Fifty years after the International Geophysical Year, scientists around the world are now engaged in a coordinated program of International Polar Year (IPY) Research, Education and Outreach. Guided by the U.S. National Academies of Science "A Vision for the International Polar Year 2007-2009" report, U.S. scientists are joining in research partnerships with colleagues in 30 nations to improve our understanding of the world's great ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, to study how ecosystems and human institutions respond to climate change, and to advance our understanding of climate change and how it will evolve at a fundamental level. The National Science Foundation is the lead U.S. agency for the IPY and has worked closely with NASA, NOAA and many other U.S. agencies to build a common legacy. This keynote session will showcase several forefront research projects that exemplify the goals of U.S. and international IPY efforts.