Artic ExpeditionNational Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa-403804, an autonomous R & D Institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, designated as the nodal agency responsible for the planning, co-ordination and implementation of India’s scientific research endeavours in the Arctic realm, has invited proposals for scientific research in the Arctic region (2020-2021).

NCPOR has invited research proposals from national scientific organisations/institutions, research laboratories and universities with a sustained interest in polar research for funded access (comprising travel, DA as per the Government of India norms, polar clothing, boarding and lodging) to the Ny-Alesund Research Infrastructure in Svalbard, Norway.

Scientific research proposals are invited, specifically within the following fields of Arctic research: (i) Atmospheric Science with special reference to study of aerosols, trace gases and precipitation over the Arctic (ii) Marine Science: Dynamics and functioning of Arctic fjords (Kongsfjorden) (iii) Environmental Chemistry: Natural contaminants in food webs and long range pollutants (iv) Cryospheric studies: Snow and ice chemistry, glaciology

Eligibility Criteria: The Principal Investigator (P.I.) as well as the co-investigator(s) if any, who would be submitting the proposal should be permanent employees of the institution which would be sponsoring the project and must have sufficient experience in the relevant field. Any scientist who would be involved in the data acquisition along with the PI or on his behalf should necessarily be from the same institute/department. The scientists intending to participate in the field studies should be medically fit for working in cold regions.

NCPOR encourages scientific collaborations among the different national organizations/institutions. Collaboration with scientists of other nationalities especially during the data acquisition phase should be only with the prior knowledge and concurrence of NCPOR.

Project Proposal: Scientific research proposals in the prescribed format duly endorsed by the head of the organization should reach ‘Director, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Goa 403 804’, latest by 5 pm on 5th January 2020.

Scientists from organisations who have been members of the previous teams which carried out scientific studies at Ny-Ålesund during the previous years should resubmit their proposal if they would like to continue their studies during 2020-21. A report of the salient results of the studies carried out by them should accompany the proposal.

Selection Procedure: The proposals would be peer-reviewed in terms of both scientific content as well as logistic feasibility prior to submission to a Group of Experts along with the reviewer’s comments, for the final recommendation. PI may be required to defend the proposals before the Group of Experts.

The final recommendations of the projects for implementation would be dictated by the ranking of the project by the reviewer(s), the significance of the proposed work vis-à-vis any similar studies at Svalbard by scientists from other nations, the logistic feasibilities, the time slot proposed, and the institutional commitment. The scientific projects may also be referred to the Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee (NySMAC) of international scientists in order to ensure that the planned research at the settlement is not in conflict with the ongoing studies in similar disciplines as well as the environmental laws and regulations in vogue at Ny-Ålesund.

Novel long-term scientific programs that will add to the knowledge-base of the Arctic realm and enhance India’s scientific credentials in Polar research would get precedence over short-duration projects which will merely add to the Arctic database.

Applicants are also encouraged to visit websites https://www.researchinsvalbard.no and www.kingsbay.no for more information regarding Arctic research.

Complete programme, eligibility, and application information is available at: http://www.ncpor.res.in.