Past Events

This webinar is part of a series of Alaska Climate Webinars given by the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment & Policy (ACCAP). This webinar will be given by Chris Wilmers, of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

To hear the audio presentation during a webinar:
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To hear the audio presentation during a webinar:

1. With a regular telephone dial: 1- (877) 594-8353
2. When prompted, enter the Participant passcode: 83847342

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The Marine Mammal Commission will meet in open session on Friday, 14 December 2012, from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the National Marine Fisheries Service's main conference room (Room 445), Juneau Federal Building.

The Commission plans to meet with regional management and scientific officials in each of the National Marine Fisheries Service's six regions to identify the most pressing marine mammal research and management needs. The Commission will use these meetings to develop a set of national priorities for guiding federal conservation efforts for marine mammals. Members of the public are invited to attend these meetings and to provide comments concerning priority issues.

For more than 20 years, the Geophysical Institute has hosted the Science For Alaska Lecture Series in locations across the state, sharing cutting-edge research in local communities. The 2013 lecture series will undergo important changes from previous years: all lectures will be hosted on campus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and will span over four Saturdays in January.

Kicking-off on Jan. 5 at 2 p.m., the lecture series will feature scientific research of earthquakes, sea ice, air quality and lasers. Scientists presenting the lectures are on the forefront of their fields and will be focusing on research that is relevant to Alaska. Lectures will continue on Saturday afternoons through Jan. 26.

Presentations will be held in the Schaible Auditorium, located in the Bunnell Building (303 Tanana Loop). All Lectures and parking on campus are free to the public. Following each of the lectures, coffee and hot tea will be provided and audience members will have an opportunity to meet the scientists.

The 2013 Science for Alaska Lecture Series is sponsored by the Geophysical Institute and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Science for Alaska is one of the largest public outreach efforts undertaken each year by the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The series brings current scientific research to communities throughout the state and serves as a method of collaboration between each major campus of the University of Alaska system, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Each year, administrators, faculty, staff and the public weigh-in on possibilities for speakers and topics to be included in the popular lecture series. The result is a well-rounded event that pools expertise from scientists studying in various locales in Alaska, on topics as diverse as alternative energy to walruses.

This workshop will exchange concepts and ideas on the development and application of geophysical exploration methods to problems in the changing cryosphere relating to snow, sea ice, permafrost, glaciers and ice sheets. We will focus mainly on how various methods of subsurface imaging can help monitor changes in the cryosphere and thus elucidate the consequences of a changing climate. These changes may include the mass balance of ice sheets and glaciers, active layer depth and extent, the state and depth of terrestrial and offshore permafrost, and the mass budget and state of sea ice and the seasonal snow cover. The workshop will also highlight advances in geophysical methods, especially as may be relevant to resource development, environmental hazard monitoring and assessment, and bridging the gap between development and practical application of geophysical technology.

We invite papers that investigate all aspects of cold regions subsurface imaging and extraction of in situ petrophysical properties.

Cryosphere Geophysics: Understanding a Changing Climate with Subsurface Imaging

The earth's cold regions present perhaps the most diverse set of geophysical problems of any earth system. We must understand the influence of water in all its phases on the dynamics and thermodynamics of snow, ice and frozen soil masses whose geophysical properties can change dramatically on time scales from hours to millennia. This workshop will exchange concepts and ideas on the development and application of geophysical exploration methods to problems in the changing Cryosphere relating to snow, sea ice, permafrost, glaciers and ice sheets. We will focus mainly on how various methods of subsurface imaging can help monitor changes in the Cryosphere and thus elucidate the consequences of a changing climate. These changes may include the mass balance of ice sheets and glaciers, active layer depth and extent, the state and depth of terrestrial and offshore permafrost, and the mass budget and state of sea ice and the seasonal snow cover. The workshop will also highlight advances in geophysical methods, especially as may be relevant to resource development, environmental hazard monitoring and assessment, and bridging the gap between development and practical application of geophysical technology.

