, vulnerabilities and resilience.  

SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT & CALL FOR PAPERS
ARCSB 2010: REGISTRATION & ABSTRACT SUBMISSION IS NOW OPEN!

Asian Regional Conference on Systems Biology (ARCSB) 2010
The 1st Asian Regional Conference on Systems Biology (ARCSB) 2010 will be held on 29 November – 1 December 2010. The ARCSB 2010 will be the first gathering on systems biology research in this region. This meeting is organized by the Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Topics include :
·         Functional genomics and biological networks
·         Computational methods and tools
·         Proteomics and systems biology
·         Metabolomics and systems biology

Important Deadlines :
·         Abstract                                       15 August 2010
·         Acceptance Notification        15 September 2010
·         Early Bird Registration            30 September 2010        
·         Full Paper                                    31 October 2010

Please click on the link to obtain the ARCSB 2010 brochure and conference travel grants information as well as application form.

For more information kindly visit the website at http://www.inbiosis.ukm.my

Dates announced for "Planet under pressure: new knowledge towards solutions"

This major global-change open science conference will be held from 16-19 April 2012 in London. The conference, which will focus on solutions, is sponsored by International  Geosphere-Biosphere Programme with co-sponsored by the International Council for Science's (ICSU) global-environmental-change research programmes and their Earth System Science Partnership. It is expected to bring together natural and social scientists, economists, national and international policymakers, industry, NGOs and many other communities.

In the UK, the conference will be hosted by the Royal Society, the Living With Environmental Change programme (LWEC, which represents all the UK's main agencies and government departments tackling environmental change) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the UK's largest funder of environmental science.
Elinor Ostrom (winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in economics), Angela Cropper (Deputy Executive Director of UNEP) and Mark Stafford Smith (Science Director of the Climate Adaptation Flagship of CSIRO) will lead the Scientific Organising Committee for the conference. The full committee will be announced in August, and details will be made available on the IGBP website in due course.

The 8th ASC General Assembly (ASC2010)

The Asian Seismological Commission (ASC) is pleased to announce  The 8th ASC General Assembly (ASC2010) from 8th to 10th of November, 2010 in Hanoi, Vietnam. It will be hosted by the Vietnam Association of Geophysicists. The ASC2010 is co-organized with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Vietnam Association of Geophysicist (VAG), and Institute of Geophysics (IGP).

The objective of the Assembly is to give the opportunity to scientists from different disciplines to meet and exchange ideas about present-day problems in seismology and other pertinent areas of interest.

Themes of the Assembly are Seismological Observation and Interpretation; Nature of Seismic Sources and Prediction of Earthquakes; Nature of Seismic Sources and Prediction of Earthquakes; Strong Ground Motion, Earthquake Hazard and Risk; Earth Structure and Geodynamics; Seismotectonics; Physics and Chemistry of Earth Materials; and Thermal Studies; and Education and Outreach.

New Resource: POLICY INFLUENCING STRATEGY FOR THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD) DURING THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY 2010

The Policy Influencing Strategy for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) during the International Year of Biodiversity 2010 is now available in the ICSU ROAP Resource Centre. The Policy Influencing Strategy focuses on the biodiversity policy changes at the global level that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) wishes to achieve in the International Year of Biodiversity and specifically, concentrates on actions that fall within the scope of or are targeting the CBD and its processes. This strategy is a “living” document that will evolve over time in accordance with the global policy processes, the status of negotiations, technical findings and on-going discussions about the Union’s biodiversity policy priorities. It aims to provide strategic direction and identify the global policy result(s) to be achieved during this year, the theory of change, the target audience and events, the planned products, capacity building and resource needs (as appropriate), with the view to frame IUCN’s collective actions towards the agreed expected result(s).

Please click on the link for full report

APN’s 2010 Annual Calls for Proposals

The APN is inviting proposals under two separate programmes, the Annual Regional Call for Research Proposals (ARCP)  Programme and the Scientific Capacity Building/Enhancement for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries (CAPaBLE) Programme, for funding from April 2011, and is able to provide a limited amount of financial support for research and capacity development activities that fall within its areas of interest. For further information on these Calls and to view the guidelines for application, you may check this out: http://www.apn-gcr.org/newAPN/opportunities/callsForProposals/2010/annualCall/annualCall.htm.  

