UK National Committee for Antarctic Research

Also in UK National Committee for Antarctic Research

About the committee

The UK National Committee for Antarctic Research (UKNCAR) promotes and co-ordinates the UK’s interest in the activities of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and other areas of international Antarctic scientific activity.

It is a committee under the auspices of the British Antarctic Survey, the national body representing UK interests to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

The UKNCAR is responsible for disseminating information about SCAR in the United Kingdom, including the distribution of SCAR reports and bulletins. The UKNCAR is responsible for the election and appointment of Delegates, Alternate Delegates and Standing Scientific Group representatives, and for ensuring that these UK participants represent national interests and communicate information and decisions from SCAR activities to the UK community.

Terms of Reference

The Committee shall meet at least once each year and provide publicly available minutes of its decisions. The membership shall include but not be restricted to:

Ex officio

  • Director of BAS
  • Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute
Members
  • UK Office Holders of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
  • UK Representatives appointed to the SCAR Standing Scientific Groups
  • UK Delegate and Alternative Delegate to SCAR
Co-opted
  • Individuals representing UK scientific interests in the Antarctic not already adequately represented (particularly from organisations other than BAS)

The terms of office for Ex officio Members and UK Office Holders, Representatives and Delegates to SCAR will not be restricted, because of their terms of appointment. Co-opted Members will serve for a period of three years, once renewable.

A Chair will be selected from the membership outside BAS and appointed with the approval of BAS. The Chair shall serve for a period of no more than five years. The Chair will also be a member of the Royal Society’s Scientific Unions Committee.

The Committee shall be responsible for promoting and coordinating the UK’s interest in the activities of SCAR and other areas of international Antarctic scientific activity as required. The Committee responsibilities will include the following:

  1. to elect the UK Delegate and the Alternate Delegate to SCAR;
  2. to brief and debrief the UK Delegates;
  3. to appoint the UK Representatives to the Standing Scientific Groups and brief them;
  4. to maintain knowledge of Antarctic science activities in the UK especially in relation to international activities and to disseminate information on the activities of SCAR;
  5. to coordinate UK activities in Antarctic research and consider future developments;
  6. to keep the Royal Society informed of UK Antarctic activities and to report to the Scientific Unions Committee;
  7. to setup ad hoc working groups and/or organise meetings as necessary.

All members of the Committee shall accept responsibilities for consulting with their disciplinary colleagues active in Antarctic research to ensure that the Committee’s decisions are informed by community concerns. They will also be responsible for providing information to the UK science community on the activities of SCAR.

A small Executive of no more than six members of the Committee will provide the interaction between SCAR and the Committee. The Executive’s membership shall be the Chair, the UK Office Holders of SCAR, and the principal UK Representative from the SCAR Standing Scientific Groups and Committees not already represented.

Any changes to the terms of reference shall be agreed by BAS.