Past Events

The Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS), Alaska’s premier marine research conference, has been bringing together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and interested public for over twenty years to discuss the latest marine research being conducted in Alaskan waters. Over 700 people attend this 4-day long conference held annually during the month of January.

Each day of the conference highlights important Alaskan marine ecosystems: Gulf of Alaska (Tuesday), Bering Sea & Aleutian Islands (Wednesday), and the Arctic (Thursday). Research topics discussed range from ocean physics, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, to local traditional knowledge. Since its inception, NPRB has been a proud sponsor and one of the leading organizers of AMSS.

The United Nations declared 2019 to be the International Year of Indigenous Languages, focusing the attention on the risks confronting languages, especially those significant for development, reconciliation, good governance and peace building. It aims to improve quality of life, wider international cooperation and visibility and strengthen intercultural dialogue to reaffirm the continuity of indigenous languages and cultures.

Sharing experiences and knowledge about Indigenous Languages is fundamental in Indigenous society. A primary way to share knowledge is through storytelling and sharing the knowledge learnt from others and in the world around us.

In this two-part series our panelists will be speaking in-depth about the programs and resources used to help preserve and nurture the Indigenous Languages within their communities. The panelists are going to share with the audience the tools and practices they learned through activities that work for them in their journey to preserving languages and creating speakers.

Our featured panelists for this very special and informative webinar are all strong Indigenous women from Alaska. They have been and are currently language teachers, council and board members, Coordinators, program managers, directors, grant writers, students, a Security Officer, seamstress, author, photographer, knowledge holders and all share the same passion of reclaiming our Indigenous Languages.

Hosting a webinar in this sector and of this nature is important to spread the information that has been learnt from others to connect our audience with other regions to share valuable lessons and learn from their experiences of reclaiming or sustaining their languages, culture and traditions. We are creating a space to gather information that has worked for these panelists and are here taking the time to share with our viewers.

This Webinar is open to Northerners and members of EGA, CEGN, IFIP and BFG, however, there are limited seats available, so please make sure to register in advance.

Snow is an important component of the hydrologic cycle. The seasonal storage of water in the snowpack may last over months, and its delayed release is a major factor in guaranteeing a reliable water supply for ecosystems and human needs during dry periods. On the other hand, rapid snowmelt can cause destruction through sudden floods, mostly in combination with rainfall.

The spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation and ablation in complex terrain is as a result of multiple processes, and accurate snow cover estimations remain a challenge. Increasing air temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, driven by climate change, will modify snow conditions and thus lead to changing water supplies. The consequences of reduced snow duration and the fact that rain will make up an increasing share of overall precipitation will completely change the hydrology of many regions and may lead to severe water problems.

Traditional snow measuring methods provide accurate information at the point scale, but they lack spatial coverage. Latest remote sensing techniques on the other hand are able to monitor the snowpack over large spatial domains, but may be limited by temporal resolution and are often biased. Hydrological models require reliable input data, but the availability of such data is particularly limited for mountainous regions. The simulation of snowmelt often lacks sufficient spatial and temporal detail, so that the forecasting of snowmelt runoff for operational purposes is still a challenging task.

The SnowHydro conference will address a range of topics relevant to snow and its particular significance for hydrology. It seeks to bring together experience from experimental research, hydrological modelling and remote sensing, in order to facilitate joint research on snow science. We welcome contributions on all aspects of snow and hydrology, with an emphasis on the following specific topics:

• Snow cover dynamics in mountains
• Snow in semi-arid environments
• Spatial variability of snow
• Snow-vegetation interaction
• Remote sensing of snow properties
• Experimental research and new measurement techniques
• Simulation models of snow, model comparisons
• Snow data assimilation for modelling purposes
• The prediction of snow melt and runoff
• Climate change, snow conditions and water supply
• Teaching concepts in snow hydrology

Important dates:

30 September 2019: Deadline for abstract submission
8 November 2019: Notification to authors of abstract acceptance
30 November 2019: Deadline for early bird registration and presenters
6 December 2019: Preliminary program available online

In addition to sessions on glacier dynamics and mass balance, the workshop will host a cross-cutting activity by the Cryosphere and Marine Working Groups of IASC on “Glacier-ocean interactions and their impact on Arctic marine ecosystems”. This activity aims to provide an inter-disciplinary forum by bringing together glaciologists, marine ecologists and oceanographers interested in glacier-ocean interactions and to stimulate future collaborations.

