WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The watchdog office overseeing the National Science Foundation is sending investigators to Antarctica's McMurdo Station after hearing concerns about the prevalence of sexual violence at the U.S. research base. It announced Friday it is appointing Renée Ferranti as a special assistant to the NSF director to focus on sexual assault and harassment prevention and response. The NSF told the AP the alcohol changes were related to morale and welfare, and were not aimed at preventing sexual harassment or assault. On Friday, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said he was delighted to welcome Ferranti, who had more than 25 years of experience in sexual assault prevention. Ferranti said in the release she hopes “to make a meaningful impact to advance NSF's progress in addressing sexual violence.”

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Persons: Renée, Lisa Vonder Haar, Vonder Haar, they’d, Sethuraman Panchanathan, ” Panchanathan, Ferranti, “, ” Organizations: National Science Foundation, NSF, Renée Ferranti, Associated Press, McMurdo, AP, Ferranti Locations: WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Antarctica