About Us

The Antarctic Science Platform is a collaborative enterprise, designed by New Zealand’s Antarctic science and research community, stakeholders and users of this research.

Since 1957, New Zealand has sustained an ongoing programme of Antarctic research, in fields including climatology, paleoclimatology, geology, glaciology, sea-ice research, atmospheric research, biology (terrestrial, marine and freshwater), and oceanography. Particular strengths have included sea-ice research, biological research (including establishing and maintaining long-term biological datasets), long-term monitoring of the Antarctic ozone hole, climatological research, and reconstruction of past Antarctic climates. Large scale geological and glaciological drilling programmes have led to New Zealand being an international leader in Antarctic scientific drilling technology. In large parts, however, research has been undertaken by relatively small groups of scientists funded through diverse mechanisms for 1-3 year periods.

The ASP concept evolved with the recognition that to address bold questions, that require long term data and collective efforts, a new approach to funding of science was needed. Longer-term, multi-disciplinary research projects, and a focus on capability building through the ASP is intended to facilitate a cohesive and integrated approach to addressing policy needs of both a regional and global nature, and to ensure that a new generation of Antarctic researchers is being trained. To this end, the New Zealand Antarctic (and related) science community was brought together to elucidate and agree on the major questions that needed addressing and the best way to accomplish this.

In 2017:

• Funding was announced for a new Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) for Antarctic science. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) invited Antarctica New Zealand to develop a plan to host the Antarctic Science Platform.

In 2018:

• New Zealand’s Antarctic science community came together with stakeholders in a series of workshops to determine the highest priority science to be done by New Zealand, for Antarctica – this would become the scope of an Antarctic Science Platform. The collective defined high level goals, determined the most pressing questions, and ensued alignment with national and international targets and concerns.
• A proposal by Antarctica New Zealand on behalf of the New Zealand Antarctic science community was submitted to MBIE. This proposal, including the framework of four long-term projects, two expert groups and contestable funding opportunities, was accepted for funding.
• A Steering Group and Independent Science Panel was established to guide and ensure the highest quality in the research.
• The Director and Programme Leaders were appointed
• Lead organisations for the four long-term projects were identified.

In 2019:

• Researchers and lead organisations worked together to design the long-term research projects, and the Future Projections and Science-Policy interface expert groups. These proposals were internationally peer-reviewed, including review by the Independent Science Panel, before receiving Steering Group approval to be funded.
• We developed a strategy for embedding Vision Matauranga in the Platform, and established a Kāhui Māori (Māori advisory group).
• Research and Platform operations got underway!