Past Events

Please join us for an in-depth conversation with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support on the Senate Armed Services Committee, to discuss the recent release of the June 2019 Department of Defense Arctic Strategy. Is the United States appropriately resourced and positioned for Russia’s increased military presence in the Arctic as well as a growing Chinese economic and scientific presence? Or has the United States accepted that it will be limited in its future options to access the Arctic, in an era when U.S. forces and readiness are stretched and future defense budgets are uncertain? Current U.S. strategies suggest that the Arctic region does not make the geopolitical cut for the U.S., despite compelling arguments to the contrary. If correct, what are the long-term implications for U.S. national security? What hard budget and capability choices must be made for the U.S. to remain a relevant security actor in the Arctic?

Under the aegis of the upcoming International Year of Indigenous Languages declared by the United Nations in 2019, the Institute of Humanitarian Research and Problems of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Russian Academy of Sciences, International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) and the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North of Sakha Republic will hold an International Scientific and Practical Conference “Indigenous Languages and Sustainable Development in the Arctic”.

This International Scientific and Practical Conference is aimed to unite the efforts of researchers, civil society, practitioners, Indigenous communities, and indigenous language speakers to discuss the issues and possibilities of sustainable development of indigenous peoples living in the North and the Arctic. The discussion will include the issues related to learning, development and preservation of indigenous languages and cultures in the frames of the diverse approaches of folklore, literature, anthropologic, ethnographic, historic, politic, social, cultural, legislative and economic practices.Conference themes cover diverse areas of socio-economic development of Indigenous peoples of the North and the Arctic:

• Languages of Indigenous Peoples of the North and the Arctic: issues of interaction and language typology
• Traditional epistemologies and Indigenous languages
• Indigenous languages and globalization: tendencies and perspectives of development, successful and effective practices of indigenous communities in language revitalization and maintenance
• Indigenous written languages of Russia: contemporary state and functionality issues
• Yakut language: contemporary state and new dimensions in the research
• Literature and folklore as sources of safeguarding and enrichment of Indigenous languages
• Ethnic history of Indigenous peoples of the North and the Arctic: past, present and future
• Current issues related to traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples as the bases of their sustainable development
• The role of contemporary technologies and mass media in revitalization and development of Indigenous languages

The program of the conference includes a symposium, exhibitions and presentations of new publications and projects.

It is expected to publish an electronic peer-reviewed collection of papers upon the selection of the articles made by the organizing committee. Criteria for the article format will be defined in a second information letter.

This conference invites linguists, philologists, historians, anthropologists, ethnographers, cultural scientists, philosophers, sociologists, policy scientists, economists, teachers, Indigenous language speakers and leaders of the Indigenous organizations, and graduate students.

Conference working languages: Russian, English.

There is no registration and publication fee.

The fifth Sea Level and Coastal Change (SLaCC) field meeting will take place in Devon and Cornwall, United Kingdom between Sunday 1st and Wednesday 4th September 2019. The meeting series will bring together scientists working in sea level and coastal research.

Attendance is open across all career stages and to all SLaCC related disciplines (including: palaeo studies, archaeology, modern processes and geomorphology, past and future sea-level change, coastal communities, adaptation and resilience).

The meeting will open with an icebreaker reception at the Marine Station on the waterfront (1 September) before a full day of presentations at the University (2 September) and field excursion days to the South Devon and North Cornwall coastlines (3-4 September). Registration fees include the conference dinner (2 September) and attendance to an evening of presentations and discussion at a public engagement event (3 September), which will focus on what past and future sea-level change means for coastal communities in the South West.

Registration and abstract submission close on Sunday 30 June.

This Summer School will provide Ph.D. students and junior scientists specializing in sea level research with a basic introduction to the dynamics of current and future sea level change and to state-of-the-art tools to measure and project it. The different contributors to global and regional sea level change will be presented by world-leading experts. The school has a strong component on “hands-on” learning, with practical exercises on the observation and modelling of sea level change, its contributors, and forcing mechanisms. Participants will also receive a training on science communication.

This Summer School will cover the most important physical processes contributing to sea level change and the main observations thereof. The focus is on the dynamics of these processes, on how they are modelled, on how past and current changes can be observed, and on current limitations in our understanding of sea level variations, including our ability to project future changes.

The school is open to PhD students and junior post-docs. Registration by March 1st.

For more information and to register, please follow the link above.

