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Request for Community Input - DRAFT 2026 Long Range Science Plan

Each year in the spring, the U.S. National Science Foundation Ice Drilling Program (IDP) works with its Science Advisory Board and the research community to update the Long Range Science Plan. This Plan identifies the science in the coming decade that will require the use of ice drilling technology and expertise for the community. This also drives the formation of other plans, for example, the Long Range Drilling Technology Plan. The plans provide the basis for multi‐annual planning for the actions and drill development projects of IDP and others, and the plans give the funding agencies advance notice of upcoming community science needs.

If you need an ice core or a hole drilled in a glacier or ice sheet in the coming decade or a rock core from under shallow glacial ice, please make sure that the high‐level articulation of your science is captured in the current draft update of the Long Range Science Plan!

Please read through the draft Long Range Science Plan and send corrections, updates, or additions (SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW) to Icedrill@Dartmouth.edu at your earliest convenience and before June 6, 2026.

To download the working draft, visit:
https://icedrill.org/long-range-science-plan   


Instructions for sending corrections/updates/comments:

  • Write your corrections/updates/comments in your own Word document that you create; please don't send an annotated version of the draft plan
  • For each correction/update/comment, please reference the appropriate line number in the draft Long Range Science Plan where the correction/update is needed
  • Email the Word document to Icedrill@Dartmouth.edu before June 6, 2026


Submission deadline: At your earliest convenience and before June 6, 2026

Winter 2025-2026 Ice Bits Newsletter Now Available

The Winter 2025-2026 update of NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) activities is now available at: 
https://icedrill.org/icebits/2025-2026-winter 

Topics:

  • IDP Completes Support of 2025-2026 Antarctic Field Season
  • IDP Leads Town Hall at the AGU 2025 Fall Meeting
  • Recent IDP Outreach Highlights
  • IDP Ice Core Community Workshop December 2026
  • IPICS 2026 Open Science Conference in North America
  • Requesting Field Support
  • Acknowledgment of IDP in Publications

To view the newsletter, please go to:
https://icedrill.org/icebits/2025-2026-winter 

Next week! IPY5 Workshop Proceedings Webinar

IPY5 Workshop Proceedings Webinar

Exploring Key Research Topics for the Fifth International Polar Year
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
https://events.nationalacademies.org/46450

Planning is underway for the Fifth International Polar Year (IPY5), which will take place in 2032-2033 to advance scientific understanding of the polar regions through international coordination and national investments in research.

An interdisciplinary workshop held on May 20-21, 2025, was convened to consider research and monitoring priorities for IPY5. A proceedings publication summarizing the workshop discussions will be released prior to this webinar. Topics include potential priority science areas such as sea level rise, permafrost, and the carbon cycle; enabling capabilities such as shared data systems; and strategies for strengthening partnerships and building durable programs that serve decision-makers.

This webinar will summarize key themes from the workshop and highlight discussion topics from the new proceedings. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions following the presentation. A recording will be posted after the event.

Title: Workshop Proceedings Release Webinar: Exploring Key Research Topics for the Fifth International Polar Year
Convener: National Academies
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Eastern Time
Where: Virtual webinar
Registration: https://events.nationalacademies.org/46450 

** REMINDER ** Call for Nominations: Science Advisory Board of the NSF Ice Drilling Program

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) of the NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) invites nominations, including self-nominations, from the U.S. scientific community to fill one open position on the SAB. The SAB currently seeks to replace scientific expertise in ice core or subglacial rock science. Nominees must be U.S.- based scientists whose science relies on the analysis of ice, firn, or subglacial rock cores. The primary purpose of the SAB is to provide advice and input on scientific issues pertaining to the NSF Ice Drilling Program, including annual updates of the IDP Long Range Science Plan. SAB members typically serve for four years; they must attend two annual SAB meetings per year (usually virtual), and collaborate remotely as needed.  Please send nominations and expressions of interest, along with the resume of the nominee, to the current Chair of the SAB, Dr. Sarah Shackleton (sarah.shackleton@whoi.edu), at earliest convenience before February 20, 2026.

Call for Nominations: Science Advisory Board of the NSF Ice Drilling Program

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) of the NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) invites nominations, including self-nominations, from the U.S. scientific community to fill one open position on the SAB. The SAB currently seeks to replace scientific expertise in ice core or subglacial rock science. Nominees must be U.S.- based scientists whose science relies on the analysis of ice, firn, or subglacial rock cores. The primary purpose of the SAB is to provide advice and input on scientific issues pertaining to the NSF Ice Drilling Program, including annual updates of the IDP Long Range Science Plan. SAB members typically serve for four years; they must attend two annual SAB meetings per year (usually virtual), and collaborate remotely as needed.  Please send nominations and expressions of interest, along with the resume of the nominee, to the current Chair of the SAB, Dr. Sarah Shackleton (sarah.shackleton@whoi.edu) at earliest convenience before February 20, 2026.