Please note important deadlines:

Stage 1.
Submission of Summary Proposal (Compulsory):  Friday, 30 July 2010, midnight (24:00) – Japanese Standard Time

Stage 2.
Submission of Full Proposal by the Successful Stage 1 Proponents (Compulsory & by Invitation Only): Friday, 01 October 2010, midnight (24:00) – Japanese Standard Time

For queries on the 2010 Annual Calls for Proposals, please contact the APN Secretariat:

Dr. Linda Stevenson
Executive Science Officer
APN Secretariat, East Building 4F
1-5-2 Wakinohama Kaigan Dori, Chuo-Ku
Kobe 651-0073, JAPAN
Tel: +81-78-230-8017
Fax: +81-78-230-8018
Email: lastevenson@apn-gcr.org

Ms. Kristine Garcia
Coordinator
APN Secretariat, East Building 4F
1-5-2 Wakinohama Kaigan Dori, Chuo-Ku
Kobe 651-0073, JAPAN
Tel: +81-78-230-8017
Fax: +81-78-230-8018
Email: kgarcia@apn-gcr.org

Fourth International Conference on Plants & Environmental Pollution (ICPEP-4)

The International Society of Environmental Botanists (ISEB) and National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) of India are jointly organizing the Fourth International Conference on Plants and Environmental Pollution on 8-11 December 2010 in Lucknow, India.

This conference aims to provide an international forum for serious scientific discussions and deliberations on the role of plants in indication and bioremediation of environmental pollution and related areas such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and impact of climate change on agriculture, food security, forestry and human health.

The conference is sponsored by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Indian National Science Academy; Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India; Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India; Monsanto Holdings Private Limited and Murdoch University, Australia.

Interested participants is invited to send abstract of paper for oral presentation and/or poster no later than 30 September 2010. An electronic version of the abstract should  simultaneously be e-mailed to Dr. Ms. Nandita Singh, Convener, Publications Committee, ICPEP-4 on nanditaicpep4@gmail.com with CC to the Organizing Secretaries, ICPEP-4 on isebnbrilko@sify.com.

For further information please e-mail the organizing secretaries  isebnbrilko@sify.com / isebmail@gmail.com or visit http://isebindia.com

• Invitation for co-sponsoring International Conference
• 1st Circular: Fourth International Conference on Plants and Environmental Pollution (ICPEP-4)

New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships

New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS) are open to all international students who meet the eligibility criteria.

Applicants need to show evidence that academic supervision is available when they apply for this scholarship. Applicants should contact the relevant university departments to confirm the availability of appropriate supervision before submitting their applications. Please see the terms and conditions for more information.

The NZIDRS closes to applications on the 15th of July each year.  Applications will be accepted from early May until 5pm (NZ time) on Thursday the 15th of July 2010. Please note that NZIDRS applications received after the closing date and/or incomplete applications will not be considered by the selection panel under any circumstances. This is non-negotiable.

If you have questions about the NZIDR scholarships, please contact the Education New Zealand Scholarships Manager - scholarships@educationnz.org.nz

Early Career Fellowships for Researchers in India

The Wellcome Trust/Department of Biotechnology India Alliance provides fellowships for newly qualified postdoctoral scholars to help them launch their independent research careers in India. This scheme provides a unique opportunity for the most promising postdoctoral researchers moving to India or within India, to make a start in developing their independent research career.
Candidates will be expected to identify an important biomedical research question, and to develop and deliver a personal programme to achieve their research aims. Fellows may normally spend up to 24 months outside the host institution, in other leading laboratories, anywhere in the world.
Applicants in their final year of a Ph.D. program, or with no more than 3 years postdoctoral research experience since their Ph.D. viva date may apply. The fellowships are for 4 years and provide (1) competitive personal support for the fellow, (2) generous funding for research consumables, and (3) funding to work overseas.

The preliminary application deadline is 23 July 2010. The invited full application deadline is 8 October 2010.

For more information, please visit: www.wellcomedbt.org. or  http://wellcomedbt.org/Funding/Fellowship-schemes/Fellowship-schemes.htm

TWAS Fellowships: 2010 Call for Applications Postgraduate, postdoctoral, visiting scholar and advanced research fellowships available to scientists from developing countries

TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, www.twas.org, is now accepting applications for its postgraduate, postdoctoral, visiting scholars and advanced research fellowship programmes. The fellowships are offered to scientists from developing countries and are tenable at centres of excellence in various countries in the South, including Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan and Thailand.

Eligible fields include: agricultural and biological sciences, medical and health sciences, chemistry, engineering, astronomy, space and earth sciences, mathematics and physics. Please see brochure for further details.

Women scientists are especially encouraged to apply.