You can register and submit your abstracts (maximum length 300 words) by filling this online-form (copy paste the following link into your web browser):

https://forms.gle/hdk8SekBbfehYKwL7

Registration deadline is November 15, 2019.

Contributions:

We welcome contributions on all aspects concerning the mass balance and dynamics of Arctic glaciers and ice caps, including the Greenland Ice Sheet, and that utilize a broad range of methods, including field observations, remote sensing and modelling. We especially encourage submission to our cross-cutting activity (see below).

Contributions in the form of oral presentations and/or posters are welcome. Presentation will be 15-20 minutes, including discussion. For those who bring a poster, time will be reserved in the program to give a short 2-3 minute introduction to the poster. We plan for two and a half days of talks and poster presentations, as well as open-forum discussions.

Cross-cutting activity on “Glacier-ocean interactions and their impact on Arctic marine ecosystems”.

Arctic glaciers contribute significant amounts of freshwater into Arctic fjords/ocean, in form of surface melt/runoff and frontal ablation (iceberg calving and submarine melt) with direct effects on water masses and regional circulation patterns in fjords and oceans. The exchange of mass and heat at tidewater glacier margins drive feedbacks on frontal ablation and glacier dynamics. There is growing awareness of the potential impacts of glacial processes and glacier-change on marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

This cross-cutting activity is endorsed by the Cryosphere and Marine working groups of IASC and follows up on two previous cross-cutting activities, “The importance of Arctic glaciers for the Arctic marine ecosystem”. The cross-cutting aims at bringing together people from glaciology, marine ecology and oceanography to stimulate cross-disciplinary research. We welcome contributions based on field observations, satellite remote sensing and/or theoretical approaches and modelling.

Topics may include:

• Glacier-ocean interactions / physical and bio-geochemical processes at tidewater-glacier termini
• Fjord-scale circulation in glacial fjords /oceanic forcing of glacier dynamics and frontal ablation
• Proglacial marine ecosystems (e.g. plankton, benthos, fish, seabirds and marine mammals) and their response to glacier processes and glacier changes
• New technologies to investigate proglacial marine environments

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces a series of solicitation webinars. These webinars will discuss the Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) solicitation.

During the webinars, NNA Program Officers will discuss the Navigating the New Arctic Solicitation 20-514. Each webinar session will begin with a short presentation followed by a question and answer session with the program officers.

For those unable to join the webinars live, a live video recording of the presentation is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/arctic/nna/index.jsp

Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) is one of the National Science Foundation's 10 Big Ideas. A new solicitation is requesting proposals that bring together diverse disciplinary perspectives to support convergence research and encourages new researchers and those already working in the Arctic to work together at the intersection of natural, social, and built systems.

Upcoming webinar:

• Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 – 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (GMT-05:00). Program Officers in attendance: John D. Schade (BIO/DEB) and Colleen Strawhacker (GEO/OPP).

The UN Decade of Ocean science presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver scientific knowledge and ensure that ocean science can fully support countries’ actions to sustainably manage the Oceans and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This workshop will provide a forum to gather Arctic Ocean leaders and key stakeholders to discuss and prioritize issues identified at the First Global Planning Meeting. During the workshop plenary and break-out groups will facilitate interdisciplinary discussions across sectors to identify concrete deliverables and partnerships to meet the Decade's six societal objectives (A clean ocean; A healthy and resilient ocean; A predicted ocean; A safe ocean; A sustainably harvested and productive ocean; A transparent and accessible ocean).

Based on your knowledge and expertise, we are pleased to invite you to participate in the workshop. During the day there will be plenary sessions and three sessions with break out groups discussing topics corresponding to the societal outcomes of the Decade.

Each break-out group will, for the different subject areas, aim to identify how knowledge from Arctic residents, business, policy and science can work together on Arctic Ocean issues relevant for the UN Decade, focusing on:

• Knowledge gaps, and Arctic ocean science priorities for the 2030 Agenda and regional ocean policy priorities
• Existing Arctic and new relevant partnerships/networks/initiatives/meetings that can be leveraged
• Priority themes and topics to be addressed by the Decade from a sustainable development perspective

With the influx of new polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites orbiting the globe, a plethora of satellite datasets are available for users to analyze and employ in the operational forecasting environment. But where can users find satellite training resources to learn about polar-orbiting and geostationary product applications? This presentation will explore a comprehensive list of where NOAA and non-NOAA users alike can find JPSS and GOES satellite training resources on-line, via satellite teletraining along with conference workshops. Product applications will also be highlighted, along with links of where non-NOAA users can access satellite datasets and imagery.

