Past Events

The Colorado Springs Science Festival is a great opportunity to get involved in outreach and public education. If you're in Colorado and want to get involved, contact USAPECS at USAPECS [at] gmail.com. For further information about USAPECS involvement, please contact Tristy at tristyv [at] gmail.com (please CC USAPECS).

This is a great program for getting people into schools to do E&O presentations, as well as hosting a "Cool Science Carnival" the first weekend (booths and science activities usually at University of CO, Colorado Springs) and a "Maker Faire" during the last weekend. There are also often public lectures and films in the evenings. It is a perfect opportunity for APECS people in the area!

If this sounds like something that you might be interested in (putting together a booth as a group, visiting classrooms, etc.), we can get in touch with the organizers and make it happen. If there is enough interest to move forward with an organized USAPECS contribution, logistics will be decided during the planning.

NOAA’s operational climate monitoring products and predictions are a core part of NOAA’s mission to support economic vitality and protect American lives and resources. These products and predictions are produced by the National Weather Service/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and are aimed toward providing the public with critical information about environmental conditions for better preparedness and improved resiliency. Products include outlooks from a few weeks to several seasons ahead for quantities such as precipitation, temperature, tropical hazards, drought, and other societally-relevant climate system impacts.

As part of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) Program includes support for transition of research into improved NOAA operational capabilities. In particular, the MAPP Program partners with NCEP to support the NOAA Climate Test Bed1 (CTB) to demonstrate the potential for scientific advances from the community external to NCEP to accelerate the improvement of operational climate models, monitoring, and predictions. The MAPP Program provides support for testing and demonstration research activities while NCEP provides support for the operational implementation activities. In FY 2016 the MAPP Program is soliciting research proposals to advance NOAA’s operational capabilities for climate monitoring and predictions a few weeks to several seasons ahead as part of NOAA CTB.

REMINDER: Call for Abstracts, Early Career Travel Support Applications and Registration
Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting
17-19 November 2015
Seattle, Washington

Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, 9 October 2015

Early Career Travel Support Application Deadline: Friday, 9 October 2015

Registration Deadline: Monday, 19 October 2015

To submit an abstract, go to:
http://www.arcus.org/search-program/meetings/2015/aoosm/submit

To apply for early career travel support, go to:
http://www.arcus.org/search-program/meetings/2015/aoosm/travel-support

To register online, go to:
http://www.arcus.org/search-program/meetings/2015/aoosm/register

For questions, please contact:
Judy Fahnestock, ARCUS
Email: judy [at] arcus.org

Reminder: abstract submission, registration, and an early career travel award application are available for the 2015 Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting. The meeting will be held 17-19 November 2015 in Seattle, Washington.

The Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting will bring together individuals and teams involved in the collection, processing, analysis, and use of observations in the Arctic from academia, agencies, industry, and other organizations.

The goals of the Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting are to:

• Present and discuss scientific findings and advances resulting from Arctic observing projects;
• Discuss operational and technological achievements of observing programs funded through local, state, and federal agencies and private and non-profit organizations;
• Explore how well new observational achievements meet major science goals;
• Identify opportunities for collaboration to develop high-impact data synthesis products and papers; and
• Strengthen the goals, identity, and activities of an integrated Arctic Observing System.

The Organizing Committee invites abstracts for oral parallel sessions and poster sessions. The sessions have been structured to share information about current scientific findings and advances resulting from Arctic observing projects from all disciplines, and to further define collaborations amongst researchers.

Further information, including the meeting agenda, is available on the meeting website: http://www.arcus.org/search-program/meetings/2015/aoosm.

There is no fee for abstract submission or registration.

For questions, contact:
Judy Fahnestock, ARCUS
Email: judy [at] arcus.org

The Department of Environmental and Business Economics, University of Southern Denmark invites to a conference on "Arctic Marine Resource Governance" 14th-16th of October 2015 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The conference is part of the project: Marine Resource Governance in the Arctic, financially supported by Nordic Council of Ministers' Arctic Co-operation Programme, the Joint Committee for Nordic Research Councils in the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Carlsberg Foundation.

Conference Themes: The ecosystem changes underway in the Arctic region are expected to have significant impacts on living resources in both the short and long run, and current actions and policies adopted over such resource governance will have serious and ultimately irreversible consequences in the near and long terms. The themes of the conference will be:

• Global management and institutions for Arctic marine resources
• Resource stewards and users: local and indigenous co-management
• Governance gaps in Arctic marine resource management
• Multi-scale, ecosystem-based, Arctic marine resource management

There is no conference fee. Acceptance is limited and will occur on a rolling basis, with a final deadline for abstract submission for presentation considerations of May 31, 2015. For consideration as a presenter, please submit a short abstract and title pertinent to the theme. For consideration as an attendee, please send a short note identifying your experience and interest in the topic. Presenters and attendees should expect to contribute to conference outputs, some of which may include publications and receive stipends (details to follow). Deadline for enrollment is September 15, 2015.

