Crowd of penguins

Information about SCAR Members

The membership of SCAR comprises ISC-affiliated national scientific academies or research councils (or the organisation designated by the national ISC representative body) of countries that are active in Antarctic research, together with the relevant Scientific Unions of ISC. Country membership is divided into several categories based on the stage of development of their Antarctic research programme. To learn more about SCAR membership, visit our membership guide.

SCAR helps to coordinate activities between all its members and helps to build capacity in countries who are just starting to develop an interest in the Antarctic or are in the early stages of building their Antarctic programmes.

Below is a list of our members. Click on their name to learn who their Delegates are, contact information for their National Committees, read their national reports and find out more about their Antarctic research activities.

Full Members

A Full Member shall be a national organisation adhering to ISC, or nominated by a national organisation adhering to ISC, that represents the scientific community of that country. The country must maintain an active and continuing programme of research in the Antarctic Region and the national organisation must have formed a National Committee to communicate with the SCAR. A Full Member shall be represented by two Delegates appointed by the national organisation through its national committee for SCAR; the first Delegate shall be referred to as the Delegate, the second Delegate shall be referred to as the “Alternate Delegate”. The Delegate and Alternate Delegate appointed to represent the Full Member should preferably be scientists directly involved in Antarctic Science. Sub-categories of Full Members are Special Contributors, Well-Developed Programmes, and Initial Stage Programmes.

Special Contributors

At this level, countries demonstrate the importance of the Antarctic region to their national priorities, despite the size of their programme.

Russia
United States of America

Well-Developed Programmes

At this level, countries acknowledge that they have a multi-disciplinary and productive Antarctic research community. This can include having a base in Antarctica, logistical resources and an established community of scientists working together with the international community.

Argentina
Australia
Brazil
China, People's Republic of
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Korea, Republic of
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
South Africa
Spain
United Kingdom

Initial-Stage Programmes

At this level, countries are still growing their national programmes and developing resources needed for sustained activities. The goal of this category is to become a well-developed programme over time.

Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
Czech Republic
Ecuador
Finland
Malaysia
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Sweden
Switzerland
Türkiye
Ukraine
Uruguay

Associate Members

An Associate Member shall be a national organisation adhering to ISC, or nominated by a national organisation adhering to ISC, that desires to participate in the work of SCAR for scientific reasons but does not qualify as a Full Member. An Associate Member shall be represented by one Delegate designated by the Associate Member. The Delegate representing the Associate Member, should preferably be a scientist directly involved in Antarctic Science. There are no sub-categories of Associate Members.

Austria
Belarus
Colombia
Denmark
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Mexico
Monaco
Pakistan
Romania
Thailand
Venezuela

Union Members

A Union Member shall be an organisation which is a Scientific Union member of ISC, whose activity is related to the objects of SCAR and which wishes to participate in the work of SCAR on a continuing basis. A Union Member shall be represented by one Delegate designated by the Union Member.

International Astronomical Union - IAU
International Geographical Union - IGU
International Union of Biological Sciences - IUBS
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics - IUGG
International Union of Geological Sciences - IUGS
International Union of Physiological Sciences - IUPS
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry - IUPAC
Union Radio Scientifique International - URSI

Honorary Members

SCAR awards Honorary Membership to those who have given long and dedicated service to SCAR. These members do not have voting rights but are welcome to participate in Delegates meetings. These are currently:

Honorary Members