International Polar Year is a global research effort to better understand the polar regions and their climatic effect on the Earth. More than 200 scientific expeditions will take place over the next two years to study changes to permafrost, the melting of polar ice sheets, and marine life in the cold and dark. The research completed during IPY will provide a baseline for future work.

The United States will mark the start of this initiative with an event hosted by the National Academies and the National Science Foundation. During the ceremony a panel of polar scientists will discuss the latest research and present an overview of expeditions to take place during IPY. There will also be remarks from government leaders whose agencies play an active role in this international effort.

DETAILS: Monday, Feb. 26, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the National Academies building, 2100 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C. Those who cannot attend may watch a live video webcast of the event and submit questions using an e-mail form at http://national-academies.org.

REPORTERS WHO WISH TO ATTEND MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE with the National Academies' Office of News and Public Information, tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail news@nas.edu. Seating is limited. Public registration for this free event and more information about IPY is available online at http://www.us-ipy.org/.

SPEAKERS:

• Ardent Bement, director, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va.
• Ralph Cicerone, president, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.
• James Connaughton, chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, D.C.
• Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, D.C.
• Mark Myers, director, U.S. Geological Survey, Washing
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