We invite papers that investigate all aspects of cold regions subsurface imaging and extraction of in situ petrophysical properties.

Organizers announce that the Third International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR-3) will be held in Tokyo, Japan on 15-17 January 2013.

ISAR-3 will be directed to detect and clarify the recent changes and understand the substantial processes in the region, and to search the global influence. It will also be directed to envision the future through further scientific discussions and to enhance more national and international cooperation/collaboration, including the ones between arctic and non-arctic countries.

Interested individuals are welcome to attend the 'North-South Workshop' at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) in Copenhagen, Denmark between January 14-16th, 2013. The workshop, which is funded by the European Union seventh framework (FP7) programme 'ice2sea: estimating the future contribution of continental ice to sea-level rise', is an effort to bring together a new community of researchers working on prediction of similar 'near-polar' glacier systems in the northern and southern hemispheres.

The ice2sea 'North-South Workshop' aims to highlight importance and difficulties / opportunities in future projections of glacier change in rapidly changing 'near-polar' glacier systems, such as the Arctic, the Gulf of Alaska, Patagonia, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Future projections of change are hampered by a lack of key datasets (e.g. mass balance, ice thickness), uncertainty in the attribution of processes driving these changes, and uncertain predictions of regional climate.

The 'North-South Workshop' aims to:

• Highlight these issues with examples from 'near-polar' glacier systems throughout the northern and southern hemispheres;
• To reduce the disconnect between distinct glaciological communities working in the north and south; and
• To provide an opportunity to suggest future targeted grant applications and/or data acquisition campaigns.

A statement of the outcome of the meeting will be prepared for publication under the authorship of the attendees.

If you are interested in attending, please get in touch with the organisers. We hope to see you in Copenhagen next year.

Nick Barrand (British Antarctic Survey)
Jon Ove Hagen (University of Oslo)
Horst Machguth (GEUS / University of Zurich)

One of the biggest issues the world faces today is global warming that occurs owing to influence of human activities. Pure snow, forming a bright surface, reflects heat back into space and causes cooling, while being polluted with industrial waste and soot, dark snow absorbs sunlight and results in warming. This environmental challenge needs world community’s special attention and deserves a separate discussion. But there are few global events, which have respect to ecological problems and city management issues of winter period.

The conference will gather representatives from international organizations, global experts on snow and wintertime problems, and arctic city mayors and national authorities to discuss environmental problems and city management issues specifically relevant to arctic regions. It will raise issues of global geopolitical and environmental problems, and discuss the development and preservation of northern territories. The conference will be organized into three sessions each lasting one day:

• Snow and City Management
• Snow and Ecology
• Snow and Sport

The World Snow Forum will also include an extensive cultural program featuring ice and snow sculpture, dance, and various competitions.

The World Snow Forum is supported by the Russian Government as well as the Arctic Council, the International Arctic Science Committee, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and the Winter Cities Institute.

The Arctic Frontiers conference is a central arena for discussions on arctic issues. The conference brings together representatives from science, politics, and civil society to share perspectives on how upcoming challenges in the Arctic may be addressed to ensure sustainable development. Arctic Frontiers 2013 will focus on the current status, challenges, and future perspectives of arctic geopolitics, security, and marine productivity.

The scientific portion will be held under three parallel sessions:

*Geopolitics in a changing arctic
*Marine harvesting in the Arctic
*Arctic marine productivity

The Pacific Marine Arctic Regional Synthesis (PacMARS) and the Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR) announce that an open community workshop will be held 20 January 2013, just prior to the 2013 Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska.

PacMARS is a project underwritten by the North Pacific Marine Research Institute to assemble, by mid-year 2013, up-to-date written documentation that contributes to understanding the Pacific-influenced continental shelf ecosystem of the Arctic Ocean. The objective is to compile the best available knowledge from local communities, peer-reviewed social and natural sciences, and less readily available knowledge sources. The overall goal is to provide guidance for scientific research needs in the region. SOAR is a 5-year project supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). SOAR is chartered to synthesize scientific information and local observations to improve understanding of the relationships among oceanographic conditions, benthic organisms, lower trophic prey species (forage fish and zooplankton), seabirds, and marine mammal distribution and behavior for the Pacific arctic region. The SOAR effort builds on existing interdisciplinary work to develop detailed syntheses to inform management decision-makers and to guide future research studies.

