NORWAY'S REQUEST FOR SCIENCE FELLOWS - 2009

UNCLAS OSLO 000144 FODAG SIPDIS EUR/PGI:DTESSLER EUR/IO/EX:SWOOD D/S:AJOST D/L:PCAMPBELL P:AREINEMEYER G:JSOSNE S/ES:TJUNG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO EAGR ECON AMGT APER EPA NO SUBJECT: NORWAY'S REQUEST FOR SCIENCE FELLOWS - 2009 REF: STATE 10843 ¶1. (U) Summary. Post has had an excellent experience with its Science Fellow and would greatly benefit from continuing to host such fellows. We have three proposals on Svalbard (Arctic) Research (recently visited by the Secretary's Science Adviser),Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS),and Clean Energy Technologies that we believe will substantially benefit the post, the fellow and U.S. policy interests. We look forward to working with the OES/STC office to ensure the program is a success should fellows be identified for these programs. End Summary. -------------- Proposal on Svalbard (Arctic) Research -------------- ¶2. (U) Subject and General Information: --Topic: Svalbard (Arctic) Research --Potential Partner Agencies: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment --Timeframe: two months, anytime in the spring or summer 2010 --Additional skills: n/a, although comfortableness with public speaking a plus --Security clearance: not necessary, but Secret is desirable ¶3. (U) Svalbard is a unique platform for Arctic research because while very close to the pole it is very accessible (direct daily flights from Oslo). As a result, many countries including the U.S. conduct substantial research there. The Secretary's Science Adviser visited on February 25, 2009. As a matter of government policy, the GON would like to increase U.S. research presence in Svalbard (both for the benefit of science and for geopolitical reasons relating to the status of Svalbard). Meanwhile, however, the U.S. already conducts extensive research activities on Svalbard. Our Fulbright Commission is working to establish an Arctic Chair on the island. These efforts, however, are not well publicized or understood at a policy level in the GON or among the general Norwegian public. Therefore, we would like a Science Fellow who would: --map out the USG funded research underway in Svalbard --provide information to Norwegians on this research (This could include identifying ways for the researchers themselves to publicize their activities or having the Fellow speak about the range of research underway to the media or at Embassy-hosted events to politicians, young people, and others) --develop a public diplomacy strategy that the Embassy could implement over the year ahead that would explain U.S. efforts in Svalbard. This might include ideas on developing brochures or kiosks to explain the research. ¶4. (U) Logistical Arrangements: --Housing: Post will provide housing either in temporarily vacant USG housing or in the Ambassador's annex. --Office: Post will provide a workspace. If the Fellow has a clearance, he/she may be seated in an office in the Pol/Econ CAA suite. If not, the Embassy will provide a workspace which may be in another section's suite. --In-country travel: Post will fund in-country travel which is likely to include a trip to Svalbard. ¶5. (U) Contact Information: Kristen Bauer (after July 1, 2009 Cherrie Daniels) Telephone: 47-21308809 Fax: 47-22554313 Backup: George Noll (after July 15, 2009 Aldo Sirotic) Telephone: 47-21308738 Fax: 47-22554313 -------------- Proposal on CCS -------------- ¶6. (U) Subject and General Information: --Topic: CCS Technology --Potential Partner Agencies: Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Petroleum, StatoilHydro Mongstad facility, Universities of Bergen or Oslo --Timeframe: two months, anytime in the spring 2010 --Additional skills: n/a, although comfortableness with public speaking a plus --Security clearance: not necessary, but Secret is desirable ¶7. (U) Description: Norway desires to be a leader in CCS technology and aims to develop a model CCS facility at the Mongstad gas-fired plant near Bergen. They also have done some work on CCS for coal-fired plants. The GON and private sector provide substantial funding for CCS research with the government calling the effort "Norway's moonlanding." Because of the very substantial funding and high political support, universities, government research centers, and government owned companies are all engaged in extensive CCS research. We would like a Science Fellow who would: --map out the CCS research underway in Norway (to some extent this would build on the work of a previous fellow and pol/econ officer) --provide information to Norwegians on American CCS research (we envision this broadly to include speaking to fellow researchers on a technical level as well as speaking at a general level to the media or at Embassy hosted events to politicians, young people, and others) --develop a roadmap on how the Embassy can promote linkages between U.S. and Norwegian CCS researchers (this may include identifying centers of excellence that could be connected, research exchanges that could be promoted, etc.) ¶8. (U) Logistical Arrangements: --Housing: Post will provide housing either in temporarily vacant USG housing or in the Ambassador's annex. --Office: Post will provide a workspace. If the Fellow has a clearance, he/she may be seated in an office in the Pol/Econ CAA suite. If not, the Embassy will provide a workspace which may be in another section's suite. --In-country travel: Post will fund in-country travel which is likely to include a trip to the Mongstad facility and Bergen as well as to Trondheim. ¶9. (U) Contact Information: Kristen Bauer (after July 1, 2009 Cherrie Daniels) Telephone: 47-21308809 Fax: 47-22554313 Backup: George Noll (after July 15, 2009 Aldo Sirotic) Telephone: 47-21308738 Fax: 47-22554313 -------------- Proposal on Clean Energy Technology -------------- ¶10. (U) Subject and General Information --Topic: Clean Energy Technology --Potential Partner Agencies: Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Petroleum, Universities of Trondheim or Oslo --Timeframe: two months, anytime in the spring 2010 --Additional skills: n/a, although comfortableness with public speaking a plus --Security clearance: not necessary, but Secret is desirable ¶11. (U) The Environment is often cited as the most important policy issue by Norwegians. Their interest in and demand for information on US environmental technology, especially clean energy technology is very high. To respond to this demand and to promote a positive image of US research in this field, we would like a Science Fellow who would: --provide information to Norwegians on American Clean Energy technology (we envision this broadly to include speaking to fellow researchers on a technical level as well as speaking at a general level to the media or at Embassy hosted events to politicians, young people, and others) --develop a public diplomacy strategy that the Embassy could implement over the year ahead that would explain US clean energy efforts to Norwegians. Ultimately, we hope this campaign would set the groundwork for promoting greater linkages between U.S. and Norwegian clean energy researchers and educational exchanges in this field and will to some extent build on the work of a previous fellow). ¶12. (U) Logistical Arrangements: --Housing: Post will provide housing either in temporarily vacant USG housing or in the Ambassador's annex. --Office: Post will provide a workspace. If the Fellow has a clearance, he/she may be seated in an office in the Pol/Econ CAA suite. If not, the Embassy will provide a workspace which may be in another section's suite. --In-country travel: Post will fund in-country travel which is likely to include a trip to Trondheim. ¶13. (U) Contact Information: Kristen Bauer (after July 1, 2009 Cherrie Daniels) Telephone: 47-21308809 Fax: 47-22554313 Backup: George Noll (after July 15, 2009 Aldo Sirotic) Telephone: 47-21308738 Fax: 47-22554313 WHITNEY