Launch of the APN's 2010 Special Call for Proposals for Focussed Activities

The Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) is inviting proposals under two (2) Focussed Themes of Activities. Key Area 1 focusses on Ecosystem, Biodiversity and Land Use: Forestry and REDD-plus while Key Area 2 focusses on Resource Utilisation for Sustainable Development: (e.g. Sound Material Society – 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Material Flow and Cycles, etc.). These focus area are divided into two categories. The first category is Scientific Regional Research with average awards of US$45,000 per year for up to 3 years and the second category is Scientific Capacity Development with average awards of US$30,000 per year for up to 2 years.

Expression of Interest must follow the template provided in the APN website and be submitted to Dr. Linda Anne Stevenson (latevenson@apn-gcr.org) by Sunday, 23rd May 2010. For more information, please visit: www.apn-gcr.org.

Asian Regional Conference on Systems Biology (ARCSB) 2010

Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia are pleased to announce the 1st Asian Regional Conference on Systems Biology (ARCSB) 2010 will be held on 29 November – 1 December 2010. The ARCSB 2010 will be the first gathering on systems biology research in this region. This meeting is organized by the Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Topics include :
·         Functional genomics and biological networks
·         Computational methods and tools
·         Proteomics and systems biology
·         Metabolomics and systems biology

Important Deadlines :
·         Abstract                                       15 August 2010
·         Acceptance Notification        15 September 2010
·         Early Bird Registration            30 September 2010        
·         Full Paper                                    31 November 2010

Please find the ARCSB 2010 brochure for your kind perusal.

“Science to Inspire and to help us”
Join us for a Webinar on April 29
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/368233355

• Seminar Brochure
• Get Inspired NOW!

SCIENCE inspires ordinary people to do extraordinary things…
This seminar will provide participants with an opportunity to hear from eminent scientists who will further elaborate on their areas of research under the theme “Science to Inspire and to help us”. Participants will be able to reach to a common consultative platform to discuss and provide valuable input to open up the world of science. Besides that, participants could also establish strategic alliances or professional networks for future joint undertakings or partnership.

This occasional seminar series has been initiated with the support of the Open University Malaysia (OUM) and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) to highlight research undertaken by the members of ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP). ICSU mission is to strengthen science for the benefit of society.

Title  : “Science to Inspire and to help us”
Date : Thursday, April 29, 2010
Time : 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM SGT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

First Circular: 3rd International Conference on Geoinformation Technology for Natural Disaster Management and Rehablitation

The third International Conference on Geoinformation Technology for Natural Disaster Management and Rehabilitation will be held on 19 - 20 October 2010 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The conference is organized by the Association for Geoinformation Technology (AgIT), Geoinformatics International with co-organizer Japan-Vietnam Geoinformatics Consortium (JVGC), UNIGIS International Association (UNIGIS) and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The media partners are International Journal of Geoinformatics, Asian Surveying and Mapping (ASM), Disaster Advances.

The conference will focus on the use of geoinformatics for natural disaster preparedness and for rehabilitation and risk management by exploring the various causative factors. There will also be deliberations on how to use GIS for better planning of risk areas and rehabilitation.

Interested participants are cordially invited to attend, exhibit and sponsor the conference.
For paper/poster submission, sponsoring and exhibition please contact Event Manager, Ms. Nitiporn Saardmaung, git4ndm10@gmail.com, nitiporn.ijg@gmail.com
Please click on the registration form link and send the completed registration form (including payment details) as soon as possible.

• 3rd Int. Conference on Geoinformation Technology for Natural Disaster Management & Rehabilitation registration form

Open Science Meeting on Harmful Algal Blooms in Benthic Systems

The Global Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (GEOHAB) program is pleased to announce an open science meeting (OSM) on HABs in Benthic Systems, to be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on 21-24 June 2010.  The OSM will present the latest knowledge on the environmental causes and controls of benthic HAB species, such as Gambierdiscus and Ostreopsis, and will result in a plan for research to advance our knowledge. The OSM will include plenary presentations, discussion sessions, and a poster session. Abstracts should be contributed through the registration website.

Early registration is open now (see http://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=2067) and will extend until 1 May 2010. Registration fee covers participation in all scheduled conference events by the attendees. Information on accommodation options is available at the registration web site.

Training Workshop: ‘Taxonomy challenges and identification of benthic dinoflagellates’.

In conjunction with the meeting there will be a training workshop from 25 to 28 June on ‘Taxonomy challenges and identification of benthic dinoflagellates’. The training workshop will include microscopy and molecular techniques. Trainers include Drs. Jacob Larsen, Wayne Litaker, Pat Tester and Mona Hoppenrath. The training workshop can accommodate at maximum 16 participants. The training workshop is open to participants in the open science meeting. There is no additional fee to attend the training workshop but participants are expected to cover their own accommodation and meals. Please click on the link to the training workshop on the left side of this screen for information about how to register for the workshop.

