The committee, which is meant to serve as a focal point for coordinating and supporting IPY's international Education, Outreach and Communication programs, counts amongst its members UArctic Director Lars Kullerud as well as representatives of various polar-related organizations from around the world.
The main goals of the first meeting were to "support or establish strong working relationships between committee members, identify clear goals and strategies on a six-month and two-year perspective, and clarify methods of communication for EOC across IPY activities."
All major IPY-endorsed activities must have education, outreach and communication embedded in them, and it is the EOC sub-committee's mission to make sure all the activities and programs happening around the globe are coordinated so that they can attract worldwide attention and produce an improved understanding of the importance of the poles.
IPY 2007-2008, co-sponsored by the International Council of Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), will include research in both polar regions and recognise the strong links these regions have with the rest of the globe. It will involve a wide range of research disciplines, including the social sciences, but the emphasis will be interdisciplinary in its approach and truly international in participation. It aims to educate and involve the public, and to help train the next generation of engineers, scientists, and leaders.
For more information, visit the IPY website