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Research and Graduate Studies @ KU

Updates from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies — March 2008

Governor proclaims "Polar Education and Research Day"

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius proclaimed Feb. 27, 2008 Polar Education and Research Day, citing KU's involvement in educating students and the public about the importance of polar regions in global climate and sea level.

Sebelius is making the proclamation in recognition of 2007-09 as an International Polar Year. This is the fourth such designation, with the first coming in 1882-83. The governor lauds KU’s involvement in research into polar matters both past and present.

“Kansans, since Lewis Lindsay Dyche in the late 1800s, have participated in that scientific exploration, a rich tradition that extends to today's Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets, headquartered at the University of Kansas,” the proclamation reads.

An International Polar Year is a worldwide scientific program focused on the Arctic and Antarctic. The current designation extends from March 2007 to March 2009. Organized by the International Council for Science and the World Meteorological Organization, the year involves more than 200 projects with scientists from more than 60 countries.

Led by KU, the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS), is a partnership of six universities. CReSIS designs and deploys state of the art technology such as radar and unmanned aircraft to study ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. These results, combined with computer models are helping to understand how melting ice caps affect Earth’s sea level changes. The Center works closely with several Kansas school districts to promote and encourage education in climate change. Additional information on the research, and educational resources can be found on the website.

Lewis Lindsay Dyche was a professor of natural history at KU in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A well-known taxidermist, he led research expeditions to locations such as Alaska and presented a panorama of North American mammals at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. Dyche Hall, which houses KU’s Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, is named for him.