INTRODUCTION

1

This report reflects the results of an external review of the Greenland Climate ResearchCentre by a committee of experts appointed by the Danish Agency for Science,Technology, and Innovation (DASTI) and the Commission for Scientific Research inGreenland (KVUG). As directed, the committee evaluated the quality of GCRCresearch programs and other activities with reference to the scientific, societal andorganizational goals defined for the Centre within four priority areas: nature andenvironment; society and commerce; technology and infrastructure; and the interactionbetween the three sectors. After careful consideration, the committee elected to providea set of recommendations, both as a Greenlandic/Danish institution and as a criticalglobal resource for understanding climate change and its consequences in the comingdecades. The committee provides four high level recommendations, which include aresident Director, a clear vision, greater outreach, and more focused use of resources.In addition, the committee provides several other recommendations, all of which itbelieves are critical to the GCRC’s long-term success as a leading climate researchcenter.Charge to the CommitteeThe Greenland Climate Research Centre (GCRC), was established in 2009 by theCommission for Scientific Research in Greenland (KVUG), the Greenland Institute ofNatural Resources (GINR) and the University of Greenland (Ilisimatusarfik) as aCentre for research on the expected impacts of climate change on Arctic marine, limnicand terrestrial environments, and on Greenlandic society. In 2012, DASTI and KVUGrequested an external review of the GCRC. Accordingly, a panel of internationallyrecognized experts in interdisciplinary climate research was appointed to conduct theevaluation and prepare a report by the end of the Centre’s fourth year (1 May 2013).This committee was charged with that task. The purpose of the evaluation is to rate thequality of GCRC activities and preliminary results within the Centre's four priorityareas:Nature and environmentSociety and commerceTechnology and infrastructureInteraction between the three sectors

As directed, the committee evaluated the quality of GCRC activities and results withreference to the scientific, societal and organizational goals defined for the Centre.Background of the GCRCThe GCRC consists of a broad network of researchers, support staff and graduatestudents located primarily in Greenland, Denmark and Canada. The network structure isflexible and in 2012 the GCRC had approximately 80 researchers attached to 24 differentprojects organized within ten research units focused on areas that include ocean and fjordsystems; sea ice; ice sheets and glaciers; terrestrial, marine and limnic ecosystems;weather and climate and societal implications. Figure 1 shows the research fundingallocations from 2010 and 2011. In February 2012, a new program began, ‘Climate andSociety’, which addresses climate change issues at the intersection of social science,climate science and public policy that are relevant to Greenlandic society, and to societymore broadly. The overwhelming majority of researchers is not resident in Greenland, butresides outside the country and is affiliated with Danish universities and governmentalinstitutions. Indeed, in 2012 the personnel residing in Greenland consisted of sevenresearchers, including three Ph.D. students.The GCRC was established by a funding allocation under the Danish NationalBudget. Funds are administered by DASTI and allocated by KVUG; DKK 73.8m wasallocated to run the Centre for a five-year period ending 1 May 2014. KVUG issued aninitial letter of grant, followed by seven others that were divided into four categories:1.2.3.4.Climate research - DKK 38.8 M.Climate Centre operations - DKK 20.0 MClimate Centre management - DKK 5.0 MSocial Science professorship - DKK 10.0 M

The funding process for individual projects is similar to that of a traditional fundingagency in that GCRC solicits proposals from the scientific community and awards grantsbased on a competitive, peer reviewed process. The first request for proposals in 2009resulted in 36 applications that totaled DKK 54.0 M. In 2010, two calls for proposalsfollowed, resulting in 19 applications totaling DKK 15.9 M and 24 applications totalingDKK 18.0 M. Following the solicitation period, the Director and GCRC leadershipprioritize the submissions and assemble a summary for review by an outside scientificpanel. A scientific jury committee appointed by KVUG, composed of Professor MinikRosing, Professor Bo Thamdrup and Director Klaus Nygaard, assess and prioritize theapplications within the overall funding limit; all decisions should be based on scientificmerit. During renewal phases, the Director has a critical role in deciding which fundedprojects will be renewed at the completion of a funding cycle. During the initial proposal4

cycle in 2009, 9 projects were funded; in 2010 the original 9 projects plus 3 new projectswere continued/funded; and in 2011, 11 of the 12 existing projects plus an additional 4projects were continued/funded; one project that was previously funded was not renewed.GCRC ProjectOceanography (GCRC 6501)Land Eco-systems (GCRC 6502)Socio-economics (GCRC 6503)Climate Models (GCRC 6504)Plankton Dynamics (GCRC 6505)Atlantic Cod (GCRC 6506)Marine Carbon Cycle (GCRC 6507)Satellite Observations (GCRC 6508)Coastal Glaciers (GCRC 6509)Whales (GCRC 6510)Optics (GCRC 6511)Drifting Buoys (GCRC 6512)Intertidal Ecology (GCRC 6513)Small Copepods (GCRC 6514)Mooring Network (GCRC 6515)Winter Moorings (GCRC 6516)TOTAL2010101345236910112011101337238121011434

