ISCE Director Attends the Byrd Polar Colloquy

At the invitation of Bolling Byrd-Clark, the daughter of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, ISCE director Danny L. Weiss attended the first Byrd Polar Colloquy in the spring of 1996. The meeting, held at the Byrd Polar Research Center located at Ohio State University, was both a 70th anniversary celebration of Admiral Byrd's 1926 flight over the North Pole, and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Operation High Jump, the code name for Admiral Byrd's South Pole expedition.

Attending the conference was a vast array of scientists, researchers, historians, explorers and other enthusiasts interested in sharing experiences relating to the exploration of the earth's polar regions. Speakers addressed topics spanning the entire polar spectrum. Some of the more interesting remarks came from Byrd's colleagues who traveled with the Admiral on various missions between 1939 and 1955. Also discussed with the Byrd symposium was how the ISCE obtained, through Danny L. Weiss, the alleged secret diary of Admiral Byrd. Other discussions ranged from first hand experiences with Admiral Byrd to the most remote, inaccessible and environmentally harsh scientific prognostications by the multi-national and multi-disciplinary scientific teams at the Byrd Polar Research Center.

The ISCE has been publishing information garnered from this conference in its newsletter, The ISCE Quarterly.

The Byrd Polar Research Archival Program
and the Byrd Polar Research Center (BPRAP and BPRC)

The (BPRCAP) is a collaborative effort of the (BPRC) and the Ohio State University Libraries/Archives. Its mission is to collect, preserve, and permit access to historical documents concerned with polar regions. The scientists of the Byrd Polar Research Center investigate and disseminate knowledge of polar regions. Founded in 1960, it is one of the oldest academic centers for polar research. As one of the largest research libraries in the United States, The Ohio State University Libraries/Archives are renown for preserving and providing access to research collections.

The goal of the BPRCAP is to make rare or unique historical material about polar exploration and scientific investigation available for use in the context of an active polar research environment. Historical collections contain papers, records, photographs, and other forms of documentation concerning explorers, scientists, and other figures and organizations prominent in the advancement of knowledge about polar environments. Users of the historical collections include facility and students of the Ohio State University, visiting scholars, and the public.

VISIT THE BPRC ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Find out what's new and exciting at the Byrd Polar Research Center by visiting its web site or contact:

Sophia J. Harris
Byrd Polar Research Center
The Ohio State University
108 Scott Hall, 1090 Carmack Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1002
(614)688-3366 Fax: (614)292-4697