Please send your application and sign up by e-mail to arctic [at] sdu.dk.

News and questions
Updated information about the conference can be found at the Arctic website www.sdu.dk/arctic under Workshops and Conferences.
Questions? Do not hesitate to contact Irene Nygaard at arctic [at] sdu.dk

Contact:
Department of Environmental and Business Economics, University of Southern Denmark Niels Bohrs Vej 9 – DK-6700 Esbjerg, Denmark
Tel. +45 6550 1000 – E-mail arctic [at] sdu.dk - Website: www.sdu.dk/arctic

The National Science Foundation’s Paleo Perspectives on Climate Change program utilizes key geological, chemical, and biological records of climate system variability to provide insight rates of change that characterized Earth’s historical climate variability, the responses of key Earth system components, and the sensitivity of Earth’s climate system to forcing changes. The scientific objectives of this program are to 1) provide comprehensive paleoclimate data sets that can serve as model test data sets analogous to instrumental observations; and 2) enable transformative syntheses of paleoclimate data and modeling outcomes to understand the response of the long-term variability of Earth’s climate system. The foundation expects to award 35 grants, with a typical award duration of three years. Approximately $11 million is expected to be available each year, pending funding availability.

Save the date for the NorthWest Glaciologists Meeting.

October 16-17, 2015
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon.

Details will be posted as they become available.

The Arctic Circle is the largest global gathering on the Arctic. It is attended by heads of state and governments, ministers, members of parliament, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, indigenous representatives, environmentalists, students, activists, and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the future of the Arctic. The Arctic Circle highlights issues and concerns, programs, policies and projects; it provides platforms for dynamic dialogue and constructive cooperation. While the plenary sessions are the responsibility of the Arctic Circle, the breakout sessions are organized by various participating partners in their own name and with full authority over the agenda and the choice of speakers.

The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) will be hosting a drop-in event in connection with the Arctic Circle Assembly, the world's largest gathering on the circumpolar Arctic. The 2015 Arctic Circle Assembly (http://arcticcircle.org) takes place 16-18 October 2015 in Reykjavik, Iceland.

You are invited to meet with ARCUS Executive Director Dr. Robert Rich and members of the ARCUS Board, discuss your ideas to better connect and support Arctic research, and hear about the new ARCUS membership categories and benefits (https://www.arcus.org/arcus/member-information).

All those who drop by the event will be entered in a drawing to win a deluxe ARCUS Arctic umbrella, featuring a chart of the Arctic Ocean. An image of the umbrella is available at: https://www.arcus.org/orders.

When: Saturday, 17 October 2015 13:00-14:00 local time, Reykjavik, Iceland
Where: Nome Room, Harpa Centre

For questions or further information, please contact:
Dr. Robert Rich, ARCUS Executive Director
Email: bob [at] arcus.org

ARCUS: Connecting people across boundaries to support communication, coordination, and collaboration in Arctic research for 25 years.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) invites investigators at U.S. organizations to submit proposals to conduct research about the Arctic. Arctic research includes field and modeling studies, data analysis, and synthesis about the arctic region.
The goal of the NSF Section for Arctic Sciences, Division of Polar Programs (PLR), is to gain a better understanding of the Arctic's physical, biological, geological, chemical, social and cultural processes; the interactions of oceanic, terrestrial, atmospheric, biological, social, cultural, and economic systems; and the connections that define the Arctic. The Arctic Sciences and other NSF programs support projects that contribute to the development of the next generation of researchers and scientific literacy for all ages through education, outreach, and broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Program representatives from polar and other non-polar NSF programs that support arctic research coordinate across NSF, including joint review and funding of arctic proposals and mutual support of special projects with high logistical costs.

FUNDED AS PART OF THIS ACTIVITY

• Arctic Natural Sciences Program
• Arctic Observing Network
• Arctic Research Support and Logistics Program
• Arctic Social Sciences Program
• Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program

REMINDER: Registration Deadline
Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting
17-19 November 2015
Seattle, Washington

Registration Deadline: Monday, 19 October 2015

To register online, go to:
http://www.arcus.org/search-program/meetings/2015/aoosm/register

For questions, please contact:
Judy Fahnestock, ARCUS
Email: judy [at] arcus.org

Reminder: Registration for the 2015 Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting closes on Monday, 19 October. The meeting will be held 17-19 November 2015 in Seattle, Washington.

The Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting will bring together individuals and teams involved in the collection, processing, analysis, and use of observations in the Arctic from academia, agencies, industry, and other organizations.

The goals of the Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting are to:

• Present and discuss scientific findings and advances resulting from Arctic observing projects;
• Discuss operational and technological achievements of observing programs funded through local, state, and federal agencies and private and non-profit organizations;
• Explore how well new observational achievements meet major science goals;
• Identify opportunities for collaboration to develop high-impact data synthesis products and papers; and
• Strengthen the goals, identity, and activities of an integrated Arctic Observing System.

The sessions have been structured to share information about current scientific findings and advances resulting from Arctic observing projects from all disciplines, and to further define collaborations amongst researchers.

Further information, including the meeting agenda, is available on the meeting website: http://www.arcus.org/search-program/meetings/2015/aoosm.

There is no fee for abstract submission or registration.

For questions, contact:
Judy Fahnestock, ARCUS
Email: judy [at] arcus.org

The Environmental Engineering program seeks to encourage research applying scientific and engineering principles to avoid or minimize the impacts of solid, liquid, and gaseous discharges on land, inland and coastal waters, and air. The priority funding areas for this opportunity include 1) enhancing the availability of high quality water supplies; 2) developing innovative biological, chemical, and physical water treatment processes; 3) investigating processes that remove and degrade contaminants, remediate contaminated soils and groundwater, and convert waste waters into water suitable for reuse; 4) investigate environmental engineering aspects of urban watersheds, reservoirs, estuaries, and stormwater management; and 5) investigating biogeochemical and transport processes driving water quality in the aquatic and subsurface environment. The average award size for this program is $110K per year.

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) is now accepting pre-proposals for its 2015 Hollings Grants program. Pre-proposals are due Oct. 22, 2015.

In 2015, NMSF is looking for projects that:

• Engage the public in ocean issues and ocean conservation through National Marine Sanctuaries,
• Engage the public in efforts that support sustainable marine fisheries or the recovery of protected species, consistent with NOAA Fisheries mission, and
• Provide immersive educational experiences to 4th grade students in National Marine Sanctuaries or other public waters in support of President Obama's "Every Kid in a Park" initiative.

Hollings Grants are awarded through a competitive process. The first step provides the opportunity for any eligible organization to submit a pre-proposal (due October 22, 2015). In the second step, a selection of applicants is invited to submit a full proposal for funding.

Complete criteria and eligibility requirements, as well as the template for submitting a pre-proposal, can be found on NMSF's web site at www.marinesanctuary.org/hollings-grants. More information will be provided at a webinar hosted by NMSF on Wed., October 7th, from 3pm-4pm EDT. The link for the webinar is provided through the web link above as well. If you have any questions, please email or call Allison Alexander at allison [at] marinesanctuary.org or 301-608-3040, ext. 303.

The 2nd World Seabird Conference (2ndWSC) will build on the progress and success of the 1 st World Seabird Conference and will once again place seabirds on the global stage. Our goal is to provide a venue for seabird scientists from across the globe to gather with their colleagues and discuss research, conservation, and innovative technology as they relate to the study of seabirds and their marine environment. The Conference will focus on the biology, ecology, and conservation of these globally relevant species at a time when marine ecosystems and the species that inhabit them are increasingly used as indicators of ecosystem health. 2ndWSC will be structured around a series of symposia, contributed sessions, and database workshops and will provide participants with abundant opportunities to network with colleagues from across the globe.

TIME TABLE OF IMPORTANT DATES:

• Deadline for proposals for Symposia/Workshops: 15 May 2014
• Notification of acceptance for Symposia/Workshops: 15 July 2014
• Registration opens: 1 January 2015
• Deadline for Travel Award Applications: 30 January 2015
• Deadline for Abstracts for Contributed Papers/Posters: 30 January 2015
• Notification of acceptance of Contributed Papers/Posters: 27 March 2015.
• Notification of Travel Awards: 24 April 2015
• Deadline for early registration: 31 May 2015
• We recommend you make plane and hotel reservations at your earliest convenience, e.g., following notification of abstract acceptance

VENUE: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) opened in 2003 and offers state-of-the-art conference facilities thanks to its size and sophistication. Ideally located in Cape Town, adjacent to the Waterfront, the central business district and leading hotels, the CTICC is an exceptional facility that has put Cape Town on the map as a major international congress destination.