Review Criteria and Information Collection ProcessThe committee evaluated research and other activities of the Centre based on criteriathat were provided as part of the original statement of work. The criteria stated that theCentre should be evaluated in reference to the goals of achieving a high standard ofscientific merit, as well as societal and organizational goals, including:Make a high-profile, expert contribution focusing on the impacts of climatechange in the Arctic,Continuously coordinate activities with other research programs,Conduct application-oriented and innovative research,Make significant contributions to assessment of the influence of climate changeon the Arctic marine, limnic and terrestrial environments and on Greenlandicsociety, including its economy, commerce and technology, andAchieve capacity building and a permanent base of support in Greenland.2

Data and other information were collected through three primary sources:1.Self-evaluation reports– Leadership, principle investigator’s (PI’s) representingthe ten research units and Ph.D. students provided written reports detailing thestrengths and weaknesses of the overall Centre, and analysis of the individualresearch activities and results achieved within the time since the program(s) wasinitiated. The KVUG Secretariat drafted preliminary questions; the committeereviewed, edited and provided additional questions to guide preparation of thereports.2.Interviews– The committee conducted in person and remote interviews with theleadership of GCRC, individual PI’s of the core research projects, Ph.D.students and other GCRC staff. The interviews provided the committee theopportunity to ask questions to clarify and supplement information that wasprovided through the self-evaluation reports.3. Existing documentation– The committee reviewed supporting documents on theframework of the GCRC, such as the letter of allocation, funding descriptions,the organization chart, ‘vision, mission, goals and strategies’ and collaborationagreements. In addition, the committee reviewed scientific reports andpublication lists that resulted from individual projects.This report responds to the charge to the committee to evaluate the activities of theGCRC since its inception in 2009. As indicated above, the committee drew from reportsand other materials that were submitted by GCRC leadership and research groups, andconducted face-to-face interviews to complete its investigations. The report is composedof two main sections; the following section provides an overview of the panel’sunderstanding of the GCRC program, including the committees’ assessment of theCentre’s strengths and weaknesses; the subsequent section is composed of thecommittee’s recommendations to the Centre leadership. Four key recommendations arehighlighted, followed by additional recommendations.

PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe physical location of Greenland in the Earth system makes this region one of the mostcritical and sensitive to changes in climate and its attendant effects on ecology andsubarctic society on the planet. Greenland’s ice sheet is highly sensitive to climatewarming and is currently losing mass, contributing significantly to global sea level rise.The sea-ice surrounding Greenland is experiencing abrupt change, and deep waterformation in the surrounding seas is known to have switched on and off in recentdecades. Archives of past climate change in coastal western Greenland show abrupt shiftsthat are correlated with past societal changes. Greenland’s ecosystems are subject toaccelerating climate change in the face of multiple drivers. Attempts to understandecosystem response – including the potential for abrupt change due to internal dynamics(e.g. trophic cascades) or rapid external forcing – requires understanding of ecosystemstructure. GCRC is in a strong position to advance this structural understanding, takingadvantage of their year-round proximity to key ecosystems. In particular, the marineecosystem of the Godthåbsfjord region provides a central focus to which work on, forexample, surrounding glaciers can be connected.Climate change poses significant social, economic, and political challenges forGreenland. Its cultural engagement with European society is nearly 300 years old and itscultural traditions are much older still. The people of Greenland have always beenintensely interested in the changing climate and its significance for their livelihoods, andtheir well being and resilience have depended on having detailed knowledge of thechanging ecological systems. The socio-economic trends towards urbanization andcentralization require an environmental research capacity to analyze complex emergingsocio-economic challenges. As Greenland pursues its goals of increasing politicalautonomy and regional integration, developing its own research capacity to understandthe relationship between climate, ecology and social economy is taking on greaterimportance than ever before.Situated in one of the most important emerging urban centers in the Arctic, the GCRC isin a uniquely strong position to explore the complex social and ecological interactionsimpacting Nuuk. Although the international science community and media oftenoverlook the ecological setting of Arctic towns and cities, it is crucial for understandingGreenland’s future and putting in place well-designed planning procedures. Without theGCRC to undertake a series of long-term, sustained studies, Nuuk would remainrelatively unexplored with potentially long lasting negative consequences for health andenvironments. By contrast, developing close ties with Nuuk’s institutions andcommunities provides a crucial basis for integrated research that addresses the GCRC’sfour priority areas.7

