About

NSF COLDEX is a multi-institution collaboration to explore Antarctica for the oldest possible polar ice samples and analyze those samples to understand the evolution and future of Earth’s climate system. It will also create and deliver novel educational and professional development programs for teachers, faculty and early career scientists, develop and implement programs to help make polar science more diverse and inclusive, and transfer scientific knowledge to stakeholders and the public. NSF COLDEX is funded by the U.S. NSF Science and Technology Center Program and supported by the NSF Office of Polar Programs through Award number OPP 2019719.

NSF COLDEX research includes exploration of interior East Antarctica using radar and novel “rapid access” tools to find locations to collect a continuous 1.5 million year ice core, roughly doubling the length of the existing continuous record. NSF COLDEX will also collect and analyze much older ice along the Antarctic ice sheet margin, conduct ice sheet modelling to help understand the history and distribution of the oldest ice, and develop new laboratory capabilities for analyzing and dating old ice.

NSF COLDEX education programs are bringing ice core science to K-12 and college level instructors through several summer professional development programs. A center-wide REU program and other research opportunities provide cutting edge research experiences for undergraduates. Opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral research are available at a number of NSF COLDEX partner institutions.  NSF COLDEX also organizes professional development workshops for early career scientists, specialized technical workshops, and a research scholarship program. These activities are open to individuals from NSF COLDEX participating institutions and other colleges and universities.

NSF COLDEX aims to broaden participation in polar science by both recruiting members of underrepresented groups in STEM to join all of our programs, and a targeted effort to develop a more inclusive scientific culture.

Knowledge Transfer in NSF COLDEX focuses on bringing climate change knowledge to the public and a variety of other stakeholders, on understanding how the scientific knowledge we generate is disseminated through the media, through social networks, and in other forums, and on new exploration technology.