Additional information about the Open Science Meeting and the subsequent Training Workshop is available at www.geohab.info.

Call for Nominations: SCOPE-Zhongyu Environmental Awards

SCOPE is pleased to announce a joint 10-year Environmental Awards Programme between SCOPE and the Zhongyu Environmental Technology Corporation, Jiangsu, China.
Starting in 2010, environmental achievement awards will be confered on a biennial basis to two scientists or experts who have made significant contributions to environmental sciences and technological advances. Additionally three young researchers who have made outstanding achievements in the field of 1) environmental sciences, 2) environmental technology, and 3) environmental management will be recognised. SCOPE Member and Partner organisations may nominate candidates for the Awards (self nomination is not possible).
In the event you wish to nominate a candidate, we encourage  you to contact the focal point for SCOPE in your country or for your discipline. The list of SCOPE Member organisations and the directory of their representatives to SCOPE can be found at “SCOPE Network” on its homepage (http://www.icsu-scope.org/ ).
SCOPE welcomes your nominations that must include all supporting documentation by 30 April 2010 at the latest. SCOPE will be glad to answer any questions you might have, and look forward to your response and support in this first year of the SCOPE-Zhongyu Environmental Awards.
Please visit the following link for further information.

http://www.icsu-scope.org/Latest%20News/SCOPE-Zhongyu%20Environmental% 20Awards.pdf

• Life Achievement Nomination Form
• Young Scientist Nomination Form

1st Announcement: International Symposium on Urban Futures and Human and Ecosystem Wellbeing

The International Symposium on Urban Futures and Human and Ecosystem Wellbeing is jointly sponsored by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE). It will be held on 26 to 30 October 2010 at Skyway Pullman Hotel, Shanghai, China.

The symposium will bring together scientists, researchers, planners and managers who are concerned with and committed to creating urban ecosystems that are ecologically creative, economically vibrant and socially entrepreneurial; and those who can draw from the global heritage of urban pasts and presents to build city futures that are sustainable and face up to the challenges of mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The organization of the symposium shall be coordinated and managed by the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, CAS. Please contact Dr. N. Ishwaran (n.ishwaran@unesco.org), Dr. Veronique Plocq Fichelet (vpf@icsu-scope.org) or Dr. Jiang Biao (jiangb@sari.ac.cn) for any queries or information.

• Urban Futures and Human and Ecosystem Wellbeing flyer

SCAR Fellowship Scheme

The SCAR Fellowship Scheme is now open for 2010-11 and applications are invited.  The scheme is designed to encourage the active involvement of early career scientists in Antarctic scientific research, allowing researchers from one SCAR Member country to undertake research in an institute in another SCAR Member country.

Applicants should be either currently studying for or within five years of completing a PhD and their research should make a contribution to the objectives of one of the Scientific Research Programmes endorsed by SCAR (see http://www.scar.org/researchgroups/).
Proposals must be made on the application form, which should be submitted electronically to the SCAR Secretariat (info@scar.org) by Saturday 15th May 2010.

Call for Nomination: Science Planning Group on Human Health and Wellbeing in the Urban Environment

ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is in the process of establishing a Science Planning Group on Human Health and Wellbeing in the Urban Environment. The goal of the science planning group is to provide a science plan that the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific can use to enhance fundamental science, promote research on the science of urban health and well-being, and promote the use of that science for the benefit of the people of the region.
We seek members who can play an active role in the development of the Science Plan on Human Health and Wellbeing in the Urban Environment of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific with a strong background in scientific research and development. The work of the Group will be based on the draft Terms of Reference (ToR) and basic criteria of the ICSU Science Plan on Human Health and Wellbeing in the Urban Environment.
Interested scientists or researchers may fill in the Nomination Form and submit to their National Members, ICSU International Unions and members of the Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific. The nominations will lead to a new perspective and  a way forward for urban health and well-being specifically in Asia and the Pacific.
The closing date for the nominations is on 31 March 2010.

• Terms of Reference (ToR)
• Nomination Form

Call for Application: International Workshop on “Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Urban Development Planning for Asian Coastal Cities”
 
The International Workshop on “Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Urban Development Planning for Asian Coastal Cities” is co-organized by SEA-START and The East-West Center and sponsored by Asia Pacific Network.
Workshop objectives include:

1. The development of capacity on the part of urban planners, managers, and researchers in climate change risk and vulnerability assessment and its application to urban development planning and governance.
2. The promotion of locally led risk and vulnerability research in Asian coastal cities that is linked to user needs.
3. The development of partnerships between researchers, planners, and policy makers that encourage “communities of knowledge” for vulnerability assessment in each participating city.