Strengths and WeaknessesGCRC has the potential to be a leading facility in Arctic and climate research. Most ofthe researchers are very cognizant of their potential impact in science and societal issues.From interviews and inspection of their records, the committee clearly appreciated thatmost GCRC researchers can and are taking advantage of the unique environment andgeographical location to engage in studies that have implications for our understanding ofArctic systems both locally and globally. Indeed, the Centre, by its very existence,provides a solid foundation to support diverse research through the many resources thatare currently in place, including the instrumentation, equipment and facilities necessaryto collect and utilize unique datasets. In addition, Centre researchers and staff possesslocal knowledge that is essential to accessing and working in difficult and remote fieldlocations that not only benefits their own activities but also is critical to the success ofinternational researchers who wish to work in Greenland. Already, many of the Centre’sPI’s are engaged in research that is contributing to our understanding of important Arcticprocesses and feedbacks, for example with studies focused on interactions between icesheet/sea ice dynamics, ecological interactions and climate change.The publication record of the GCRC thus far is extensive, and clearly shows the qualityof science that can be achieved with engaged faculty and students. However, with veryfew exceptions, the publications are in specialized journals where the readership islargely focused on specific issues in a discipline. The few publications that addressclimate change in the Arctic from a broad perspective, published for example in NatureClimate Change, are not yet of high impact and the direct contribution of GCRCmembers to the publications are not immediately clear. Regardless, it is reasonable toassume that with a more engaged Director and more extensive communication betweeninvestigators, a focus on broad issues and historical data analysis, a more coherent, highprofile contribution on the impacts of climate change in the Arctic should emerge.Indeed, this should be a goal for a symposium or a dedicated volume of a high profilejournal.Defining whether a research portfolio is “basic” or “applied” is always fraught withconceptual definitions. There is nothing better to guide “applied” research than a goodtheory. There is little new theory in the publications from the GCRC to date – and thatleads the committee to infer that most of the publications are application oriented, but arethey innovative? The committee concludes that the hard-hitting innovative researchproducts (e.g., publications, patents, interactions with industrial partners, etc.) are largelylacking. The GCRC has the potential to develop high quality innovative research onfisheries (e.g., match/mismatch theory in the context of global climate change,recruitment and sustainability), on ice sheet stability and climate feedback, on8

thermohaline circulation and the paleo-oceanographic record of the adjacent seaways, onthe cultural disruptions on Greenlandic economies and social interactions, and manyothers. While these are only examples of themes that are “application oriented”, andthere are undoubtedly many more, concerted efforts in these areas depends on leadership,communication, and motivation.The collaborative environment at GCRC has been an essential component of manyresearch projects being undertaken, and is particularly helpful in addressing the cross-disciplinary nature of diverse issues around climate research. By promoting jointresearch and partnerships, and encouraging research that is interdisciplinary by nature,the Centre has been successful in creating opportunities for researchers in different fieldsto work together. This has been particularly true in promoting partnerships betweenresearchers in Greenland and Denmark. For example, the GCRC has played a positiverole in promoting Danish Arctic Science by facilitating collaborative efforts betweenterrestrial and aquatic groups that normally work in isolation from each other.Collaborative work is particularly important to the new ‘Climate and Society’ Program,which seeks to establish links between the natural and social sciences in Greenland. Untilrecently, the position of Associate Director of the GCRC responsible for organizing andleading the efforts on impacts of climate change on Greenlandic society was unfilled.Although there have been delays in the execution of this program, the committee waspleased that an extremely competent scientist and leader was identified to fill the vacantposition, and that under Professor Nuttall’s direction the various efforts in this criticalarea are finally becoming a key focus for the GCRC. The committee also noted that thefledgling social science efforts have already resulted in communication between socialscience researchers and policy makers in Greenland. However, without a coherent visionof the GCRC, the gaps between natural and social sciences may not be addressedadequately. This issue is especially critical as commercial interests in mining and otherindustries that seek to exploit Greenland’s natural resources potentially disruptGreenlandic society and structure.Gaining a shared interdisciplinary understanding of climate change processes will becritical for assessing the influence of climate change on Greenlandic society, particularlywhere its economy, commerce and technology depend on the changing marine, limnicand terrestrial environments. Social science research on the impacts of Arctic climatechange has developed significantly in recent years. Nevertheless more research isrequired to assess the impacts of climate change for Greenland’s social-economic future.Traditional distinctions between urban and rural environments may need to be rethoughtto face up to the challenges posed by climate change. Integrated methods will be requiredto assess how climate change alters the perceptions and calculation of risk in relation to9