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. It helps speakers tailor their presentations to the audience. Follow the link above to register.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces a series of solicitation webinars. These webinars will discuss the Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) solicitation.

During the webinars, NNA Program Officers will discuss the Navigating the New Arctic Solicitation 20-514. Each webinar session will begin with a short presentation followed by a question and answer session with the program officers.

For those unable to join the webinars live, a live video recording of the presentation is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/arctic/nna/index.jsp

Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) is one of the National Science Foundation's 10 Big Ideas. A new solicitation is requesting proposals that bring together diverse disciplinary perspectives to support convergence research and encourages new researchers and those already working in the Arctic to work together at the intersection of natural, social, and built systems.

The 12th International Conference on Permafrost (ICOP2020) will be held in Lanzhou, China from June 22~26, 2020. The general theme of the congress is “Permafrost Environment Under Persistent Warming: Challenges for Scientific Assessment & Engineering Practice”.

Sessions will include:

1. Engineering – construction and design
2. Frost heave and thaw subsidence
3. Carbon biogeochemistry
4. Coastlines
5. Geohazards
6. Remote Sensing
7. Education

Abstract submission deadline has been extended to January 31, 2020.

Follow the link above for more information and registration.

The 9th Workshop on Remote Sensing of Land Ice and Snow of the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories (EARSeL) will be held at the Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Switzerland.

The cryosphere of the Earth is undergoing dramatic changes. Glaciers are retreating at accelerated rate and snow cover distribution and duration is changing with many significant side-effects (run-off, permafrost, albedo, etc.). Remote Sensing can provide the required data to study these changes of the cryosphere.

This workshop will focus on the latest developments in remote sensing of land ice and snow. Presentations are encouraged on all fields of research and applications with the focus on snow and ice as proxy for a changing cryosphere, methods for retrieving cryospheric parameters from various types of remote sensing data, theoretical basis of inversion methods and their application, state of the art of retrieval algorithms, data assimilation of remote sensing data and in situ observations in process models, and current and planned sensors for snow and ice. Half of a day will be dedicated to the activities from ESA (CCI+) and EUMETSAT.

Papers will be presented orally and as posters. Contributions must comply with one of the workshop topics specified below. Please indicate under which session topic your contribution shall be presented.

Preliminary session topics:

• Glaciers and Ice Caps
• Snow cover (regional to global scale)
• Snow hydrology
• Snow on sea ice and glaciers
• Albedo of the cryosphere
• Cryosphere and climate
• Cryospheric modelling and data assimilation
• New technologies (sensors/methods)
• ESA CCI+ snow
• EUMETSAT operational services

Important Dates:

• Due date for abstracts submission: 1 October 2019
• Authors notification and instructions: 15 November 2019
• Preliminary workshop programme: 15 December 2019
• Registration (presenting authors): before 15 December 2019

The Coastal Altimetry Community, that is the international community of scientists, engineers and managers working on developing applications of altimetry in the coastal zone, invites you to the European Space Agency establishment in Frascati (Italy), ESA-ESRIN, for the 12th Edition of the Coastal Altimetry Workshop (CAW-12), including a Coastal Altimetry Training for Early Career Scientists.

The coastal zone has become a recognised mission target for present and future satellite altimetry missions, also thanks to the successful results of SARin & SAR altimetry, from CryoSat-2 and Sentinel-3, and Ka-band altimetry from SARAL/AltiKa. This Workshop aims at being once again a lively forum for a community-led review of the science and applications of coastal altimetry, from data processing through emerging applications to new technologies.

The workshop will feature studies using the latest missions (Sentinel-3A/B, CryoSat-2, HY-2, AltiKa and Jason-3) and the anticipation of synergies with the SWOT mission.

Dedicated sessions will cover Sea Level, Dynamic Topography, Currents, Winds and Waves, Sea State, Extreme Events, etc. , exploiting altimetry and other data for both real-time monitoring and long-term change studies.

As in previous editions of the Workshop, requirements from the users are expected to stimulate the improvement of present and the shaping of future applications, spaceborne and in situ products & models, and consolidate the recurring requirements for a Global Coastal Altimetry Product Standard.

Deadline for abstract submission (both for oral and poster presentations): 15 November 2019.

The 52nd Liège Colloquium on Ocean Dynamics will take place in Liège, Belgium, 25th - 29th May 2020.

