VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #0144/01 0641536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051536Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7398
INFO RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 2518

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