non-renewable resource extraction. Investigating how the Greenlandic public understandsthe changing environment will also be valuable for establishing responsive evidence-based health policies. In summary a social research program is required that fullyexplores relationships between society, environment and technology in order to providean ongoing evaluation of the multiple dimensions of risk to environment and health.To maximize the Centre's research potential and opportunities to ensure the long-termviability and success, there are some major weaknesses within the current structure thaturgently need to be addressed. First, the GCRC does not appear to have a coherentstrategic plan. While there may be intersecting themes in the research program, theresearchers often work in relative isolation, and many groups have little or noconnections to each other, especially across disciplines. This issue must be remedied.The overall vision has not been clearly articulated and the structure now embodies adiverse suite of programs that often work separately, rather than focus on a centralmission.The lack of a coherent vision appears to be due, in large part, to the lack of a full-time,dedicated Director that focuses on driving the strategic directions of the Centre anddistinguishing the ongoing studies and research opportunities to the outside researchcommunity and to Greenlandic society. The GCRC needs to be recognized for theresearch and activities that has grown from the Centre and not confused with outsideinstitutions, such as GINR. By having not as yet distinguished itself as an independentinstitution, the overall Centre and the researchers engaged in quality science are notreceiving the recognition they and the center deserve. The GCRC leadership does notappear to be focused on highlighting the research achievements that have developed outof these programs, which will be essential if the Centre is to distinguish itself as aprominent Arctic Science institution.Lastly, communication between GCRC leadership and the program PI's and otherresearchers has been limited, and is hampered by a lack of formal structure and a decisionmaking process that is not transparent. This is partially the result of an overall absence ofa culture of scientific sharing of information, which appears to stem from the (lack) ofleadership. The lack of communication affects each successive level of operation. Thereare limited opportunities for people at GCRC who are not directly engaged with eachother to interact with other researchers, and the PI's rely on a sole annual meeting, thatmay or may not be located in Greenland, to formally share the results of their research.This lack of formal and regular communication is also problematic for the youngerscientists and Ph.D. students, and has resulted in a lack of mentorship for the people thatmost need it. Current structures for Ph.D.’s don’t seem entirely successful, and at leastone student lost GCRC funding when a project was not renewed. The issue can be10

partially addressed via increased attention to infrastructure (i.e., videoconferencingcapabilities), but mostly it requires leadership.KEY RECOMMENDATIONSAfter careful consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of the GCRC, the committeeelected to provide a set of recommendations for the future of the GCRC, both as aGreenlandic/Danish institution and as a critical global resource for understanding climatechange and its consequences in coming decades. The committee fully realized that long-term funding for the GCRC is critical and assumed that funding would continue atpresent or higher levels to help the institution meet its expected goals. To that end, thecommittee provides four high level recommendations, which, if not accommodated,almost certainly will result in underperformance if not outright failure of the GCRC incoming years.Recommendation 1:The GCRC needs a dedicated full-time Director.The Director is essential to the success of the GCRC. Whilst a key role will be to engagethe wider external community and promote the Centre, the Director should reside in andwork primarily from Greenland. The Director must be accessible to the resident GCRCstaff and visiting scientists and be involved in day-to-day decisions about the strategicscientific and administrative issues confronting the GCRC.The Director should develop a coherent strategic plan with input from theresearch community and external stakeholders, particularly those in Greenlandand Denmark, and including input from political stakeholders and members ofGreenlandic society.The Director should engage in activities that build relationships with Greenlandicsociety to ensure the science is relevant to local needs and to develop strongsupport from local leaders and decision makers.The Director should be highly engaged with the activities of resident and visitingscientists.Recommendation 2:The program needs a clear vision.The committee recommends the development of a focused and prioritized researchprogram, which includes emphasis on social science research and its integration withnatural science to form a truly inter-disciplinary research program.This plan should identify clear goals of the Centre and not be a vehicle for therequirements of external stakeholders.11

