Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

Advisers; R Fraser and E Herbays were representatives of ICSU. I understand from
the report of Sir James Wordie (UK) that there was a preliminary "steering
committee", drafted an agenda on the evening of 2 February.
At this first meeting a Constitution was drafted and recommended to ICSU; and
was ratified in October that year at the Eighth General Assembly of ICSU.
Provisional appointments of Officers were made: President: G R Laclavère, Vice-
President K E Bullen, Secretary V Schytt, were elected in the first instance for 2, 1 and
3 years respectively. (Robin subsequently became Acting Secretary during the
summer of l958, during Schytt's absence in Spitsbergen). A Finance Committee was
also elected: L M Gould; M M Somov; Treasurer of ICSU ex officio. The basic financial
contribution for l958 would be $500 per nation, to cover the estimated overall cost of
SCAR activities, $6,000. If a larger budget were to be required in future years, it was
proposed that the excess should be divided between nations proportional to their
activity in Antarctic, in five categories (1-5), defined by the numbers wintering in
each nation's field programme (respectively 1-10, 11-20, 21-50, 51-100, and over 100).
Using this formula should not result in a contribution of more than $2,000 from any
participating nation.
Plans were made for the scientific exploration of Antarctica in the years following
IGY, by three Working groups meeting on 4 February: one dealing with meteorology
and upper air studies; the second with geology, glaciology and cartography; the third
(consisting of only one member, Bullen) with seismology and related matters. The
three groups reported that afternoon and a comprehensive scheme was drawn up for
future research in the Antarctic.
[Science in the Antarctic covers diverse topics but it is customary to talk of
Antarctic Science in the singular rather than the plural. This originated because
shared logistics enabled work in remote areas, giving a characteristic holistic flavour
from the start; the essential logistics component makes it "Big Science". A remarkable
feature of Antarctic science, and a theme throughout the life of SCAR, has been the
close involvement of Antarctic Science with Politics - in contrast with the situation for
science in general. Also the politics of Conservation have had an increasing impact
on Antarctic Science. I chaired the Committees that drafted the Scientific
Conservation provisions of two international conventions, CCAS and CCAMLR. As
its President I represented SCAR, and therefore the international scientific
community, at the key 11th ATSCM when the Protocol for the Protection of the
Environment was first discussed. ]
Early SCAR Meetings: setting the pattern
The meetings of SCAR from l958 to l998 are listed in table 1. Any new
organization will take time to establish its working practices and SCAR was no
exception; a sampling of the reports from the early years gives the flavour of those
times. At the second meeting delegates approved publication of a SCAR Bulletin;
published in the Polar Record it is widely distributed as a separate booklet and is an
important source of information, both at the time and as an historical record.
For the first three meetings, successively held in den Hague, Moscow and
Canberra in l958 and l959 Working Groups were set up afresh at each Meeting. At IV
SCAR (1960) the concept of Permanent WGs was introduced; several WGs were in
operation (called Permanent WGs, but probably equivalent to later Sub-committees).
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