Are the poles the final frontiers of research and education (R&E) networking? While there is an array of terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric instruments that stream data to R&E networks - and thus to researchers worldwide - polar research instruments and the valuable data they collect remain disconnected from the global web of R&E networks. Given the tremendous importance of polar regions in understanding climate change, what are the technical, political, and research implications of connecting the Arctic and Antarctica to the global research and education network?