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Office of Polar Programs invites proposals for their Antarctic Artists and Writers (AAW) Program. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.

The program provides opportunities for artists and writers, from promising early career practitioners to longstanding professionals, to make observations at U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) research stations, field camps, and/or aboard research vessels.

Through the Antarctic AAW Program, NSF encourages the production of professional-quality literature and art that complements USAP science, engineering, and education programs to increase public understanding of the Antarctic continent, the surrounding oceans, human endeavors on the continent, and the region's unique geopolitical position.

The AAW Program gives priority to projects that focus on interpreting and representing the scientific activities being conducted in the unique Antarctic region. Artists and Writers Program field teams should consist of no more than one or two people. Larger projects, such as television or documentary film crews, should contact the cognizant AAW Program Officer.

Successful projects will be provided with USAP logistical support needed to implement the proposed activity. USAP infrastructure available to support projects undertaken by artists and writers consists of three year-round stations, numerous austral summer research camps in Antarctica, two research vessels, and surface and air transportation.

Due to the unique nature of this program, proposers are strongly encouraged to carefully follow the guidelines described in this solicitation and to contact the cognizant Artists and Writers Program Officer prior to submitting a proposal to discuss the unique requirements and restrictions of the Antarctic Artists and Writers Program and Antarctic logistics in general.

Under the leadership of the Sentinel North program at Université Laval (Quebec City, Canada), the International PhD School (IPS) is a unique transdisciplinary training program aiming to understand the key role of microbiomes in shaping the structure and functioning of the Arctic, including their impacts on food webs, ecosystem services, and human health.

Taking place at the Centre for Northern Studies (CEN) research station in Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik (Nunavik, Canada) on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay (55°16’N, 77° 45’ W), the school will provide participants with an integrative, hands-on experience spanning a wide range of disciplines such as Arctic microbiology and molecular ecology, biogeochemistry, complex system networks, environmental optics/photonics, remote sensing and human health.

Applications are accepted until February 15, 2019.

Who Should Apply:

Up to 20 international graduate students with various backgrounds will be selected. The target audience are PhD students, but in some cases, postdoctoral fellows or M.Sc. students (or equivalent) with relevant professional qualifications may also apply.

Note: Due to the practical and hands-on approach of fieldwork in northern environment, all applicants should be in reasonably good physical condition, and be equipped/dressed accordingly. Details will be provided to selected participants.

For more information please follow the link above.

Following the first edition of this congress, held in Lisbon (Portugal) in 2013 and the second edition organized in Graz (Austria) in 2015, the third edition of STRATI has been assigned by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) to Italy, a country with a long historical tradition in Stratigraphy since the 17th century. Some milestones in the history of Stratigraphy were added in Italy by outstanding scientists such as Niels Stensen and Giovanni Arduino. Moreover, a wide variety of extraordinary stratigraphic successions and settings, often preserved in breath-taking natural environments, can be visited in Italy.

The topics of the congress will range from the Precambrian to the Holocene and will include all the stratigraphic techniques. The congress will provide the opportunity to discuss the recent developments in the study of the stratigraphy of the volcanic areas, Antarctic and Arctic sedimentary successions and ice caps, as well as of crystalline rocks. We also invite specialists from georesources exploration and hydrogeology to present their most advanced contributions to subsurface stratigraphy.

As in previous editions, the congress will also host meetings of the ICS and of its Subcommissions to debate topics and problems in updating and improving the geological time scale.

Abstract submission deadline has been extended to 17 March 2019.

Seminar No. 3 in the NCA4/NOAA 11-part Seminar Series: The Fourth National Climate Assessment: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States.

Presenter(s):

Jim Wickham is a Research Biologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to joining EPA in 1998, Jim worked for Tennessee Valley Authority, Desert Research Institute, and Earth Satellite Corporation. Jim has a broad interest in the environmental impacts of spatial and temporal land cover patterns (https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=27c2SekAAAAJ). He coordinates EPA's participation in the MultiResolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) consortium, a group of 10 federal agencies that produces the National Land cover Database (NLCD), the Cropland Data Layer (CDL), the Coastal Change Analysis Program land cover (C-CAP), and LANDFIRE.