The workshop will provide an update of activities for both the PacMARS and SOAR projects, and solicit input on themes for future research initiatives in the region. The agenda for the PacMARS-SOAR workshop will include highlight presentations of activities from both synthesis projects, followed by break-out sessions with the workshop participants to identify additional data synthesis activities being undertaken, and to develop a composite of scientific themes for future interdisciplinary and interagency efforts in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.

To attend the workshop, please complete the registration form available at: http://tinyurl.com/PacMARS-SOAR.

The mission of the Alaska Marine Science Symposium is to bring together scientists, policymakers, students, educators, media and the public to share research findings focused on Alaska’s marine fisheries and ecosystems.

We are pleased to present our annual Plenary Program and workshops at the Captain Cook Hotel with the Poster Sessions and Exhibitors at the Egan Center in downtown Anchorage, Alaska.

Since 2002, scientists from Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond have come to the Symposium to communicate research activities in the marine regions off Alaska. Researchers and students in marine science re-connect with old colleagues and meet new ones.

Plenary and poster sessions feature a broad spectrum of ocean science. Hear the latest in the fields of climate, oceanography, lower trophic levels, the benthos, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, local and traditional knowledge, and socioeconomic research. The Symposium also features compelling keynote speakers, workshops and special sessions.

This workshop is sponsored by the Environmental Studies Research Fund (ESRF), a research program which sponsors environmental and social studies pertaining petroleum exploration, development, and production activities on frontier lands. The ESRF is directed by a joint government, industry and public management board and is administered by the secretariat, which resides in the Office of Energy Research and Development, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The workshop is held in an effort to produce a 5-year strategic plan for oil spill research in Canadian Arctic marine waters.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland announce that a public hearing on European Union (EU) Arctic Policy will be held Thursday, 31 January 2013 in Rovaniemi, Finland at the Arktikum House (Pohjoisranta 4).

The hearing will include speakers from EESC, EU Parliament and Commission, and the Arctic Council, as well as local stakeholders and arctic researchers. Speakers will address globally emerging interests in the arctic region, focusing on the view of civil society. Participation is open to the public. Please be aware that registration is obligatory, and must be completed by 3:00 p.m. Brussels time on Friday, 25 January 2013.

Registration is required via submission of the form available by clicking on the 'Public hearing on EU Arctic Policy' link under 'News and Events' at: http://www.arcticcentre.org. Please note that the registration form indicates a deadline of 18 January; due to late arrangements, the deadline has been extended.

Registration deadline: 3:00 p.m. Brussels time, Friday, 25 January 2013.

Hosted by The Alaska Forum, Inc. the 2013 Alaska Forum on the Environment will follow up on previous forums by offering training and information, includes plenary sessions, on: climate change, emergency response, environmental regulations, fish and wildlife populations, rural issues, energy, military issues, business issues, solid waste, contaminants, contaminated site cleanup, mining and others. For 2013, the forum will expand forum content to provide information to help better understand issues surrounding coastal communities. This will include tsunami impacts, marine debris, and coastal erosion.

The Alaska Forum on the Environment (AFE) is a statewide gathering of environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaskan youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders. The diversity of attendees sets this conference apart from any other. The 2013 event will be our 15th year providing a strong educational foundation for all Alaskan's and a unique opportunity to interact with others on environmental issues and challenges.

Over 1,800 people attend AFE to learn more about the environment and meet other Alaskans that work in the environmental field. The Planning Committee includes representatives from the: US Environmental Protection Agency, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, US Air Force, US Navy, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of the Interior, US Forest Service, CH2M Hill, ConocoPhillips, Ecology & Environment and many others. Please see our Leadership Page page for more information.