Topics to be addressed in the workshop include:

1. Analysis of risks of coastal floods
2. Analysis of socio-economic vulnerability to flooding and vulnerability mapping
3. Risk and vulnerability communication and visualization
4. Integration of risk vulnerability analysis with urban planning, development and governance

Workshop participation is open to researchers, urban planners and managers, practitioners, professionals and policymakers interested in and working on topics related to the workshop topics. While applications from individuals will be accepted, preference will be given to applications from city-specific teams that consist of at least one researcher and one practitioner/professional from planning, development and/or environmental agencies. Early to mid-career applicants are particularly encouraged to apply.
Interested applicants should submit the following materials to the Southeast Asia START Regional Center (SEA-START) no later than 1 March 2010.

• A curriculum vitae for each applicant
• A written letter of interest describing the relevance of the workshop to the applicant/team’s

For more information about the workshop and/or this call for applications, please contact car2@start.or.th
Please click on the link for the workshop announcement brochure.

Engage in the Green Energy Simulations free web seminar

This webinar will demonstrate some of the many applications where Green Energy Simulations are crucial to engineering success. Examples will cover solar, wind and hydropower. You will see how to handle the coupled effects that are constantly present in Green Energy Simulations.

Please join us for this webinar and learn about topics including:

• Producing biofuels
• Manufacturing solar panels
• Wind-loading on a solar array
• Optimizing batteries and fuel cells

For further details please visit https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration
/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=189197&sessionid
=1&key=7D3C26B9E7B6C4466F3D86ADA7246896&sourcepage=register

Announcement of 2010 SCOR General Meeting and Call for Working Group Proposals

The XXXth SCOR General Meeting will take place in Toulouse, France on 14-16 September 2010. The French SCOR Committee will convene a one-day symposium on 13 September to highlight French ocean science and their contributions to SCOR.

The SCOR Secretariat will accept proposals for new working groups from now until 14 April 2010. Model proposals and other information about working groups can be found at
http://www.scor-int.org/wkgrpinfo.htm. SCOR examines the disciplinary balance of its working groups annually. The 2009 evaluation found that the set of SCOR working groups is relatively balanced. For 2010, SCOR particularly welcomes proposals based in marine geology, chemistry and paleoecology and related disciplines. Additionally, SCOR would welcome proposals specifically in

• Climate-related studies in preparation for the next IPCC assessment
• Identifying limitations to prediction and confidence in the future state of the ocean
• Interactions and mechanisms in abrupt climate change
• Human health and disaster impact
• Sea level changes and ice movement

For more details of the meeting, please visit http://www.scor-int.org/2010GM/2010GM.htm

Earth System Visioning Process: “Grand Challenges in Global Sustainability Research: A Systems Approach to Research Priorities for the Decade”

Year 2009, ICSU launched the Earth system visioning process to engage the scientific community to explore options and to propose implementation steps for a holistic strategy on Earth system research. The first step in this process is examining the research needs. “Grand Challenges in Global Sustainability Research: A Systems Approach to Research Priorities for the Decade” is one of the programme under the Earth System Visioning Process.

The draft “Grand Challenges in Global Sustainability Research: A Systems Approach to Research Priorities for the Decade” document seeks to mobilize social and natural scientists and the humanities around an unprecedented 10-year scientific effort to address the challenges in global sustainability research. The selection of the Grand Challenges and research priorities is being carried out through a process that began with an Internet consultation in July and August 2009.  The Internet consultation yielded more than 300 proposed Earth System research priorities contributed by registered users from 85 countries.

The current draft is a synthesis of the meeting discussions, informed by comments from the meeting participants, a brief consultation with the global environmental change programmes and subsequent discussions among the core writing group. It aims to be a representative summary of areas where there is consensus. The process of producing this document has been a consultative one where common ground has been favoured over individual priorities. It is forward-looking document that focuses on research directions rather than institutional arrangements, which will be examined in the next step of the visioning process. 

Involvement of wider community will help further strengthen the foundation on which the subsequent steps in the visioning process will build upon.  Your review of this document is the first step of the fairly extensive review and revision process. 

Please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/22BLPKJ to obtain the draft document and submit your comment before 21 February 2010. Further information on visioning process can be found at http://www.icsu-visioning.org .

First announcement: IMBER IMBIZO II “Integrating biogeochemistry and ecosystems in a changing ocean: Regional comparisons”
IMBER is an IGBP-SCOR project focusing on ocean biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems research. The goal of IMBER is “to investigate the sensitivity of marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems to global change, on time scales ranging from years to decades”.

