The latest International Polar Year (2007-2009; IPY) was a huge success in many ways with education, outreach and communication (EOC) an important part of that success. After the close of IPY there were many lessons to learn from the numerous EOC efforts that took place around the globe. Recognizing IPY EOC as an important area that the world of science could learn from Jenny Baeseman (APECS) and Dave Carlson (UNAVCO, formerly IPY IPO) spearheaded an inventory and assessment of the IPY EOC activites conducted in 2010 and 2011.ICSU (International Council for Science) is a non-governmental organization with a global membership of national scientific bodies (121 members) and international scientific unions (30 members). With its involvement often behind the scenes, ICSU's role is to mobilise knowledge and resources within the international scientific community to strengthen international science for the benefit of society. The latest International Polar Year (IPY) was just one of the many science initiatives that ICSU has supported.
Now that the latest IPY has come to a close ICSU, along with two of its members, IASC (International Arctic Science Committee) and SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research), are interested in the Education, Outreach and Communication that occurred during IPY. To do this ICSU is funding APECS and its partners to conduct an inventory and assess the lessons learned from conducting such a successful, global EOC initiative.
As you may be aware, the International Council for Science (ICSU) awarded a small grant to APECS, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and the IPY International Programme Office. The purpose of this grant was to conduct an inventory and begin planning for a general assessment, from an international viewpoint, of Education, Outreach and Communication (EOC) strategies, programmes, and networks active during IPY. 
We are pleased to announce that we have hired Jennifer Provencher from Victoria, BC, Canada as our project assistant. Jennifer has formal training in education and assessment, has been a science teacher and curriculum developer, as well as an IPY researcher working on the impacts of climate change on Arctic birds. For more information on Jennifer, please see a short bio on her below.
