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Call for Nominations for Global Land Programme Scientific Steering Committee Members

The Global Land Programme (GLP) is currently seeking to nominate two to three new Scientific Steering Committee members, starting June 2025. The GLP is an interdisciplinary community of science and practice fostering the study of land systems and the co-design of solutions for global sustainability and currently a Global Research Network (GRN) of the Future Earth international research platform. Application Deadline: 5 February 2025

Call for nominations GLP SSC
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GLP represents the community of scientists working on land systems and aims to lead synthesis and knowledge production in the field, organize platforms for interaction between community members through working groups, conferences, workshops, regional activities, online resources and social media, and plays a role in setting the science agendas for emerging land system research themes to better integrate the understanding of the coupled human environment system.

The activities of GLP are initiated, stimulated and overseen by an international Scientific Steering Committee (SSC). The GLP SSC represents a broad spectrum of disciplines, areas of expertise, and nationalities and includes both mid-level and senior scientists. SSC Members are selected based on their standing in the international scientific community and their willingness to serve the community by taking leadership in organizing activities, with due consideration to regional, gender, and disciplinary balances.

The continuing success of GLP relies on the input of these people. In seeking nominations, they are looking for scientific excellence and a high level of commitment to actualizing GLP goals and activities.

The general tasks of a GLP SSC member are as follows:

  • Advise and work together with the GLP International Programme Office (IPO) in carrying out scientific synthesis research across the field of land system science. This may include activities as, for example, leading and/or contributing to GLP Working Groups, initializing high impact synthesis papers, organizing workshops, virtual events, and/or special sessions and activities during the GLP’s Open Science Meeting (OSM).
  • Serve as a channel of communication and promotion of the programme between scientists working on various aspects of global change and/or in different regions. It is expected that SSC Members actively promote GLP in their institutions and network community, including the promotion of land system research with funding agencies.
  • Explore and promote new directions of land system science, responding to societal priorities where appropriate, in close collaboration with stakeholders (co-design).
  • Actively participate as liaisons vis-à-vis other international programmes as well as within Future Earth to promote our science and ensure collaboration and effective use of existing knowledge on different aspects of land system research.
  • Plan new and emerging research and science policy activities that contribute to the overarching objectives of GLP; acting as a liaison to GLP workshop organizers; representing GLP at international meetings; planning, organizing and hosting GLP workshops and meetings.
  • Contribute to funding acquisition efforts for GLP-initiated activities such as workshops.
  • Grow and foster GLP global south engagement activities to improve justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in current and future land system research.

In addition, a GLP SSC Member is expected to:

  • Provide sustained guidance to the GLP IPO and Nodal Offices, which include being responsive to requests, taking leadership on activities and providing inputs to communications of GLP.
  • Review working group and/or nodal office proposals GLP documentation and endorsements when requested by the IPO or by Future Earth.
  • Participate in the scientific committee of GLP Open Science Meetings as requested.
  • Attend and make an active contribution to the yearly 4-5 day SSC meeting and 4 virtual telecons per year.
  • In addition to in-person meetings and quarterly telecons, an expected time commitment from an SSC member is estimated at roughly 8 hours per month.
  • Abide by the SSC bylaws and code of conduct.

The term for the GLP Scientific Steering Committee Membership is normally three years, and may be renewed for between one and three years. Nominations to the SSC can be made by individuals and will be considered by the current GLP SSC and IPO, and where needed in consultation with the Future Earth Secretariat. Selected candidates are then recommended to Future Earth for final approval. When selected, the new SSC members will then receive a formal appointment letter.

GLP currently receives partial funding to cover travel and accommodation for all SSC members for the yearly SSC meetings. In addition, GLP has a small IPO staff with some resources to support dissemination activities and maintain network communication. For all other activities, SSC members should secure funding in close collaboration with the IPO. SSC membership relies on voluntary contributions of its members.

Candidates may nominate themselves by sending the filled-in GLP SSC Nomination Form including a short CV (max. 5 pages) to . Two to three SSC positions are available, starting June 2025. Participation in the June 2-6 Annual SSC Meeting, in Vancouver, Canada, is mandatory. Further inquiries can be addressed to the SSC membership or to the International Programme Office (). To learn more about GLP, including the current science plan, activities, SSC and IPO and obtain specific SSC member contact information visit glp.earth.

Application Deadline: Feb 5

Submit application to email address:

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