Jim Vose is a Senior Research Ecologist with the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Center for Integrated Forest Science (CIFS) at Research Triangle Park, NC. Prior to his current appointment as Co-Director of CIFS, he spent 25 years at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory studying and leading research on watershed ecosystem responses to disturbances and forest management. He has published over 250 research papers and two books. His current research examines the interactions among climate change, changing forest conditions, and water resources at landscape scales. In addition, he has led numerous national assessments and syntheses investigating forest ecosystem responses to drought and climate change, including the recently released National Climate Assessment.

Dave Peterson is Emeritus Senior Research Scientist with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, and Professor of Forest Biology at the University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. He has conducted research on climate change and fire science throughout western North America, has published 230 scientific articles and four books, and as a contributing author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He recently published the book Climate Change and Rocky Mountain Ecosystems, and currently works on climate change assessment and adaptation on federal lands throughout the western United States. Dave lives in northwest Washington state where he manages Mountain Heart Tree Farm.

Webinar Access:

Please register at: [URL TBD]

Users should use either IE or Edge on Windows or Safari if using a Mac. Audio will be available thru the computer only; no phone. Questions will be addressed in the chat window. This Webcast will be recorded, archived and made accessible in the near future.

The main symposium will take place from Tuesday morning, 9 July, until the afternoon of Friday 12 July. On Monday 8 July there will be a presymposium short-course on ice penetrating radar science and engineering for early-career researchers. Also on Monday 8 July, side meetings will also be scheduled for collaborative radar sounding projects including BedMap3 and the SCAR AntArchitecture project.

Theme:
Radio-echo sounding is a powerful geophysical technique for directly characterizing the subsurface conditions of terrestrial and planetary ice masses at the local, regional and global scales. As a result, a wide array of orbital, airborne, towed and in situ instruments, platforms and data analysis approaches for radar sounding have been developed, applied or proposed. Terrestrially, airborne radar-sounding data have been used in physical glaciology to observe ice thickness, basal topography and englacial layers for more than five decades. More recently, radar-sounding data have also been exploited to estimate the extent and configuration of subglacial water, the ice-sheet surface, the geometry of subglacial bedforms, the spatial variation of basal melt, englacial temperature, and the transition between frozen and thawed bed. Planetary radar sounders have been used or are planned to observe the subsurface and near-surface conditions of Mars, Earth’s Moon, comets and the icy moons of Jupiter. These instruments provide critical subsurface context for surface-sensing, particle, and potential-field instruments in planetary exploration payloads. This symposium will discuss advances in radar-sounding systems, mission concepts, signal processing, data analysis, modeling and scientific interpretation.

Suggested Topics:
We seek papers and presentations that advance the understanding radar sounding and its use in physical glaciology. Key focus areas include (but are not limited to):
1. Radar systems: development, performance and platforms
2. Data: intercomparison, validation and release
3. Radar processing: propagation, inversion and automation
4. Englacial structure: layers, deformation and accretion bodies
5. Attenuation: near-surface properties, temperature and chemistry
6. Bed conditions: topography, roughness, thermal state and hydrology
7. Interpretation: comparing observations with modeling and theory
8. Planetary radioglaciology: radar investigations of planetary cryospheres

Abstract and Paper Publication:
Participants wishing to present a paper (oral or poster) at the Symposium must submit an abstract by 31 March 2019. Abstracts need to be submitted via the IGS website. Accepted abstracts will be posted on the Symposium website.

The Council of the International Glaciological Society will publish a thematic issue of the Annals of Glaciology on topics consistent with the symposium themes. Submissions to this issue will not be contingent on presentation at the Symposium, and material presented at the symposium is not necessarily affirmed as being suitable for consideration for this issue of the Annals. Participants are encouraged, however, to submit manuscripts for this Annals volume. The deadline for submission of Annals papers is 1 August 2019.

The 27th IUGG General Assembly will be held at the Palais des Congrès in Montréal, Québec, Canada. This is a special opportunity for participants from Canada and from around the world to come together and share their science and culture. 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of IUGG; we will look back on the accomplishments of the previous century of Earth and space science research, and forward to the next century of scientific advancement. Join us for a host of scientific activities, including special public lectures, keynote Union lectures and a wide variety of themed sessions.

In conjunction with the IUGG General Assembly, a number of scientific workshops and cultural events are planned. We will also be offering the chance to explore the geological treasures of our region through a number of field trips ranging from half-day to multi-day excursions.

Deadline for Abstract Submission has been extended to Friday 1 March 2019 (11:00 UTC+1).

Seminar No. 4 in the NCA4/NOAA 11-part Seminar Series: The Fourth National Climate Assessment: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States.

