The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently invited Dr. Donald Ratliff to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Office of Polar Programs (OPP). OPP establishes and directs NSF funding for basic research and operational support in the Arctic and the Antarctic.

The OPP Advisory Committee consists of experts who are familiar with polar operations, issues, and research. As a member of the Committee, Ratliff will offer his expertise in the area of supply chain and logistics.

"Scientific stations, such as the new one that the U. S. has built at the geographic South Pole, support critical experiments in disciplines ranging from astrophysics to environmental chemistry and seismology,* said Ratliff. "These stations in turn require extraordinary supply chain and logistics support. I hope that I can contribute to this effort by bringing some of the insights gained by the supply chain and logistics community from addressing more traditional supply chains."

The Committee reports to the Director of OPP and advises the Office in polar research programs and policy. Members provide guidance, recommendations, and supervision on how OPP can best serve scientific research, promote education, increase workforce diversity, and set investment priorities. Scientists from a wide range of disciplines and sub-disciplines serve on the Committee, making for a diverse community.

The OPP Advisory Committee meets semi-annually. Ratliff will serve a three year term, starting May 29, 2008 until May 2011.

H. Donald Ratliff, executive director of the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute, has for the last 20 years supervised one of the largest logistics research programs in the world. He is also the UPS and Regents' Professor at Georgia Tech's Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE). Dr. Ratliff holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Alabama as well as a Ph.D. in operations research from Johns Hopkins University. He has been a member of the ISyE faculty since 1978.