The GCRC should focus on core climate change research in Greenland, such asthe fate of the ice sheet and surrounding ocean circulation, sea-ice andatmosphere, which all play a critical role in determining much wider climatechange impactsandtake advantage of Greenland’s unique physical systems andecosystems to address under-studied but important components of this coupledsystem.The intersection between natural and social sciences should be organized acrossdisciplinary boundaries to help provide unvarnished, objective data and analysesfor policy makers and Greenlandic society.Recommendation 3:The program needs to become independent and to reach out farmore to the international community.The GCRC should aim to become an independent Centre recognized for its researchin Arctic climate science by 2020.The GCRC has the potential to be a strong ‘brand’ in climate change research. Atpresent the Centre has low visibility and is not clearly distinct from GINR (e.g. onthe internet). Outreach and knowledge exchange opportunities should bepromoted to raise the profile of the Centre, for example by hosting events withstakeholders.PIs should recognize that they are part of the Centre’s overall research endeavor,and that the GCRC is the primary institute for all projects funded or facilitated bythe Centre. Steps should be taken to identify the GCRC in all research outputs:for example, by being identified on all research publications.Recommendation 4:The program needs resources that make it effective in the longterm (i.e. decades).To date, the committee feels that the GCRC has invested its resources too broadly,especially in terms of the diversity of natural systems being studied across the projects.Lack of funding was identified as limiting many of the PI’s ability to considerglobal issues, create historical records, complete research and analyze data.For example, although there is a Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring programcoordinated through Aarhus University, which should be a key focus of theGCRC, the program appears to be limited in its scope of research by lack ofresources.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONSRecommendation 5:A long-term observational program should be established as acentral mission for GCRC.The program will focus on developing a high quality compilation of historical data,coupled with a long-term monitoring program at key locations both on land and in theocean. The GCRC should be a “one stop shop” for all key historical data related toclimate and natural resources for the region. Although this issue has been articulated invarious GCRC documents, the committee could not identify specific personnel dedicatedto the task of compiling, verifying, and analyzing historical data related to (e.g.) thephysical climate system regionally, fisheries and other natural resources, and socialchanges over the past century or earlier.Recommendation 6:The Director should ensure transparency when making decisionsabout the funding of projects.The basis for all decisions relating to the selection of projects to be funded, extended ordiscontinued should be based on a transparent evaluation process and formallydocumented.Individual project evaluations should be fully justified according to an explicit setof criteria, and the reasoning behind decisions and recommendations should beformally communicated to senior project investigators.A system of appraisals should be introduced that allows senior projectinvestigators the opportunity to provide feedback to Centre leadership.Centre leadership should make use of the advice of external reviewers whennecessary, for example if additional specialized or technical expertise is requiredto conduct an informed evaluation, or when important and sensitive decisionsneed to be made about future funding or termination of a project.Recommendation 7:Communication between the Director and Centre leadership, andPI’s, students and staff of the GCRC should be strengthened to foster a collaborativeresearch environment.This is particularly important for the development of younger scientists, and for theintegration of the overall research program.The GCRC core team and PI’s, researchers and students who are not based inGreenland should commit to participate in a series of regular research seminars,which could be webcast, to bring together geographically separated groups.13

In addition to the annual meeting, which was felt to be insufficient by mostproject PIs, there needs to be more regular formalized meetings. One option is tomeet in person as a whole research Centre twice per year. Another option is toinstigate additional meetings for each inter-disciplinary research focus.Recommendation 8:External communication and outreach activities should bestrengthened to share research outcomes and foster a sense of community between theCentre and Greenlandic society.The GCRC should aim to share its sense of community beyond the walls of the institutionby seeking ways to communicate the relevance of GCRC’s activities and to takeopportunities to engage with communities in Nuuk, and where practicable, further afieldin Greenland.Recommendation 9:Capacity building should become a core component of researchactivities across the GCRC.The role of Ph.D. students in the program should be re-evaluated in relation to theprogram’s research priorities and to the students’ career development. Thecommittee recommends that where practicable, Ph.D. projects should be awardedjointly to a team of supervisors developing and building on links between cognateareas of expertise, and not as part of a grant for a project being overseen by asingle senior investigator.Mentorship of students and support from their supervisors and institutions needsto become formalized to ensure that students are integrated into the academiccommunity, both within the GCRC and externally in their respective internationalfields of research. The interdisciplinary projects generated by the GCRC’scollaborative research structure should contribute to an inclusive researchenvironment and a sense of community and fellowship amongst Ph.D. studentsand their supervisors.The Director should aim to establish a new Postdoctoral position. In addition tocontributing to a well-defined set of research priorities, this position shouldrepresent an important opportunity for early career development and leadership.The position should also help to illustrate possible pathways for existing Ph.D.students to move on to postdoctoral research within the GCRC.