The coastal ocean is under increasing multiple (climate and not-climate) pressures that affect its functioning and health, and compromise the provision of services to the society. The set-up of a scientifically underpinned ecosystem-based management scheme for the coastal ocean requires a thorough understanding of human impacts on the physics, biogeochemistry and biodiversity at large scale. Such a management scheme should be firmly embedded in the science-management-policy interface, taking account of selecting useful and communicable indicators for the ecosystem health, targeting ecosystem services and making use of novel analytical tolls acknowledging the complexity of Drivers-Pressures-Stressors-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR) interactions.

The 52nd international colloquium will gather an interdisciplinary community of scientists to overview the progress in our capabilities to understand, monitor and forecast the impact of human activities on coastal marine environments to guarantee a productive and healthy system as requested by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.

Extended deadline for Abstract submission: February 6th 2020.

The Polar Technology Conference (PTC) will take place Tuesday, 10 March 2020 to Thursday, 12 March 2020 in Boulder, Colorado.

The Polar Technology Conference brings together polar scientists, technology developers, and field technicians from academia, state and federal agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. This interdisciplinary space provides an opportunity for technical and theoretical exchange on challenges impeding polar research and field operations. Community input is crucial to ensure that technological infrastructure investments are efficient, satisfy science drivers, and meet field requirements. The conference will address approaches to working and studying in the polar regions, including: terrestrial, marine, atmospheric, and social science disciplines; autonomous instrumentation; observation platforms; and all levels of logistical support.

The conference aims to:

1. Identify and define priorities using bottom-up community feedback to enhance polar science through technological advances
2. Scope out areas where research and development (R&D) projects could deliver new technology to meet scientific or logistical user needs and identify where new technology would benefit from field trial
3. Increase awareness of current funding calls appropriate for technical or R&D projects and provide input to funding agencies on effective support of technology-related projects for polar research
4. Build on past PTCs to create a community of practice for future dialogue between the users, manufacturers, and developers of technology used in polar research

The format of the conference will consist of structured keynote speeches followed by related presentations with interspersed panel and poster sessions. Other alternative approaches for information delivery and sharing are also under consideration. The forthcoming call for abstracts will seek talks or posters that address one of the below listed science topics:

• Science Drivers: Key research needs and critical tools for improving observations and monitoring from multiple domains of polar science with an emphasis on system requirement
• Power Systems: Transmission, storage, alternative energy generation
• Instrumentation: Advances in instrumentation across all types of platforms and access
• Communications: satellites, data-transmission-limited environments, telemetry
• Data Access and Sharing: Technologies to access resources typical in more connected areas, such as information technologies, data in the cloud, distributed data resources, and processing technologies
• Overarching and Integrative Technology: large-scale projects that span multiple technologies including logistics and infrastructure projects

The National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs also has a long-standing interest in capacity-building, training, international cooperation, leveraging existing resources/infrastructure, enhancing polar field operations, and engaging local and Indigenous Arctic residents and holders of Traditional Knowledge.

Abstract submission has been extended to 7 February 2020, 5:00 p.m. Alaska time. Presenting authors of submitted abstracts will be given priority registration until 24 January 2020 due to limited capacity of this meeting.

The Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) announces the next Arctic Research Seminar featuring Jim Thomson, Senior Principal Oceanographer at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Lab and a Professor in the Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering. This event will be held online via Zoom.

Registration is required for this event.

The ARCUS Arctic Research Seminar Series invites leading Arctic researchers and community leaders to share the latest findings in Arctic research and what they mean for decision-making. The events are free and open to the public, and will be of particular interest to interest to the international Arctic research community, federal agency officials, congressional staff, non-governmental organizations, Arctic educators, and the public.

Jim Thomson is a Senior Principal Oceanographer at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Lab and a Professor in the Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Dr. Thomson studied Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering in MIT's joint program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, receiving a PhD in 2006. Dr. Thomson studies waves and turbulence at the surface of the ocean, including interactions with sea ice. His work emphasizes field measurements and physical processes and includes the development of instrumentation and autonomous platforms.

Seminar Abstract:

The rapid decline of summer sea ice cover in the Western Arctic has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in the sea state of the region. Ocean waves are now more common throughout the region, including multiple energetic swell events each summer. These waves interact with the sea ice and help to both form and define the expanding Marginal Ice Zone of the Western Arctic. This seminar will review recent work to observe and forecast changes in the Arctic sea state, including implications for sea ice retreat and coastal morphology.

Instructions for accessing the webinar will be sent to registrants prior to the event.

