The IUGG Electronic JournalVolume 4 No. 9 (September 1, 2004)This short, informal newsletter is intended to keep IUGG Member National Committees informed about the activities of the IUGG Associations, and actions of the IUGG Secretariat. Past issues are posted on the IUGG Web site. Please forward this message to those who will benefit from the information. Your comments are welcome. Contents
1. First ICSU Regional Meeting in Africa Prof. Charles Merry, Chairman of the South African National Committee for IUGG, will represent IUGG at the First ICSU Regional Meeting for Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe on 9-11 October 2004. The meeting will discuss how the ICSU Regional Office for Africa, which will be located in Pretoria, South Africa, can contribute to the strengthening of African science. A three-year workplan will be developed setting priorities and identifying opportunities for strengthened collaboration with ICSU, its Unions and Interdisciplinary Bodies. Ultimately, ICSU will establish 4 Regional offices "to promote the development and strengthening of science in the context of regional priorities and bring the science of developing countries closer to ICSU." 2. Hydrological Sciences Journal (HSJ) online in 2005 To coincide with publication of the 50th volume of Hydrological Sciences Journal (HSJ), an online version of HSJ will be launched in January 2005. As a sample, issue 49(2), April 2004, is freely available for a limited period. To access the journal, click here: www.extenza-eps.com/extenza/contentviewing. HSJ online is hosted by Extenza e-Publishing Services. Information about prices and subscriptions may be found by clicking on "About HSJ" at the Extenza site, or via the IAHS web site. 3. Preservation of WWSSN and Historical Seismograms A committee has been established by the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earths Interior (IASPEI) to raise awareness and money from institutions and individuals so that WWSSN and Historical seismograms can be scanned into image files for long-term preservation. By establishing 'International Digital Earthquake Archives' (IDEAs) online, seismograms and related materials can be made freely accessible for selected earthquakes from 1882 to early 1980s. This committee is being organized by W.H.K. Lee. If you have any comments or suggestions or if you are willing to serve, please contact him at whklee@ix.netcom.com. The July 30, 2004 issue of the International Heliophysical Year (IHY) newsletter is on line at http://ihy.gsfc.nasa.gov (look for it under Newsroom). It describes the outcome of a successful US Planning Workshop held on April 20-22, and details about IHY Science Coordination Database. They also report that the UK IHY website is online at www.ihy.rl.ac.uk. Of special note, the participants at the 12th United Nations/European Space Agency Workshop on Basic Space Science (held in Beijing in May 2004) recommended that the UN/ESA 2005 workshop on basic space science in developing nations be directed toward promoting the possible ways that developing nations might participate actively in the scientific plans developed in the context of IHY 2007. Finally, IHY would like to maintain a list of scientific meetings on their website that include science relevant to IHY. Please contact Barbara.J.Thompson@nasa.gov to place your meeting on that list. The International Council for Science (ICSU) is requesting nominations for an ICSU/WMO Joint Committee for planning and coordination of the International Polar Year (IPY). The initial Outline Science Plan for IPY 2007-2008 is now posted at www.ipy.org. The steering committee for the electronic Geophysical Year (eGY) initiative met during the recent COSPAR meeting in Paris. Discussion will continue following the IUGG Executive Committee meeting in Boulder to refine actions plans, collaborations and timetables. Dr. Gerassimos A. Papadopoulos, Vice-Chair of the Tsunami Commission, was presented with the Euroscience Rammal Award at the August 25-28 EuroScience Open Forum in Stockholm. The position of Assistant to the Office of the Secretariat is part-time (no more than 20 hours/week) and is funded through a grant by the US National Science Foundation to the University of Colorado Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) in support of the Office of the Secretariat. Ms Vidya Jayakar, a graduate student in Electrical Engineering at the University of Colorado, has filled this position since April and has done an excellent job attending to the many facets of the Office of the IUGG Secretariat. Unfortunately, her academic responsibilities have increased and she is no longer able to continue beyond September 3. I am grateful for the hard work and skill that Vidya has brought to IUGG, and wish her well in her studies and beyond. Taking her place is Ms Katina Rogers, a graduate student in Comparative Literature. She is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish, and has lived in both France and Switzerland. Of special note, while completing her undergraduate degree, she founded and was the Editor of the Wheaton Clarion, an alternative campus newspaper that encouraged understanding and stimulated discussion on international conflicts and issues of social justice. Vidya and Katina are working together so that the transition will be as smooth as possible. Welcome Katina! 7. IUGG-Related Meetings Occurring during September - November 2004 A calendar of meetings of interest to IUGG disciplines (especially those organized or sponsored by IUGG Associations) is posted on the IUGG Web Site [ www.IUGG.org ]. Specific information about these meetings, including web links, can be found there. Individual Associations also list more meetings on their web sites appropriate to their disciplines. August 30 - September 3, 2004 August 31 - September 2, 2004 September 5 - September 9, 2004 September 12 - September 17, 2004 September 13 - September 16, 2004 September 14 - September 17, 2004 September 17 - September 18, 2004 September 21 - September 23, 2004 September 26 - September 30, 2004 September 26 - October 1, 2004 September 27 - September 30, 2004 September 27 - October 1, 2004 September 29 - October 1, 2004 October 4 - October 8, 2004 October 11 - October 14, 2004 October 13 - October 25, 2004 October 13 - October 16, 2004 October 17 - October 24, 2004 October 18 - October 21, 2004 October 18 - October 21, 2004 October 25 - November 5, 2004 November 2 - November 4, 2004 November 7 - November 10, 2004 November 8 - November 11, 2004 November 9 - November 17, 2004 November 14 - November 19, 2004 November 15 - November 20, 2004 November 19 - November 23, 2004 This short, informal newsletter is intended to keep IUGG Member National Committees informed about the activities of the IUGG Associations, and actions of the IUGG Secretariat. Past issues are posted on the IUGG Web site. Your comments are welcome. End of IUGG Electronic Journal Volume 4 Number 9 (September 1, 2004) |
