Components of the WISSARD Project WISSARD (Whillans Ice Stream
Subglacial Access Research Drilling) will examine subglacial
ecosystems in a holistic context. The project will investigate
the physical, chemical, and geobiological interactions in the
subglacial environments poised at the interface of the Antarctic
cryosphere, geosphere and global ocean. The WISSARD science
program connects 8 institutions across the country and includes
13 research groups using specific scientific expertise in three
integrated projects, LISSARD: (Lake and Ice Stream Subglacial
Access Research Drilling), RAGES: (Robotics Access to Grounding-
zones for Exploration and Science), and GBASE: (Geomicrobiology
of Antarctic Subglacial Environments). This large-scale
interdisciplinary approach to study the subglacial environments
of a West Antarctic ice stream provides the unparalleled
opportunity to highlight the process of science utilizing novel
technology and the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of
scientific discovery. In order