By Joel Blumenthal

Members of a University interdisciplinary faculty team were unanimous in their enthusiasm following an Oct. 30 on-campus meeting with two National Science Foundation (NSF) senior policy makers for polar research.

The session was the fourth and last in a series of meetings involving officials from the NSF, the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York National Guard, and Capital Region institutions of higher education. Held at Skidmore, Union, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany, the sessions were jointly organized by the 109th and the Hudson-Mohawk Association of Colleges and Universities.

“This was an excellent opportunity for University at Albany scientists to meet with NSF and National Guard representatives, learn more about NSF polar research programs, and to demonstrate first-hand to the NSF and 109th the amount of expertise and diversity of experience our faculty have in this area,” said Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies Jeanne E. Gullahorn.

The 109th Airlift Wing will assume full responsibility for LC-130 airlift to the NSF’s U.S. Antarctic Program beginning in 1998. According to Capt. Robert Bullock, 109th Airlift Wing public affairs officer, the new mission will result in an increase of approximately $45 million in annual primary and secondary economic impact to the Capital Region, and approximately 235 new Schenectady-based jobs.

“With this series of academically-based meetings,” Bullock said, “It is the hope of 109th officials that the expanded NSF relationship can result in even more significant economic growth for the region through potential research collaborations and broadened, scientifically related interests.”

Following greetings from President Hitchcock, an overview of University research from Vice President Gullahorn, and greetings from Hudson-Mohawk Association Executive Director John Higgins, National Guard representatives Col. Archie Berberian and Grant Pritchard described the New York Air National Guard’s involvement in the polar program.

Four Albany faculty — Kenneth Demerjian, director of the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, John Delano, chair of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Samuel Bowser of the School of Public Health, and Frederick Nelson of the Department of Geography and Planning — summarized representative University polar research. Braddock Linsley of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences also hosted a visit to his laboratory.

In preparation for the meeting, Delano met with an interdisciplinary group of faculty that have active or potential interest in solar research. The group included, in addition to Delano, Bowser, Linsley and Nelson, Lance Bosart, Vincent Idone, and Bernard Vonnegut from the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; Joan Bernhard, Liang Chu and Xianliang Zhou of the Wadsworth Center; Timothy Lance and Michael Stessin from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics; Andrei Lapenis from the Department of Geography and Planning; Jeffrey Travis from the Department of Biological Sciences; William Lanford from the Department of Physics; and Edward Blanchard from the Department of Psychology.

Delano said the fact that all 16 had active and potential interest in polar research, and five (Bernhard, Bowser, Chu, Nelson and Travis) had direct polar research experience was not lost on the NSF and 109th officials.

Representing NSF at the meeting were Cornelius Sullivan, di-rector for the Office of Polar Programs, and Dennis Peacock, head of the Antarctic Sciences Section. Col. Archie Berberian, chief of the New York Air National Guard; and Col. Grant Pritchard, air commander, represented the New York National Guard.

Delano observed, “There’s no question that there’s a lot of interest in the Arctic and Antarctica, for both scientific and international political reasons. This kind of work takes an enormous amount of effort. This meeting was a good start, but we have a long way to go.”