Webinar Access:

Please register at: [URL TBD]

Users should use either IE or Edge on Windows or Safari if using a Mac. Audio will be available thru the computer only; no phone. Questions will be addressed in the chat window. This Webcast will be recorded, archived and made accessible in the near future.

Innovinc Organization extends a heartfelt welcome to the inaugural “World Congress on Geology & Earth Science” with the theme of “Providing Innovative Research Methodologies for Geosciences".

Geoscience-2019 brings together senior and early-career geologists and earth scientists from organizations, universities, associations, companies and media from all over the world especially but not limited to career scientists. The participation of these individuals from different sectors and countries will enhance international collaborations and increase the involvement of the international community.

Geoscience-2019 is uniquely positioned to attract a focused audience of earth science and geosciences professionals. The technical program at Geoscience-2019 attracts industry leaders worldwide for its well-regarded keynote, oral and poster presentations. The breadth and depth of the technical program is international in scope and appeals to multiple earth science and geosciences disciplines.

Geoscience-2019 will provide the platform for active discussions regarding the real time issues, examining the current practices and determining the policies of the future endeavors occupy a prominent place in this conference. In fact, many critical challenges have to be taken into account: Environmental, Scientific and technical, Governance, Natural hazards, Earthquake’s, Climate Change challenges.

The 2019 UK Arctic Science Conference will take place 11 to 13 September 2019 and will be hosted by Loughborough University. This three day conference brings together UK Arctic scientists from all natural and social science disciplines to present and discuss recent findings.

Registration for this interdisciplinary conference is free, and the themes of the conference include: Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Terrestrial, Marine and Human/Social.

The call for Registration and Abstract Submission is now open. The deadline for abstract submission is 12th July 2019 and the deadline for registration is 30th August 2019.

The 8th Symposium on the Impacts of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations is co-hosted by the U.S. National Ice Center, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, and the Woodrow Wilson Center.

This two-day event will feature experts speaking on Arctic marine operations, ocean and environmental issues, science, policy, law, and governance. Participants will learn about the impacts of an ice-diminishing Arctic Ocean on marine transportation, resource development, scientific research, federal, state, local, and international operations, and policy implications in the rapidly evolving Arctic. The symposium will be webcast and recorded, and a reception will be held at the conclusion of the first day. Participants are invited (and encouraged!) to present posters on science, technology, operations, or other related subjects.

Abstract submissions are due by July 10th and can be completed here.

Passive microwave sensors on low earth orbiting satellites have the ability to monitor several parameters associated with the Earth's hydrological cycle - falling precipitation, snow and ice parameters, soil moisture, etc. These observations are particularly useful for high latitude locations where geostationary satellites have limited coverage. In this presentation, a review of the methodology used to retrieve this information will be given, then followed by several practical applications for weather forecasting and climate monitoring.

We strongly encourage pre-registration for webinars. The audio portion of the call is through a toll-free phone line and the slide presentation is streamed via computer.

The tools and techniques for making monthly and season scale climate forecasts are rapidly changing, with the potential to provide useful forecasts at the month and longer range. We will review recent climate conditions around Alaska, review some forecast tools and finish up the Climate Prediction Center's forecast for August 2019 and the fall season. Feel free to bring your lunch and join the gathering in person or online to learn more about Alaska climate and weather.

Available online or in-person at: Room 407 in the Akasofu Building on the UAF Campus in Fairbanks.

We strongly encourage pre-registration for webinars. The audio portion of the call is through a toll-free phone line and the slide presentation is streamed via computer. Follow the link above to register.

The first meeting of the new phase (2019-2021) of the PAGES and INQUA working group PALeo constraints on SEA level rise (PALSEA) will focus on refining proxy-based reconstructions of past sea level. Sea-level rise due to polar ice sheet decay in a warming world is one of the most important, and most uncertain aspects associated with climate change. Because the instrumental record is short and changes to date have been modest, observations from the recent past provide at best a limited vantage point from which to gauge the future. The geologic record, in contrast, features major, and sometimes rapid, changes in ice sheets and sea level that remain to be fully explored and explained. Recent methodological improvements bear the potential to reduce uncertainties in local sea-level reconstructions, which will be crucial for reconciling sea level-based estimates of past ice sheet volumes.