APPENDIX ACommittee BiographiesProfessor Paul G. Falkowski(Committee Chair)is the Bennett Smith Professor in theDepartment of Earth and Planetary Science and the Business School at RutgersUniversity and is the Director of the Rutgers Energy Institute. His scientific interestsinclude evolution of the Earth systems, paleoecology, photosynthesis, biophysics,biogeochemical cycles, and symbiosis. Professor Falkowski earned his B.S. and M.Sc.degrees from the City College of the City University of New York and his Ph.D. from theUniversity of British Columbia. After a post-doctoral fellowship at the University ofRhode Island, he joined Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1976 as a scientist in thenewly formed Oceanographic Sciences Division. He served as head of the division from1986 to 1991 and deputy chair in the Department of Applied Science from 1991-1995,responsible for the development and oversight of all environmental science programs. In1996, he was appointed as the Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor at theUniversity of British Columbia. He moved to Rutgers University in 1998. He received aJohn Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in 1992; the Huntsman Medal in 1998; theHutchinson Prize in 2000; the Vernadsky medal from the European Geosciences Union in2007, the Ecology Institute Prize in 2010 and the Albert 1stMedal in 2011. In 2001, hewas elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union; in 2002, he was elected to theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences; in 2007, he was elected to the United StatesNational Academy of Sciences; and in 2008, he was elected as a Fellow of the AmericanAcademy of Microbiology.Professor Michael T. Bravois a Fellow of Downing College and Head of theCircumpolar History and Public Policy Research Group at the Scott Polar ResearchInstitute, at the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. He has publishedwidely around research problems in the history and philosophy of science relating to thehistory of fieldwork experiments, the reliability of instruments and data, and scientificnetworks. More broadly he also published extensively on environmental history, cross-cultural encounters, anthropology, and postcolonialism. He earned his B.Eng. in electricalengineering from Carleton University (1985) and his M.Phil. (1986) and Ph.D. degrees(1992) from Cambridge in the history and philosophy of science. After holding a BritishAcademy post-doctoral research fellowship (1993-35), he took up a University ResearchFellowship at Manchester University (1995-2000) to develop the use of ethnographicmethods in the study of science and technology. In 2000, he was appointed to aUniversity Lectureship at the University of Cambridge and was promoted in 2008 to aSenior Lectureship. He is now Head of the Circumpolar History and Public PolicyResearch Group at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge. He hasheld visiting fellowship and professorships at the Huntingdon Library, Pomona College,16

the Institute for Advanced Studies in Copenhagen, and the University of Tromso. He hasacted in expert advisory roles to many international organizations including the CarnegieEndowment for International Peace and the Canadian Council of Academies. Hispublished work includesNarrating the Arctic(2002) andArctic Geopolitics andAutonomy(2011) as well as many scholarly peer-reviewed articles.Professor Tim Lentonis Professor of Earth System Science and Professor of ClimateChange at the University of Exeter. His research focuses on understanding the behaviorof the Earth as a whole system, especially through the development and use of Earthsystem models. He is particularly interested in how life has reshaped the planet in thepast, and what lessons we can draw from this as we proceed to reshape the planet now –as detailed in his book with Andrew Watson on the ‘Revolutions that made the Earth’(OUP, 2011). Tim’s work identifying the tipping elements in the climate system won theTimes Higher Education Award for Research Project of the Year 2008. He has alsoreceived a Philip Leverhulme Prize 2004, a European Geosciences Union OutstandingYoung Scientist Award 2006, the British Association Charles Lyell Award Lecture 2006,and the Geological Society of London William Smith Fund 2008.Professor Nicholas J.P. Owensis the Director of the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation forOcean Science (SAHFOS) based in Plymouth and Professor of Ocean Science at theUniversity of Plymouth. He is also a non-executive director of the Centre forEnvironment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, an executive agency of Defra.Professor Owens trained as a marine biologist and received a BSc from the University ofLiverpool and a PhD from the University of Dundee. He first worked at the PlymouthMarine Laboratory where he carried out fundamental research primarily in the field ofmarine plankton and the links with the cycling of nitrogen and carbon. During this timehe spent over three years at sea in research ships, large and small, in seas and oceansrelatively near to home - the North Sea, Irish Sea and Western Approaches – to furtherafield including the Indian Ocean and Antarctic Ocean. In all Professor Owens haspublished over 100 research articles and papers in the learned literature. In 1993,Professor Owens was appointed Professor of Marine Science at the University ofNewcastle before returning to the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, in 2000, as its Director.In 2007 Professor Owens became the Director of the British Antarctic Survey duringwhich time he visited all parts of the White Continent as well as the High Arctic. InAugust of this year Professor Owens became the Director of SAHFOS, an organizationwhich has been monitoring the health of the oceans for over 80 years through research onthe plankton: through this move Professor Owens has returned to his first professionallove – the plankton.

SecretarySherrie Forrestis a Program Officer at the National Research Council (NRC) of theNational Academy of Sciences in the Division on Earth and Life Studies. Her currentwork is with the Disasters Roundtable, which brings together U.S. federal agencies, theprivate sector and experts in the fields of science, engineering, and other disciplinesrelated to hazards to explore issues around how to mitigate and respond to natural andman-made disasters through advancements in policy, science, technology and research.Previously, she worked with the Board on Science Education and the Ocean StudiesBoard on projects that include the Roundtable on Climate Change Education, theConceptual Framework for New Science Education Standards, and the Effects of theDeepwater Horizon Mississippi Canyon-252 Oil Spill on Ecosystem Services in the Gulfof Mexico. Ms. Forrest obtained a M.S. in biological oceanography from the Institute ofMarine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University and a B.A. in English fromPepperdine University.