IMBER IMBIZO II will be held in Crete, Greece, 10-14 October 2010. It will review current knowledge and identify key questions for future research on: elemental ratios and food quality, large-scale regional comparisons and food web sensitivity to enhanced stratification.

The IMBIZO's innovative format of three concurrent and interacting workshops with joint plenary and poster sessions will provide a forum for stimulating discussion between interdisciplinary experts and encourage the linkage between biogeochemistry and ecosystem research. The size of the workshops will be restricted and the total IMBIZO participants limited to 120.

The three concurrent workshops are:

1. The effect of varying element ratios on community structure at low trophic levels and food quality at mid and high trophic levels (co-chaired by Dan Repeta and Rory Wilson)
   
   
2. Large-scale regional comparisons of marine biogeochemistry and ecosystem processes - research approaches and results (co-chaired by Ken Drinkwater and Raleigh Hood)
   
   
3. Sensitivity of marine food webs and biogeochemical cycles to enhanced stratification (co-chaired by Michio Kishi and Michael Landry)
   

Each workshop will prepare a special journal issue containing synthesis and primary research papers resulting from the workshop contributions and discussions.

IMBER IMBIZO II will also provide an opportunity for junior and senior scientists to participate in an interactive 'Dry Cruise' workshop (chaired by Alberto Piola) on 10 October 2010. The conference poster can be downloaded for printing at: (https://www.confmanager.com/communities/c1683/files/hidden/IMBIZO2-def.jpg).

For further information, please visit the following link.

2nd World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) Planning Committee Meets in January in Singapore

The Planning Committee Meeting of the 2nd World Conference on Research Integrity (2WCRI) will be held on 5th January 2010, Tuesday at Nanyang Executive Centre, Nanyang Technological University Singapore. The committee will discuss the conference structure, logistics, substance and action items. The 2nd WCRI will be held on 21 to 24 July 2010 at the Pan Pacifc Hotel Singapore. It will:

• Explore research integrity issues in depth
• Demonstrate the global research community’s commitment to the highest standards of behaviour in research
• Develop the global networks and understandings needed to maintain public confidence in research in whatever field and wherever it is undertaken

Vacancy in Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) : Executive Director

IRDR is an exciting decade-long, internationally integrated, all-hazards research
programme bringing together the talents of the natural, social, medical and engineering
sciences in a way not attempted before. Its objectives are the scientific characterization of natural and human-induced environmental hazards, vulnerability and risk; the
understanding of decision-making in complex and changing risk contexts; and the reduction of risk and curbing losses through knowledge-based actions. The programme is founded on the recognition that disaster prevention and mitigation are critical dimensions of the global poverty reduction agenda and efforts to adapt to climate change, and should be an integral part of all international and national development efforts.

The Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) seeks an Executive Director to assist in the running of the SCAR Secretariat. Applications explaining the skills and experience and including a full CV and the details of three referees should be sent by January 14th, 2010, to:

Dr Howard Moore
International Council for Science (ICSU)
5, rue Auguste Vacquerie
75116 Paris
France
e-mail: howard.moore@icsu.org

Newsletter: WRCP on Climate Research

 World Climate Research Programme (WRCP) released its WRCP News 16 and emphasized four main section. The first section is Science Highlights consist of Special Collection J. Climate: US CLIVAR Drought Initiative; GRL article: Evidence of long-term warming in the USA; SPARC and the Montreal Protocol; GRL article: Indian Ocean Dipole preconditioning Australia bush fires; Nature Article : El Nino in a Changing Climate; and Tracking Changes in Earth's Global Energy: an Imperative for Adaptation.

Awards in the WCRP Community is the second section and embrace the Milutin Milankovic Medal awarded to WGCM former Co-chair Pascale Braconnot; AMS Special Award to the CMIP3 team at PCMDI; and 2010 Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal to Dr Tim Palmer. The third section is News included UNEP Climate Change Science Compendium 2009; CINDY2011 and DYNAMO: The two process studies received the CLIVAR endorsement; Major new initiative on climate change and agriculture; ELSEVIER journal "Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability"; A successful GEWEX-iLEAPS joint conference on Water in a Changing Climate; and New report: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States.

The final section highlighted the upcoming events of  the 22nd session of the GEWEX Scientific Steering Group; 6th session of the CLiC Scientific Steering Group; 31st session of the Joint Scientific Committee for WCRP; Capacity Building: The 2010 Southwestern Hemisphere Workshop Series on Climate Change: CO2, the Biosphere and Climate; 4th session of the WCRP Observation and Assimilation Panel; Mathematical and Statistical Approaches to Climate Modelling and Prediction: 11 August-22 December 2010; and CCMAP: Integrating Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation into Development Planning project. 