The meeting will run over 3 days:

• Day 1 (July 21st) will be dedicated to the ecological and environmental interpretation of proxy-based datasets.
• Day 2 (July 22nd) will focus on cutting-edge chronological attribution techniques, which is critical to link sea level data to climate archives in order to better understand the drivers of change.
• During day 3 (July 23rd) the participants will be split in two separate groups, each working on one specific time period, to refine reconstructions and database protocols based upon the discussions from the previous days. One group will focus on the Holocene, coordinated by the HOLSEA (an INQUA working group) leader Nicole Khan, while the second group led by Alessio Rovere will work towards the inception of the World Atlas of Last Interglacial Shorelines.

We welcome abstracts that fit with the themes of the first two days of the meeting on state-of-the-art approaches which aim to improve proxy-based reconstruction of past sea level. We particularly welcome submissions from disciplines beyond traditional paleo sea level research that may broaden community expertise. Abstract submission closes at 23:59 GMT on the 27th February 2019. Attendance will be capped to help promote discussion. Acceptance of abstracts will be confirmed by 15th March 2019 following review by the organizing committee for fit with the meeting (irrespective of career stage). Registration will close on the 18th April 2019.

The 13th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science (ISAES 2019) will be held at the Songdo Convensia in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The symposium aims to bring together Antarctic earth scientists from different areas in order to gather and highlight their outstanding expertise and ideas.

The first Antarctic Geology Symposium was held jointly with IUGS (the International Union of Geological Sciences) in September 1963 and initially was held at irregular intervals, interspersed with conferences on Antarctic Quaternary Studies and marine geology. Since 1987, the International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences (ISAES) has been held regularly every four years and alternates with SCAR's Biology Symposium.

Major themes of the symposium include:

• Continental evolution of Antarctica
• Antarctic solid earth structure and interactions with the cryosphere
• Past and present permafrost changes in Antarctica
• Glacial history of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean
• Antarctic surface processes and landscape
• Changes in the Southern Ocean
• Climate change in the 21st century
• Antarctica and the evolution of life
• Remote sensing and satellite imagery
• General Antarctic earth sciences

Abstracts and side meeting application submission is now available. Abstract deadline: 21 April, 2019, 23:59 KST. Application for side meeting deadline: 30 April, 2019, 23:59 KST.

Please follow the link above for more information.

Our Organizing Committee are delighted to bring INQUA to Dublin and we would like to warmly welcome you to the 20th INQUA Congress.

We all have a deep commitment to the Congress and we all want our delegates to thoroughly enjoy the stimulation of multiple scientific sessions in the purpose built Convention centre. In addition we hope you are all looking forward to the warm welcome from Dublin and the Irish people and that you enjoy the magnificent Irish scenery on the various field trips we have organised.

INQUA, the International Union for Quaternary Research, was founded in 1928 by a group of scientists seeking to improve understanding of environmental change during the glacial ages through interdisciplinary research.

Today, more than 45-member countries, spread throughout the world, contribute to INQUA’s vitality. INQUA’s basic goal – “promoting improved communication and international collaboration in basic and applied aspects of Quaternary research” – is achieved mainly through the activities of its commissions and committees.

Important Dates:

• January 9th 2019: Abstract Submission Deadline
• January 16th 2019: Close of Super Early Registration
• March 27th 2019: Close of Early Registration
• April 29th 2019: Deadline for Author Registration for Inclusion in Final Programme
• July 22nd 2019: On Line Registration Deadline
• July 25th 2019: On Site Registration Opens

Applications are now open for the 7th Annual Summer School on Sustainable Climate Risk Management.

The Network for Sustainable Climate Risk Management's (SCRiM) annual summer school is designed to foster opportunities for collaboration between scholars and practitioners while providing a solid foundation in the broad, multidisciplinary knowledge, tools, and methods of the diverse fields participating in the network.

A key focus of the workshop will be developing a common vocabulary to help foster enhanced cross-disciplinary communication, catalyzing the potential for future research and decision support collaborations. Participants will also gain hands-on experience with key methods and tools including:

• Use of simple models in a transdisciplinary framework
• Analysis of relevant datasets
• Analysis of relevant datasets

This program is targeted at all postdocs, advanced graduate students, and early-career professionals in the decision-making and policy communities who are working on issues related to climate risk. Potential candidates representing NGOs and state or local agencies are strongly encouraged to apply.

In most cases, lodging, meals, registration, and travel costs will be fully covered for participants. International applicants are welcomed.

Apply by Saturday 4 May.