Interviews10:00-11:00 AMSoren Rysgaard,Professor, Head of GCRC, Internal StaffTorben Rojle Christensen,Professor, Vice Head of GCRC,Internal StaffPeter Schmidt Mikkelsen,Deputy Head, GCRC, Internal StaffProject 6501: Andre Visser,Associate Professor, External Staff,National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University ofDenmark (DTU – AQUA), Physical Oceanography,Oceanographyand Marine Ecology Dept.,Physical oceanography in Greenlandwaters under climate changeProject 6502: Erik Jeppesen,Professor, External Staff, Dept. ofBioscience, Freshwater Ecology, Aarhaus University,Climateeffects on land-based ecosystems and their living resources inGreenlandProject 6504: Jens Hesselbjerg Christensen,External Staff,Scientific Head, Danish Climate Center Danish MeteorologicalInstitute,Climate simulationsJesper Raakjaer(social science project), External Staff,Innovative Fishery Mgmt. (IFM), Marine Governance and CoastalPolicy, Professor and Head of Center, Aalborg University,TheWest Greenland marine ecosystem and climate change – Thesocio-economic adaptation and governance challenges forfisheries management

Project 6505: Einar Eg Nielsen,External Staff, Professor,Section for Population Ecology and Genetics, National Institute ofAquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU-Aqua),The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Greenlandic waters;past and future under climate changeProject 6506: Torkel Gissel Nielsen(skype), External Staff,Professor, environmental plankton ecology, Section for MarineEcology and Climate, National Institute of Aquatic Resources(DTU Aqua), Technical University of Denmark (since 2009),Arctic plankton dynamic - in a changing climateProject 6507: Ronnie Glud,Internal Staff, Professor at Universityof Southern Denmark,Marine arctic carbon cycle andconsequences of climate changes and sea-ice coverageProject 6508: Leif Tudal,External Staff, senior researcher,Danish Meteorological Institute,Satellite surveillance ofGreenland WatersProject 6509: Dorthe Dahl Jensen,Professor, Niels BohrInstitute, University of Copenhagen,Coastal Glaciers

Project 651l: Colin Stedmon,Senior Scientist, External Staff,National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University ofDenmark (DTU – AQUA),Marine biogeochemistry and optics,Physical oceanography in Greenland waters under climate changeProject 6510: Malene Simon(video), Senior Scientist, internalstaff, marine mammals,Baleen whalesProject 6513: Martin Blicher(video link), Senior Scientist,internal staff,Internal ecology in West GreenlandProject 6514: Kristine ArendScientist, internal staff,zooplankton ecology,Small copepodsProject 6515: John Mortensen,Scientist, internal staff,oceanography,Mooring network

APPENDIX CTerms of ReferenceEvaluation of Greenland Climate Research Centre (GCRC)BackgroundThe Greenland Climate Research Centre (GCRC) is concerned with the expectedimpacts of climate change on Arctic marine, limnic and terrestrial environments and onGreenlandic society, including adaptation and prevention strategies.GCRC was established in 2009 by a funding allocation under the Danish NationalBudget and was realized jointly by the Commission for Scientific Research inGreenland (KVUG), the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and Ilisimatusarfik -University of Greenland. The Centre is located at the Greenland Institute of NaturalResources in Nuuk. A total of DKK 73.8m has been allocated from the 2009-2012Globalization Fund3to run the Centre for a five-year period ending 1 May 2014. KVUGis responsible for allocating the funding within frameworks set out in a letter ofallocation from the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (FI) toKVUG in 2009.GCRC activities involve a large number of Greenlandic and Danish researchers, inaddition to researchers from other countries. The Centre currently has seven researcherson its staff, including three PhD students and around 80 researchers attached to 24different projects organized under 10 different research units.The letter of allocation from FI to KVUG requires an independent center-evaluation tohave been conducted by the end of the Centre's fourth year (1 May 2013).Taking into account the fact that the GCRC has existed for only a few years, theevaluation will be preliminary in nature and concern the Centre's activities and resultsto date.Purpose, target audience and applicationThe purpose of the evaluation is to rate the quality of GCRC activities and preliminaryresults within the Centre's four priority areas:Nature and environmentSociety and commerceTechnology and infrastructureInteraction between the three sectors3