To subscribe/unsubscribe the WRCP News, please send an email to wcrp@wmo.int. Contributions to e-zine N° 17 to be published in March 2010 should also be addressed to wcrp@wmo.int by 15 February 2010.

Vacancy in Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) : Executive Officer

SCAR is a body of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and is also registered as a UK Company and Charity. It facilitates and coordinates Antarctic and Southern Ocean research and identifies issues emerging from greater scientific understanding of the region that should be brought to the attention of policy makers. Its objectives and activities are described on the SCAR website at http://www.scar.org.

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) seeks an Executive Officer to assist in the running of the SCAR Secretariat. This is a permanent position with a 6-month probationary period. Applications explaining relevant experience and including a full CV and the names of two referees should be sent by January 10th, 2010, to the SCAR Secretariat, Scott Polar Research Institute, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1ER, UK (by mail or fax (+44 1223 336549), but preferably by e-mail to info@scar.org).

DFID New Funding for Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation Research

The Department for International Development (DFID), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) announced a new funding with the total amount of £40.5 million for the Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) research programme. This partnership combines £27m of DFID's development research funding together with £13·5m of UK research council funding. This unique partnership will deliver research that is both developmentally relevant and scientifically excellent.

This programme is seeking to fund high quality and cutting-edge research that will improve our understanding of ecosystems in terms of the services they provide for poverty reduction and inclusive growth processes. It also intends to develop and provide the evidence and tools to enable decision makers and end use to manage ecosystems sustainably and in a way that contributes to poverty reduction.

The two-year process to design the programme and strengthen research capacity is completed and full details of the ESPA scope and implementation plan have been ratified by all the partners in the ESPA Programme Memorandum. ESPA Programme Memorandum can be found here. (http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/espa/documents/espa-programme-plan.pdf )

8th Meeting of ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific

The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) will host the 8th Meeting of ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific. It will take place in Hayama, Japan on 25 – 26 November 2009. The meeting will discuss the progress and future activities of ICSU ROAP and budget for year 2010. All thirteen regional committee members are expected to participate in the meeting. This will include two new members Professor Hong Kum Lee of Korea and Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar of Indonesia. Members of the ICSU Regional Committees are leading scientists appointed to serve in their individual capacity.

• Draft Agenda 8th Meeting ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and The Pacific (RCAP)

Report: 3rd ICSU Regional Consultation for Asia & the Pacific

The 3rd ICSU Regional Consultation for Asia and the Pacific was hosted by the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies of Universiti Sains Malaysia at g-hotel, Penang, Malaysia on 13th and 14th October, 2009. The consultation was launched by the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation Malaysia, YB Tuan Haji Fadillah Hj Yusof. A total of 36 participants from National Members and Unions attended the consultation.

Please click on the following link for the report of the Chair’s Summary Report of the consultation.

• Report: 3rd ICSU Regional Consultation for Asia & the Pacific

3rd ICSU Regional Consultation in Asia and the Pacific

The International Council for Science (ICSU), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) will hold its 3rd Regional Consultation in Asia and the Pacific for the first time in Penang, Malaysia, next week (13 and 14 October 2009). This biennial event is being hosted by the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) of University of Sciences Malaysia (USM). Leading scientists from around the world will gather at this two-day event to discuss and address how science can contribute to address some of the most pressing challenges facing society today, including: hazards and disasters; ecosystem change; sustainable energy and climate change. The aim of the Consultation is to bring together members of ICSU and other scientists, especially those in Asia and the Pacific, to plan activities that ICSU ROAP will promote. The event will be launched by the Honorable Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia YB Tuan Haji Fadillah Hj Yusof. His Ministry hosts ICSU ROAP in Kuala Lumpur at the offices of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. It is centrally placed to play a key role in the participation of developing country scientists in international research and training programmes throughout Asia and the Pacific. In this way Malaysia has
also become better known at the global level as a key player for the development of science for the benefit of society. The ICSU Regional Consultation will also examine the experiences of Africa, and of Latin America and the Caribbean in establishing ICSU offices at the regional level. Participation in this Consultation provides the members of ICSU (National Members, Scientific Unions, Interdisciplinary Bodies and Joint Initiatives, and ICSU Associate Members) with an excellent opportunity to interact, gain knowledge, and develop insights into priority areas of research in Asia and the Pacific with peers from all over the world. For more details please see the final programme for the consultation.

