International coordination 2016-2020 of the International Permafrost Association at the University Centre in Svalbard

I perioden 2018-2020 IPA Executive Director Sarah Strand og IPA President Hanne H. Christiansen ledet IPA Executive Committee, produserte de årlige nyhetsbreve, håndterte al kommunikasjon for IPA samt ledede IPA's Council. Både IPA Executive Director og IPA President deltog i First International Southern Hemisphere Conference on Permafrost in desember 2019 i New Zealand, IPAs regionale konferanse i 2019. Den planlagte 12th International Conference on Permafrost (ICOP) skulle ha funnet sted i juni 2020 i Lanzhou i Kina. Den ble avlyst og utsatt til 2022 pga COVID-19. Men IPA Secretariatet gjennomførte the tilhørende IPA Council møte digitalt og dermed fik IPA ny President Dr. Chris Burn fra Canada i slutningen av juni 2020. IPA Secretariatet gjennomførte overdragelse til nytt sekretariat i Canada over sommeren og tidlig høst 2020.

Vi har kjørt IPA Secretariatet i en 4-årig periode som var hovedformålet med dette prosjekt. Effekten har vært at IPA har vært tilfreds med arbeidet og ledelsen som Norge har gjort på denne måte i denne periode.

In this project we apply for support to allow Norway to coordinate the International Permafrost Association, IPA during the period 2016-2020 when Norway will have the Presidency of this association for the first time ever. The mission of the International Permafrost Association (www.permafrost.org) is to promote research in permafrost and permafrost-related fields within the global scientific and engineering communities, to support the activities of researchers in these disciplines, and to disseminate findings concerning permafrost to the decision-makers, the general public and educators. Thus operating the International Secretariat of the IPA is a contribution to international research cooperation and outreach primarily within cryospheric and engineering sciences, but also with links to biogeochemistry and social sciences. We apply for funding to support on a part-time basis the position of the IPA Executive Director who runs the Secretariat. We also plan to provide assistance to the establishment and operation of a Norwegian Permafrost Association (NPA), which will combine the different engineering and science environments working with permafrost in Norway. With the IPA President 2016-2020 Prof. Dr. Hanne H. Christiansen working at the University Centre in Svalbard, UNIS, we hereby apply for support to locate the IPA Secretariat with her at UNIS in the Svalbard Science Park in Longyearbyen, ensuring a good and efficient operation of the IPA during the Norwegian Presidency, which will also be the first female IPA President ever.