The quality of GCRC activities and results will be evaluated with reference to thescientific, societal and organizational goals defined for the Centre.The target audience for the evaluation is primarily the political system, includingGreenlandic and Danish politicians and authorities, which will be able to use theevaluation in determining whether the Centre has met the defined goals.Delimitation of the evaluandThe evaluand will comprise the GCRC and the activities carried out under the auspicesof the Centre from its establishment in May 2009 onwards. The evaluation willcomprise all activities financed by the grant awarded to the Centre.Evaluation criteriaThe evaluation will rate the quality of GCRC activities and results within the Centre'sfour priority areas; cf. the purpose and letter of allocation. In addition, the evaluationwill assess whether the GCRC organization supports attainment of the goals for theCentre.The goals set out in the letter of allocation are primarily informed by a scientificperspective, but, as mentioned above, the wider goals embody a societal perspectiveand an organizational perspective in that the Centre is required to:make a high profile, expert contribution focusing on the impacts of climatechange in the Arcticcontinuously coordinate its activities with other research programmesconduct application-oriented and innovative researchmake significant contributions to assessment of the influence of climate changeon the Arctic marine, limnic and terrestrial environments and on Greenlandicsociety, including its economy, commerce and technologyachieve capacity building and a permanent base of support in GreenlandThe following indicators, may, where feasible, be included in evaluation of goalattainment:Publications and citationsEstablishment of research infrastructureEstablishment of social science and natural science research environments inGreenlandResearch training and qualification (e.g. PhD degrees)Recruitment of internationally recognized researchers for projects carried outunder the auspices of the Centre23

Formalized international research collaboration and research networks (e.g. jointpublishing, joint research and funding applications and joint conference hosting)Success in attracting external financingConsultancy and projects commissioned by public authorities (e.g. articles andscientific reports)Participation in commissions and boardsResearch managementContribution to education and teaching (e.g. teaching programmes and textbooks and compendiums)Dissemination (e.g. books and features and other publicity to promote research)OrganizationKVUG appoints an independent international peer review panel, which is responsiblefor conducting the evaluation, including the preparation of an evaluation report. Thepanel will be composed of internationally recognized researchers in Arctic or Antarcticclimate research and cover the Centre's four priority areas: nature and environment,society and commerce, technology and infrastructure and interaction between the threesectors.The members of the panel are required to have substantial practical experience ofresearch management. The panel is to be composed of up to 3 members and achairperson. To assist the panel in data collection and preparation of the evaluationreport, an independent secretary, e.g. a PhD student, will be appointed.The KVUG secretariat drafts a set of guidelines for the self-evaluation. In addition, theKVUG secretariat may, by arrangement with the chairperson, assist in quality-assuringthe data collection and the preparation of background reports. Finally, the KVUGsecretariat may assist the panel with the practicalities of the evaluation such as travelplanning and arranging interviews.Data collection methodsData will be collected by two methods. Firstly, GCRC is required to perform a self-evaluation. Secondly, the panel will conduct qualitative interviews with CentreManagement and a selection of the researchers attached to the Centre. In addition, theevaluation must include existing documentation.Self-evaluationThe purpose of the self-evaluation is to furnish the panel with the Centre's owndescription of strengths and weaknesses, including an analysis of the research activities

and results achieved. The panel is also required to use the self-evaluation as a basis forthe qualitative interviews.The self-evaluation will consist of two parts. One part will be completed by CentreManagement, the scientific staff, including PhD students, Centre Administration andthe Director of the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. The second part will becompleted by the ten research units that have projects funded by the Greenland ClimateResearch Centre (AAU Innovative Fisheries Management; Centre for Ocean and Iceand Danish Climate Centre (both Danish Meteorological Institute); Dept. of ArcticEnvironment, Dept. of Marine Ecology, and Dept. of Atmospheric Environment (allNational Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University); DTU Aqua - NationalInstitute of Aquatic Resources (Technical University of Denmark); Ilisimatusarfik -University of Greenland; Niels Bohr Institute (University of Copenhagen); and Instituteof Biology, University of Southern Denmark). The responses from the research unitsare to be drawn up by the management of those units.The self-evaluation will be prepared on the basis of a set of guidelines prepared by thepanel based, in turn, on a draft from the KVUG Secretariat. Centre Management atGCRC is responsible for consolidating the responses from the ten Centre units.Qualitative interviewsThe panel interview with GCRC serves several purposes: first, it is an opportunity forthe panel to obtain validation of and supplementary information on the contents of theself-evaluation report, and second, it allows the panel to test the validity of itspreliminary assessments following its review of the self-evaluation report and otherdocumentation.Interviews will be conducted with Centre Management, the scientific staff, includingPhD students, the Director of the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, and with theten research units. The interviews with the research units may be conducted bytelephone, as appropriate. Interviews will be based on an interview guide produced bythe panel.Existing documentationIn addition, the evaluation will consult existing documentation concerning theframeworks for the Centre, its activities and organization, including the following:Letter of allocation from FIFunding descriptionsGCRC programme of activitiesOrganization chart25