Since 2012, the annual Arctic Conference at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy has provided a platform for policymakers, business leaders, academics and students to address the implications of a volatile Arctic. This conference brings together high-level leaders working in business, governance, human rights, international law, and science from around the world to share insights, research, and engage in conversations on the pressing issues of a multi-disciplinary nature in the Arctic region.

The Fletcher Arctic Conference is a student-run initiative, with key contributions from senior Fletcher School faculty and leadership. We remain dedicated to inclusivity and high-quality dialogue by bringing together diverse speakers both in education and background. We look forward to contributing to the conversation and illuminating the multitude of perspectives surrounding the future of a rapidly changing Arctic.

The Alaska Forum on the Environment (AFE) is Alaska's largest statewide gathering of environmental professionals providing an opportunity for government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaska’s youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders to come together and discuss the latest projects, processes, and issues that affect the environment in Alaska. The diversity of attendees and comprehensive agenda sets this conference apart from any other of its kind.

Every year AFE offers more than 100 technical breakout sessions and sensational keynote events throughout the week, This year, we will continue to offer sessions on climate change, energy, environmental regulations, cleanup and remediation, fish and wildlife, solid waste, and much more. And back for the second year in a row, Free Friday, where the public can register and join AFE for free for the day.

AFE is your opportunity to learn more about the environment and meet with other Alaskans that work in the environmental field. We encourage you to register online and join us for our 22nd year.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces the release of the new Fiscal Year 2020 solicitation for the Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) NSF Big Idea.

Navigating the New Arctic, one of NSF's 10 Big Ideas, embodies the Foundation's forward-looking response to the profound challenges detailed in the Synopsis above. NNA addresses convergent scientific, engineering, and educational challenges in, and related to, the rapidly changing Arctic. The solutions to these challenges are needed to understand and forecast environmental change; advance economic prosperity; promote human and ecological health; and preserve security for the United States, the circumpolar Arctic region, and the globe.

NNA encourages proposals for projects that leverage partnerships to address fundamental science issues of societal importance and disseminate their results. These may include projects with stakeholders such as state and local governments; other nations and international groups with interests in the Arctic; the private sector; science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educators and students; and community members. Given the extensive Indigenous presence in the Arctic and the broad local and traditional knowledge Indigenous people have regarding the changing Arctic, NSF encourages direct collaboration with Indigenous residents and local institutions and organizations at all project stages, as appropriate.

NNA strongly encourages projects with components that advance STEM education, public understanding of the changing Arctic to benefit both citizens and policy makers, and workforce development objectives. These efforts may include strengthening STEM education in northern communities specifically and the rest of the nation generally and developing the next generation of Arctic-related researchers. NSF also recognizes the inherently international nature of the Arctic region, and that impacts of Arctic changes span geographic and political boundaries, and encourages proposals that include significant international components.

Please follow the link above for the full solicitation.

Full proposal deadline: 11 February 2020, 5:00 p.m. submitter’s local time.

We would like to invite you to the 4th Polar Ecology Conference organised by the Centre for Polar Ecology at University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. The conference theme is “Interactions between Ocean and Terrestrial Ecosystems”. However, we accept submission of abstracts from all polar disciplines.

Registration is now open and there are no conference fees but the attendee list is limited to 70 participants.

Registration and abstract submission deadline is 30 November, 2019.

The organising committee is pleased to announce a one-day workshop to be held in Cambridge on Friday 14 February 2020. The theme of the workshop is 'recent disturbance and recovery of terrestrial arctic and boreal ecosystems', where 'disturbance' can be at any spatial or temporal scale, i.e. including but not restricted to climate-induced changes. It arises from an ongoing collaboration between UK and Russian scientists who are studying the response of Russian boreal forest to 21st century climate change, and is conceived as a networking event. Come and find new colleagues! We will be especially pleased to have contributions that focus on the use of remote sensing methods. We expect the format to include longer presentations, a 'quick-fire' session with single slides presented in 3-5 minutes, a poster session, and a round-table. Lunch will be provided.

The XVII Glaciological Symposium will be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, 26-29 May 2020. The Glaciological Association, the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute are organizing the meeting.

The symposium will cover a wide range of cryospheric topics. It is expected that for the most part, presentations will describe results of recent investigations devoted to the main key issues of present-day glaciology. Each oral presentation will be allowed 20 minutes, including discussion. Poster sessions and discussion will also be scheduled. Working languages are Russian and English (no simultaneous translation will be provided). Please follow the link above for abstracts requirements.

Deadline for submission of abstracts is February 15, 2020.

All potential participants (including non-presenters) are invited to register online before February 15, 2020.