Please visit the conference website for more information.

On behalf of the International Advisory Committee and the Local Organizing Committee, we are pleased to announce the Second Polar Data Forum (PDF II) which will be held 27-29 October 2015, at the University of Waterloo, Canada.

PDF II will build on successes of the first Polar Data Forum (PDF I) held in Tokyo, Japan, October 2013. PDF I and a series of other international and national meetings have identified priority themes and key challenges in the domain of polar data management . PDF II will further refine these themes and priorities and will accelerate progress by establishing clear actions to address the target issues, including meeting the needs of society and science through promotion of open data and effective data stewardship, establishing sharing and interoperability of data at a variety of levels, developing trusted data management systems, and ensuring long-term data preservation. The Forum will be held in conjunction with the scheduled annual meetings of the Arctic Data Committee (ADC) of the International Arctic Science Committee and Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (IASC/SAON) and the Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SC-ADM) of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

The abstract submission and registration system will open on 15 May 2015 and abstracts are due 1 July 2015. Limited travel funds are available.

Please see the conference website for more details.

Join the Koshland Science Museum for a world climate change negotiation simulation. Created by Climate Interactive, World Climate enables participants to experience the dynamics that emerge as nations negotiate a global agreement on climate change and to develop a deeper understanding of how to address climate change. The experience combines current climate change science with computer simulation, so participants can see how their decisions impact the global climate system in real-time. Admission is $10 ($7 for students) and includes complimentary refreshments.

The U.S. Permafrost Association will be awarding up to eight travel grants between $500-$1000 for U.S. based students and post-graduate researchers (within six years of their terminal degree) to attend the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2015. The applicant must be first author on a permafrost-related research presentation at AGU. Preference will be given to an applicant who possesses both USPA and PYRN memberships. Two of the grants are reserved for engineering disciplines. Undergraduate students are encouraged to apply.

The application can be found at www.uspermafrost.org or by emailing Jennifer Frederick at jenn [at] dri.edu. The application is due October 30th 2015 at midnight Pacific Standard Time.

Don't forget to submit your ideas for an interactive exhibit by October 31 for the Academies' "Arctic Matters Day" being held on January 14, 2016. The free event is part of a larger initiative to raise awareness about rapid Arctic climate change and its regional and global impacts. The agenda features lively “TED-like” talks from top experts who study Arctic change. Answer the call for exhibitor applications today.

Agenda: http://nas-sites.org/arctic/files/2015/06/SYMPOSIUM-AGENDA-9-9-15.pdf?m…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just issued a "Notice of Funding Opportunity" (a request for proposals) on behalf of the Western Alaska Landscape Conservation Cooperative. This solicitation is for short pre-proposals that can fall into three different categories for our Terrestrial Systems theme. The three categories for proposals are:

Category 1) Patterns of change, and their impacts, in the phenology and distribution of terrestrial subsistence resources, harvested species, or other species of management interest;

Category 2) Identification and synthesis of information about ‘hotspots’ of change or of highly resilient ‘stable’ locations in western Alaska; and,

Category 3) Changes in terrestrial habitat characteristics and their impact on important resources or services in western Alaska.

Pre-proposals are short documents with approximately 1000 words of descriptive text due November 2nd at noon (AKDT). The pre-proposals will be reviewed and the authors of selected pre-proposals will be invited to complete detailed proposals. Instructions for the detailed proposals and selection process are also provided in the funding announcement. We will hold webinars describing these opportunities on September 28th (10:00am AKST) and October 6th (2:00pm AKST). Go to our website RFP page here to see the connection information.

NOAA Fisheries announced the availability of up $10 million through 2016 Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Grant competition. The goal of the SK program is to fund projects that address the needs of fishing communities, optimize economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries, and increase other opportunities to keep working waterfronts viable. The FY16 solicitation seeks applicants that fall into seven priorities. The solicitation will close on November 2, 2015. NOAA Fisheries will host a webinar on Thursday, October 22, 2015, at 4:00 pm EST to provide an overview of the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grants Program application process and to answer questions from interested applicants.

In commemoration of its 80th anniversary, the American Polar Society will join with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to bring together world-class leaders in science and diplomacy to discuss the role of polar oceans in global climate change.

Speakers include:

• Capt. Alfred McLaren, Chairman
• Norman Augustine (Banquet Speaker)
• Lawson Brigham
• Julian Dowdeswell
• Sylvia Earle
• Jerry Kooyman
• Walter Munk
• Claire Parkinson
• Lynne Talley
• Peter Wadhams