Changes in ALISON for the 2006-2007 season

On 13 November 2006, Martin Jeffries (ALISON co-founder and coordinator) begins working in the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. His new position, which lasts for 2 years, is Program Director for the Arctic Observing Network. Nevertheless, he will remain actively involved in ALISON.

The main consequence of Martin’s departure from Alaska is that he will not be visiting the ALISON sites this fall to help set-up the observatories. Instead, teachers, students and parents have agreed to set up the sites on their own. Some have opted to install a full ALISON site while others have decided to focus on snow cover characterization. Either way, these data are very valuable and we are delighted that so many of the ALISON teachers have agreed to continue in the program.

In some respects this change represents the “next step” in ALISON’s development as the local coordinators (teachers) and observers (students) take complete “ownership” of their sites. This is an exciting new opportunity for our science collaborators.

Martin contemplates his future at the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation, Washington, D. C.