Date

For further information on this International Workshop on Trends
and Effects of Heavy Metals in the Arctic, please contact either:

AMAP Secretariat
P.O. Box 8100 Dep.
N-0032 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47/2324-1630
Fax: +47/2267-6706
E-mail: amap [at] amap.no

AMAP Heavy Metals Group Chair
USEPA, 222 W. 7th Avenue, #19
Anchorage, AK 99513 USA
Tel: +1-907/271-2895
Fax: +1-907/271-3424
E-mail: marcy.suzanne [at] epa.gov


Announcement and Call for Papers

International Workshop on
Trends and Effects of Heavy Metals in the Arctic
18-22 June 2001
McLean, Virginia, USA

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
and
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

PURPOSE
We are pleased to announce an International Workshop on Trends and
Effects of Heavy Metals in the Arctic to be held in McLean, Virginia,
18-22 June 2001. This meeting will bring together scientists working on
all aspects of heavy metals contamination in the Arctic for the purpose
of discussing the most recent developments and incorporating new results
into the AMAP 2002 Heavy Metals assessment

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Scientists and other experts (including nominated AMAP experts) who have
new data and information concerning:
- levels and trends of heavy metals contamination in the Arctic
- sources, transport pathways, transformation processes, and routes of
exposure
- studies of biological effects of heavy metals, relevant to possible
effects in the Arctic
WORKSHOP FORMAT
There will be two sessions during the workshop Open (18-20 June) and
Drafting (20-22 June):
Open Session (18-20 June) The Open Session is for scientists from all
arctic countries who are conducting relevant research. An emphasis is
being placed on ensuring their participation. Scientists from other
countries conducting relevant monitoring and research in the Arctic are
also encouraged to attend. The Open Session ends at noon on 20 June.
OPEN SESSION OBJECTIVES
- Present recent results and new findings from scientific research and
monitoring programs concerning:
(a) spatial and temporal trends in levels of heavy metals in the
Arctic environment/ecosystems,
(b) processes leading to environmental contamination by heavy metals,
(c) effects of heavy metals on plant and animal life.
- Discuss relationships among trends, processes and effects to develop
scenarios that link processes leading to heavy metals contamination in
the arctic environment and their effects.
- Identify gaps in current circumpolar programs concerning heavy metals
that could be filled through collaborative activities in the future.

Drafting Session (20-22 June) The Drafting Session is for Open Session
participants who are also national experts responsible for preparation
of the 2002 AMAP heavy metals assessment. During the Drafting Session,
Key Experts will meet to discuss recent results, refine scenarios and
draft sections of the AMAP assessment. A focus for the drafting work is
to incorporate results and information presented and discussed during
the Open Session into the AMAP 2002 Heavy Metals assessment. For more
information about AMAP and its Assessments please visit
http://www.amap.no

DRAFTING SESSION OBJECTIVES
- Synthesize results presented during the Open Session with other
available data and information on heavy metal contamination of the
Arctic.
- Update the existing annotated outline of the AMAP report, and prepare
a revised draft of the 2002 assessment report incorporating new
monitoring results and research findings since 1996, including scenarios
describing potential pathways for exposure, and state of the science on
effects.

CALL FOR PAPERS AT THE WORKSHOP AND THE PROCEEDINGS

Deadline for submission of abstracts is: 20 April 2001

The organizing committee is interested in receiving proposals for short
oral and poster presentations. Those interested in presenting should
include the title and a brief abstract of the proposed paper with your
preliminary registration. Please indicate whether you would prefer
making an oral or poster presentation. The deadline for submission of
your abstract is 20 April. It is the Workshop organizers intention to
produce a proceedings that include both oral and poster presentations.
Authors of papers accepted for oral or poster presentation at the
workshop will be notified by 30 April, at which time they will be asked
to submit an extended abstract of their presentation (max. 4 pages) for
inclusion in the workshop proceedings. Further instructions regarding
preparation of these abstracts will be provided at that time.
WORKSHOP REGISTRATION
To register for this workshop, please send an e-mail message (by 20
April) to: Jo-Ann Saville, SAIC, at: savillej [at] saic.com. Include your
name, affiliation, and contact information, and a brief note on your
activities relevant to the objectives of the meeting. A workshop
registration confirmation, provisional program, and list of
presentations, a provisional list of participants, and necessary
information on workshop arrangements, travel and accommodation, and
other logistics will be sent to you by 1 May. Please register as soon as
possible as seating will be limited to the first 75 registrants. There
is no registration charge for attending the Workshop.

For further information contact either:

AMAP Secretariat
P.O. Box 8100 Dep.
N-0032 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47/2324-1630
Fax: +47/2267-6706
E-mail: amap [at] amap.no

AMAP Heavy Metals Group Chair
USEPA, 222 W. 7th Avenue #19
Anchorage, AK 99513 USA
Tel: +1-907/271-2895
Fax: +1-907/271-3424
E-mail: marcy.suzanne [at] epa.gov