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About

Witness the Arctic provides information on current arctic research efforts and findings, significant research initiatives, national policy affecting arctic research, international activities, and profiles of institutions with major arctic research efforts. Witness serves an audience of arctic scientists, educators, agency personnel, and policy makers. Witness was published biannually in hardcopy from 1995-2008 (archives are available below) and is currently published online 3-4 times annually, depending on newsworthy events.

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Witness the Arctic | Spring 2009

Archives

With the Spring 2009 issue, ARCUS changed the format of Witness the Arctic. To provide more frequent updates and reduce printing and mailing costs and associated environmental impacts, the newsletter is now distributed online in three or four shorter issues per year, depending on newsworthy events.

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If you have a question or an idea for a Witness article, contact Betsy Turner-Bogren at betsy [at] arcus [dot] org.

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Distribution Date: 31 May 2009

Witness the Arctic | Volume 13, Number 2 - 2009

Feature Article

IPY Heightens Attention to Arctic Issues
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
By Mead Treadwell Over the two-year official period of the fourth International Polar Year (IPY), from March 2007 to March 2009, scientists from more than 60 nations carried out over 160 IPY projects, supported by approximately $1.2 billion, mostly from national scientific agencies. Although its...
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Articles

Witness News

Our New Format
Dear Subscribers, ARCUS has changed the format of Witness the Arctic. To provide more frequent updates and reduce printing and mailing costs and associated environmental impacts, the newsletter will now be distributed online in three or four shorter issues per year, depending on newsworthy events....
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Interagency Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH)

NSIDC image derived from satellite passive microwave data.
2009 SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook Effort Underway
The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Sea Ice Outlook (SIO), which provides an integrated, community-wide summary of projections of the annual arctic sea ice minimum, has launched activities for the 2009 season. Contributions are currently being accepted, and the first monthly report...
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Arctic System Science Program

Update on ARCSS Program Activities
The latest Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program solicitation, Changing Seasonality in the Arctic System (CSAS), was released in June 2008. The proposal deadline was in October 2008. In response to the solicitation, NSF received 71 proposals representing approximately $30 million in requested...
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Arctic Research Support and Logistics

One of two solar and wind power systems currently at Imnavait Creek.
CH2M HILL Polar Resources Readies for Busy Season of Research Support and Alternative Energy Development
CH2M HILL Polar Services (CPS), logistics provider to NSF's arctic research program, is busy supporting 2009 summer fieldwork. Projects on the CPS roster continue to be largely multi-institutional, international in scope, and focused on understanding the Arctic as a system. In addition to research...
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Science News

Workshop Report Outlines Gaps and Makes Recommendations for Monitoring Efforts in Arctic Seas
The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) and the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) sponsored a workshop on marine research and monitoring efforts in the Arctic, particularly in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, as part of the January 2009 Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska.
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National Science Foundation News

An aft view of the ARRV, designed by The Glosten Associates in 2004.
NSF Stimulus Funding will Support ARRV Construction
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly known as the stimulus bill, includes $400 million for the NSF Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account. From this amount, NSF plans to direct more than $100 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)...
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Capitol Updates

FY 2010 NSF Budget Proposal Tops $7 Billion
The Obama administration released details of its FY 2010 budget request in early May 2009. The proposed NSF budget is $7.045 billion, an increase of $555 million (8.5%) over the FY 2009 budget plan of $6.49 billion. NSF received an additional $3 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment...
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International News

IASC Merges with AOSB; Secretariat Moves to Potsdam
The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is implementing several structural changes. The planned IASC merge with the Arctic Ocean Sciences Board (AOSB), combining the resources and scientific expertise of both organizations, was made official during Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2009...
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ASSW 2009 Includes Open Science Symposium For the First Time
This year's Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) was held in March 2009 in Bergen, Norway, attended by more than 300 scientists, students, policy makers, and other professionals.
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Denmark Assumes Chairmanship of Arctic Council
Denmark assumed chairmanship of the Arctic Council (AC) at the sixth Ministerial Meeting in Tromsø, Norway, in April 2009. More than 300 participants attended, including delegates from the eight arctic nations, observer states, and indigenous peoples' organizations.
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State of the Arctic Conference

State of the Arctic Conference Set for March 2010
Planning is underway for a large State of the Arctic Conference, which will be held 16–19 March 2010 in Miami, Florida. This open international forum will provide an opportunity to present, exchange, and discuss the latest knowledge on the state of the Arctic and future directions of arctic science...
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A Note from the ARCUS President

New Executive Director Joins ARCUS
On behalf of the ARCUS Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that Susan E. Fox became executive director of ARCUS in April 2009. Fox replaces Wendy K. Warnick who stepped down from the position after 17 years of service.
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University of Northern British Columbia: ARCUS Member Institution

The UNBC Prince George campus. Photo by: Bob Clarke.
Arctic Research at the University of Northern British Columbia
Established in 1994 with considerable public endorsement and enthusiasm, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) has grown into one of Canada's premier small universities—just over 4,000 students attend the main campus in Prince George and four regional campuses throughout the province...
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Lesley Dampier, a UNBC master's student.
Ecosystem Science and Management Program
The Ecosystem Science and Management Program (www.unbc.ca/esm/) houses 30 faculty with interests in all aspects of ecosystem function, from the cellular and molecular scale to the organismal and landscape scale, and the role of humans in modifying these ecosystems.
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Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management Program
The Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management Program (www.unbc.ca/ortm/) is within the College of Science and Management and has five faculty members.
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Environmental Science and Engineering Program
The Environmental Science and Engineering Program (www.unbc.ca/ensc/index.html) has 13 faculty members—their research interests range from large-scale global climate to regional environmental issues.
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Geography Program
Housed within the College of Science and Management, the Geography Program (www.unbc.ca/geography/index.html) has ten faculty.
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UNBC Institutes Advance Priority Research Themes
UNBC has prioritized three interdisciplinary research themes that either relate to existing areas of research strength or to areas where the university foresees significant future potential and is seeking to build research capacity: natural resources and the environment; rural, remote, and northern...
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ARCUS
  • Arctic Research Consortium of the United States
  • 3535 College Road
  • Suite 101
  • Fairbanks, AK 99709 USA
  • Phone: 907-474-1600
  • Fax: 907-474-1604
  • info@arcus.org
  • www.arcus.org

Executive Director: Susan E. Fox

ARCUS is a nonprofit organization consisting of institutions organized and operated for educational, professional, or scientific purposes. Established by its member institutions in 1988 with the primary mission of strengthening arctic research, ARCUS activities are funded through cooperative agreements with NSF and the National Park Service, grants from NSF, a contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and membership dues.

Witness the Arctic is published periodically by ARCUS. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Submit suggestions for the next issue of the newsletter by August 2009.

Editors: Sarah Behr and Alison York

Contributors: V. Alexander, J. Berkson, D. Coxson, T. Dahl, S. Dery, J. Farrell, S. Fox, S. Green, J. Hansen, E. Key, K. Lewis, L. Mack, M. McCammon, V. Rachold, K. Rithner, N. Swanberg, M. Tedesco, M. Treadwell, T. Whitledge, H. Wiggins

  • http://www.arcus.org/witness-the-arctic/2009/2