The Forum provides an opportunity for State, local, Federal, military, private, and Native leaders and professionals to come together and discuss the latest projects, processes, and issues that affect us here in Alaska.

The main Forum sessions will be Monday through Thursday. Keynote Events will be offered on Monday through Thursday . Friday of the Forum will support more focused sessions on topics that may take a full comprehensive day.

A Community Earth System Model (CESM) Polar Climate Working Group (PCWG) Meeting will be held Monday-Wednesday, 11-13 February 2013 in Boulder, Colorado at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Laboratory.

Monday and Tuesday, the PCWG will meet on its own. The co-chairs encourage discussion of issues including the sea ice model component (CICE) development, community projects such as the CESM large ensemble and high resolution runs, and anything else the community would like to discuss. On Wednesday, the PCWG will meet jointly with the atmosphere, chemistry, and whole atmosphere working groups.

Workshops and meetings of the PCWG are open to all who are interested in polar processes. Anyone interested in attending the meetings should contact:

David Bailey, community liaison
Email: dbailey [at] ucar.edu

Dr. Elizabeth Hunke, co-chair
Email: eclare [at] lanl.gov

Jennifer Kay, co-chair
Email: jenkay [at] ucar.edu

Organizers announce that a symposium entitled "Barents Regional Cooperation - The First Twenty Years" will convene 12 February 2013 in Rovaniemi, Finland.

In recognition of the twentieth anniversary of the Barents cooperation, the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland and the Norwegian embassy in Finland have jointly organized the symposium to discuss the past, present, and future of the cooperation.

The symposium offers an open meeting place to discuss multilateral cooperation on the regional level. The program will include presentations by former and current regional representatives in the Barents regional committee, regional experts, and active participants from various projects in the region.

Registration deadline: Monday, 4 February 2013.

The SCICEX Science Advisory Committee (SAC) identifies scientific priorities and makes recommendations for baseline data collection, and periodically reviews these and updates the SCICEX Phase II Science Plan as appropriate. The event is not open to the public.

This meeting serves as informal exchange platform for researchers working on snow, glaciers or permafrost. There is no registration fee for participation in this workshop.

Oral and poster presentations are welcome, and young scientists are especially encouraged to present their work in progress.

The meeting will be held at IRSTEA (Campus Saint Martin d’Hères, Grenoble, France).

The deadline for registration is 1st February 2013.

Scientific program and workshops cover all topics in aquatic sciences. In an effort to promote dialogs across disciplinary boundaries, we encourage the inclusion of both research and non-research, such as policy and education, presentations within sessions. Plenary lectures by esteemed speakers and award recipients will highlight the latest challenges and opportunities in aquatic sciences. The new “Tick-Talks” sessions will bring additional excitement to the conference.

Please check the conference web site for up-to-date information. The final program with the titles of accepted abstracts will be posted on the web site approximately four to six weeks prior to the meeting.

Organizers announce that the 2nd International Workshop on Passive Microwave Sea Ice Concentration will take place 18-19 February 2013. It will be convened at the Danish Meteorological Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), the WCRP Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) Project Office, and the Danish Meteorological Institute.

Sea ice concentration from satellite microwave radiometry is the primary source of information on the annual sea ice extent minimum as well as a large variety of other properties of the large-scale sea ice cover of the Earth. For this workshop, organizers invite scientists developing and/or applying algorithms to derive sea ice concentration to participate in discussions of mutual interest. The theme of the workshop will be passive microwave sea ice concentration algorithm inter-comparison and validation, and participants will deal with topics such as algorithm inter-comparison, ice concentration validation in different regions and seasons, establishment of a common open validation database, and new algorithm developments including fusion of microwave radiometer data with other data sources.

Organizers encourage participants to register their participation by emailing Leif Toudal Pedersen (ltp [at] dmi.dk) as soon as possible, and no later than Sunday, 20 January 2013. The email should include a tentative presentation title for work related to the above topics.