The following information was submitted to Arctic Info by the National
Science Foundation and is from the Office of Legislative & Public
Affairs, Curtis Suplee, Director (csuplee [at] nsf.gov)
To all arctic researchers sponsored by NSF,
To notify the NSF Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) of
research results, please use the "Tell Us" address:
tellus [at] nsf.gov
Please tell your PIs or centers or anyone else supported by NSF funds
that they can, and should, send notice of research results (preferably
in ADVANCE of publication or major presentation, please) to
tellus [at] nsf.gov.
These need not necessarily be Nobel-quality findings. We're looking for
reports of interesting work that may ultimately require no more than
150-300 words to describe, and may not warrant publicity beyond a
"nugget" posting on the NSF web site. Of course, we'll also be happy to
take the world-class stuff that results in a big-ticket news conference
at the National Press Club. We're not fussy.
What we DON'T want is descriptions of work in progress that has not yet
generated a publishable outcome. No notices of lab expansions, equipment
acquisition, award supplements, faculty promotions, co-funding,
birthdays, etc. Just research results.
Unashamed preference will be given to material that comes complete with
explanatory figures, graphics or images. Preprints are particularly
welcomed.
The presumptive advantage of the "tellus" address is that investigators
need know nothing about OLPA or which of our press officers is assigned
to their field. There are no phone numbers to remember, and no unseemly
personal contact is required. This should satisfy even the most
taciturn, reclusive or bureaucracy-averse of researchers.
The tellus address comes directly to the OLPA press section. Ostensibly
newsworthy items will, of course, be routed to the appropriate program
officers for vetting and confirmation before OLPA makes any
announcements of any kind.
This will not solve all, or even a large fraction, of our
information-flow problems. But it's worth a try.
Thanks,
Curt Suplee (csuplee [at] nsf.gov)