Join us: Polar Geophysics SIG at NSF NGF Conference (June 2, 4 PM ET)

[Weisen Shen]

Dear EarthScope Community,

I'm writing to invite you to a Special Interest Group (SIG) session on polar geophysics at the upcoming NSF NGF Community Science Conference:

"Polar Geophysics: Community Coordination and IPY 2032-2033 Preparation"
Monday, June 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time
Virtual session (1 hour)

About the Session: The polar geophysics community is at a critical juncture as we prepare for the International Polar Year (IPY) 2032-2033 and plan the next generation of Antarctic and Arctic research projects. This SIG will bring together researchers, facility staff, and NSF program officers to discuss community needs, coordinate future efforts, and build momentum for collaborative polar science.

Preliminary Session Topics:
- EarthScope polar capabilities and instrumentation development
- Future Antarctic and Arctic field project coordination
- IPY 2032-2033 community preparation
- NSF Office of Polar Programs updates
- "Base of operations" coordination for multi-project support
- Lessons from international partnerships (POLENET, AGAP)

Format: This will be an interactive, discussion-based session rather than presentation-heavy. We'll prioritize community input, Q&A, and collaborative planning.

Organizers: 

Earthscope Staff Co-Lead: Joe Pettit (Polar Program Manager)

Co-organized by: Rick Aster (Colorado State University); Sam Hansen (University of Alabama); Paul Winberry (Central Washington University); Weisen Shen (Stony Brook University)

Registration: All participants must register for the NSF NGF Community Science Conference. The session recording will be made available after the conference for those unable to attend live.

We hope to see many of you there as we work together to coordinate the next generation of polar geophysics research!

Best regards,
Weisen Shen
on behalf of the SIG organizing team