Fall 2025 Ice Bits Newsletter Now Available

The Fall 2025 update of NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) activities is now available at: 
https://icedrill.org/icebits/2025-fall 

Topics:

  • IDP Kicks Off Support for the 2025/2026 Antarctic Field Season
  • Future Clean Deep Hot Water Access Drilling
  • 2025 Fall AGU Town Hall: Scientific Drilling in the Polar Regions
  • 9th International Symposium on Ice Drilling Technology
  • NSF COLDEX Polar Science REU Summer 2026
  • Requesting Field Support
  • Acknowledgment of IDP in Publications

To view the newsletter, please go to:
https://icedrill.org/icebits/2025-fall 

2025 Fall AGU Town Hall: Scientific Drilling in the Polar Regions

The NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) will hold the AGU Town Hall on Scientific Drilling in the Polar Regions on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, from 18:00-19:00 Central Standard Time (CST) in room 283-285 of the New Orleans Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. This is an in-person only event. We hope to see you there!

Abstract: Ice sheets, glaciers, and the underlying bedrock, sediment and permafrost hold crucial evidence about past conditions, ice sheet dynamics, and cratonic geology. National and international collaboration for drilling in the remote Polar Regions requires strategic coordination between science, technology, and logistics. This meeting will provide the research community with brief updates from the NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP), ICECReW, NSF Center for Oldest Ice Exploration (COLDEX), and Hercules Dome. Opportunities for community involvement will be showcased, and input from the audience will be solicited.

Event: AGU Town Hall - TH35D - Scientific Drilling in the Polar Regions
Date: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Time: 18:00-19:00 Central Standard Time (CST)
Location: 283-285 of the New Orleans Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Primary Contact: Mary R Albert, Dartmouth College
AGU meeting website: https://agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/meetingapp.cgi/Session/249098 

** REMINDER ** Call for (Two) Nominations: Ice Core Working Group of the NSF Ice Drilling Program

The Ice Core Working Group (ICWG) of the NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) invites nominations, including self-nominations, from the U.S. scientific community to fill two open positions on the ICWG. The ICWG currently seeks to replace expertise in deep ice cores, aerosol chemistry, and/or Alpine ice cores. Nominees must be U.S.-based scientists whose science relies on the analysis of ice or firn cores. The ICWG is one of two working groups of the IDP Science Advisory Board (SAB). The primary purpose of the ICWG is to provide advice and input on scientific issues pertaining to ice cores to the SAB and to the IDP. ICWG members typically serve for five years, participate in the annual ICWG online meeting, and collaborate remotely throughout the year as needed.

Please send nominations and expressions of interest to icedrill@dartmouth.edu by November 10, 2025.

Call for (Two) Nominations: Ice Core Working Group of the NSF Ice Drilling Program

The Ice Core Working Group (ICWG) of the NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) invites nominations, including self-nominations, from the U.S. scientific community to fill two open positions on the ICWG. The ICWG currently seeks to replace expertise in deep ice cores, aerosol chemistry, and/or Alpine ice cores. Nominees must be U.S.-based scientists whose science relies on the analysis of ice or firn cores. The ICWG is one of two working groups of the IDP Science Advisory Board (SAB). The primary purpose of the ICWG is to provide advice and input on scientific issues pertaining to ice cores to the SAB and to the IDP. ICWG members typically serve for five years, participate in the annual ICWG online meeting, and collaborate remotely throughout the year as needed.

Please send nominations and expressions of interest to icedrill@dartmouth.edu by November 10, 2025.

Summer 2025 Ice Bits Newsletter Now Available

The Summer 2025 update of NSF Ice Drilling Program (IDP) activities is now available at: 
https://icedrill.org/icebits/2025-summer

Topics:

  • IDP Gears Up for the Antarctic Season
  • Successful School of Ice at Dartmouth College
  • Arctic Field Season Update
  • 2025-2035 Long Range Science and Long Range Drilling Technology Plans Updated
  • Requesting Field Support
  • Ice Drilling Technology Documents
  • Acknowledgment of IDP in Publications

To view the newsletter, please go to:
https://icedrill.org/icebits/2025-summer