• 3rd ICSU Regional Consultation for Asia & the Pacific

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) consultation

The IUCN is conducting a survey in collaboration with other partners, through which it seeks the perspectives of the scientific community and broader civil society on the need for IPBES - the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. IPBES is a mechanism proposed to further strengthen the science-policy interface on biodiversity and ecosystem services. It aims to add to existing processes that aim at ensuring that decisions are made on the basis of the best available scientific information on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services. It is proposed as a broadly similar mechanism to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It builds on the outcomes of the IMoSEB consultations (www.IMoSEB.net), undertaken during 2006-2007, and the follow-up activities to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (www.millenniumassessment.org), and aims to identify the perspectives of the community on the ongoing discussions relating to establishing an Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES – see www.IPBES.net). The IPBES Consultation Survey is carried out through collaborative work among IUCN, ICSU and DIVERSITAS.

Click here to access the survey (deadline for completion 13 September 2009). 

WFI International Fellowship Program - Term: 6-12 months - Applications accepted year-round.  

The WFI Fellowship brings professionals in natural resources to conduct a practical research project at the World Forestry Center.  In addition to projects, Fellows participate in weekly field trips, interviews and site visits to Northwest forestry organizations, research labs, universities, public and private timberlands, trade associations, mills, and corporations.  The Fellowship is a unique opportunity to learn about sustainable forestry from the Pacific Northwest forestry sector, and to work with colleagues from around the world.  Fellowships are open to any country, and there is a matching grant from the Harry A. Merlo Foundation.  Over 75 Fellows from 24 countries have participated to date.  Applications are accepted year-round.  For details, visit: 

• http://wfi.worldforestry.org/index/international-fellowship.html

3rd ICSU Regional Consultation in Asia and the Pacific

ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) will organize the 3rd ICSU Regional Consultation in Asia and the Pacific on 13 and 14 October 2009, in Penang, Malaysia. The Consultation will be hosted by the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Universiti Sains Malaysia. The aim of the Consultation is to bring together members of ICSU to assess progress of ROAP and plan its forthcoming activities. Participation is open only to members of ICSU (National Scientific Members, Scientific Unions, Interdisciplinary Bodies and Joint Initiatives and ICSU Associate Members)  Selected speakers will be invited to speak on particular topics relevant to the programmes being developed by ICSU ROAP. A preliminary programme is available for reference. As in previous years participants provide their own support to attend the Consultation.

• 3rd ICSU Regional Consultation for Asia & the Pacific

Science Plan on Sustainable Energy

Substantial effort is needed to explore sustainable sources of energy if we are
to maintain present standards of living in the developed countries and improve those
of the developing countries. If new and emerging energy technologies are to make a serious contribution to sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region investment patterns, intellectual effort and capacity building need to be planned for the short and long term.

This Plan outlines proposed areas of endeavour identified by ICSU Science Planning Group on Sustainable Energy to achieve this aim and should be interpreted broadly and positively by researchers, funding agencies and governments.

• Science Plan on Sustainable Energy

Humans, Ecosystems and Well-being

• Ecosystem Change and Human Well-being report

ICSU-funded Spring School: Fluid Mechanics and Geophysics of Environmental Hazards.

This is to announce the ICSU-funded Spring School on the subject "Fluid Mechanics and Geophysics of Environmental Hazards” that will be held from 19th April to 2nd May 2009 at the Institute for Mathematical Sciences, National University of Singapore. This is an activity under ICSU priority area on "Natural and Human-Induced Environmental Hazards and Disasters"

The School is aimed at Graduate Students and young Researchers in Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering Sciences, and the organizers hope to attract students particularly from Asia and the Pacific Region. *Grants are available for the support of suitably qualified applicants.*

International Conference on Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones and Climate Change
Date: 8 - 11 March 2009

Organisation: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)/ Government of Oman

The Conference will bring together leading experts, from both research and operational meteorological environments. The event aims to be a first step towards an ongoing international focus on the potential impacts of climate change on the Indian Ocean, and its proceedings will be published as a WMO technical document. Members of the World Weather Research Programme Expert Team will present papers on various aspects of climate change impacts on tropical cyclones.

The broad thematic areas of the conference are:

• Operational Tropical Cyclone Forecasting and warning Systems;
• Progress on tropical Cyclogenesis;
• Climate Change and Tropical Cyclone Activity;
• Assessment of Risk and Vulnerability from tropical Cyclones, including construction, archival and retrieval of best-track and historic data sets;
• Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reduction;
• Recent high impact tropical cyclone events in the Indian Ocean: Nargis, SIDR, Gonu and other events.