
SSC Participants during the June 2025 SSC meeting in Tokyo, Japan. From left: Sei-Ichi Saitoh, Guðbjörg Ólafsdóttir, Franz Mueter, Naomi Harada, Benjamin Planque, Kumiko Azetsu-Scott, Toru Hirawake.
The SSC forms expert working groups (WGs) to undertake the research and work of ESSAS. It facilitates cross-disciplinary communication/coordination of national ESSAS programs within and between the working groups. It also facilitates/coordinates interactions with other regional programs and working groups of IMBeR (ICED, SIBER, CLIOTOP, CCCC, SO, SPACC, HDWG, CMWG), and with other relevant programs (ASOF, CLIVAR, PICES, ICES, ASIC, etc). The ESSAS SSC also interacts with the IMBeR SSC and its IPO. Meetings are held annually to assess progress toward the synthesis goals and review reports on progress and plans from the various working groups.
Structure
Membership includes scientists from participating countries. Those currently represented include: Canada, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Norway, and the United States (previously including Denmark (Greenland) and Russia). Working Group chairs are included as ex-officio members. Three ESSAS Co-Chairs are elected from the SSC membership — one from Asia, one from North America, and one from Europe.























