Past Events

Organizers of Asia Oceania Geosciences Society session AS41, entitled "The linkages between the Arctic climate change and mid-latitude climate and weather,'" announce a call for abstracts. This session will be convened at the 2016 Annual Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Meeting, scheduled for 31 July thru 5 August 2016 in Beijing, China.

Session description: The Arctic temperature has increased faster than the rest of the world, and the sea ice has declined at the pace never seen before since the beginning of 21st century. These profound changes to the Arctic have coincided with a period of ostensibly more frequent extreme weather events across the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. The possibility of a link between Arctic change and mid-latitude weather has spurred research activities that reveal potential linkages between the two parts of the world. The intent of the session is to further the understanding of the coupling between Arctic variability and mid-latitude climate and weather by synthesizing ongoing efforts and exploring our key gaps.

This session aims to highlight new and emerging efforts focused on linkage studies based on observations, reanalysis products, and model simulation results. Papers are welcome on all aspects, particularly those to assess and synthesize existing knowledge on the links between Arctic climate change and mid-latitude weather variability including weather extremes to identify key questions and knowledge gaps with a particular attention on physical processes and scale interactions considering the relatively short time period of record and multiple components included in the hypothesized linkages and to current modeling efforts on exploring the relationship between Arctic and mid-latitude weather and climate variability.

Abstract submission deadline: Friday, 4 March 2016.

Ice Core Young Scientists (ICYS) is pleased to announce a workshop for Early Career Researchers in ice core science to be held immediately before the upcoming IPICS Open Science Conference, on Sunday 06 March 2016.

The workshop aims to foster collaboration among young scientists in the community, enhance specific skills relevant to ice core science, and provide a forum for discussion of important career-related topics. The workshop will include plenary sessions on the future of ice coring science, as well as supervised break-out discussions of “softer” skills that are vital to a scientific career but rarely are part of the formal academic training. The workshop will also feature a panel discussion with senior scientists on topics such as work/life balance, strategies for dual-career couples, challenges involved in being a chief scientist, leadership techniques as a PI etc.

Generous travel grants are available for students to attend both the workshop and IPICS Open Science Conference. Applications are now open and registration for the ICYS workshop must be made via the IPICS2015 Abstracts Submission Form (http://www.ipics2016.org/abstracts). The deadline for abstract submission 15 September 2015.

Key dates
15 July, 2015
• Call for abstracts opens
• Conference registrations open

15 September, 2015
• Deadline for abstracts
• Early career researcher travel support applications close

31 December, 2015
• Early bird period ends

06 March, 2016
• ICYS Workshop, Hobart

07-11 March, 2016
• IPICS 2016 Second Open Science Conference

Early career support packages
IPICS2016 organizers will award a limited number of support packages of up to $A2000 for early career researchers to attend the conference. Applications close at 23:59 UT September 15, 2015, and must be made at the same time as you submit your abstract using the IPICS2016 Abstracts Submission Form.

Additional nationally-tied support for early career researchers is also available. Applicants from eligible countries should apply as first preference for these via relevant national channels, in addition to the application via the IPICS2016 website, in the event that they are unsuccessful.

Europe: EPICA member institutions can submit applications for support to the Descartes Prize Committee via their national representative.

United States: At the time of opening, the prospect of ICYS-solicited support for US early career researchers is under consideration. Contact ICYS US reps for latest information.

Developing nations: Travel support is available for early career researchers from developing nations, with generous support from PAGES. Applications for travel support must be made simultaneously with the submission of your abstract on the IPICS2016 Abstracts Submission form.

IPICS2016, EPICA, PAGES and ICYS will coordinate the travel support applications with the intention to grant only one award to any individual. Applicants should be aware that the IPICS2016 awards here will be finalised after consultation with all other funding providers.

Additional information:

• Most, but not all, support awards offered here by the Hobart organizing committee are intended for attendance at the Ice Core Young Scientists (ICYS) Workshop on Sunday 6 March in Hobart.
• Any individual is entitled to only ONE award from IPICS2016, EPICA, PAGES or any other nationally coordinated program of awards. Applicants are welcome to apply here as well, but should be aware that organisers and funding providers will coordinate awards in consultation to ensure just one is granted.
• Awards will be negotiated on the basis of airfare and accommodation receipts to the maximum value of A$2000.

International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS) is the principal planning group for international ice core science. Established in 2005, IPICS now includes scientists from 23 nations.

The IPICS 2016 Second Open Science Conference conference in Hobart, Australia, follows the vibrant First IPICS OSC in Giens, France, in 2012, which attracted 230 scientists.

The Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre and the Australian Antarctic Division are very pleased to host the Second IPICS OSC and look forward to the opportunities to share the latest science and build the IPICS community.

Abstract submissions are now open. Deadline is 15 September 2015. Abstracts are invited on all aspects of ice core research including major recent drilling projects.

For more information, please visit the conference website link above.

TIME: 11 a.m. MST
LIVE CHAT: http://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/ml-live-chat1.htm
LIVE WEBCAST: http://www.fin.ucar.edu/it/mms/ml-live.htm

ABSTRACT:
Studies of linkages between summer atmospheric circulation patterns and the downward trend in annual Arctic sea ice minimum have suggested systematic relationships between low sea ice years and the Arctic Dipole pattern. While the first order downward trend in Arctic sea ice extent has been strong, particularly in the last few decades, departures in ice extent from year to year are typically the result of large and often partially compensating regional anomalies. In particular, the trend
in open water in the Pacific sector has been both larger and more variable than the trend in the Atlantic sector, due in part to the ubiquity of Fram Strait export maintaining some measure of ice cover.

Decadal predictive skill of sea ice by earth system models is increasing rapidly. However, the challenge of sea ice predictability is no more immediate than in the quest for time-sensitive decision support for technically feasible navigation routes with enough skill and detail to predict requirements for ship class. In this context, developing new approaches for seasonal ice prediction presents an important test for our understanding of the evolving system. This talk will present initial results that combine statistical modeling of ice and shipping costs with analysis of atmospheric circulation regimes using self organizing maps as part of an ongoing project to better understand the drivers of change on critical shipping routes in the Arctic.

For more information, contact Gaylynn Potemkin, email potemkin [at] ucar.edu, phone: 303.497.1618

The 2016 Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference will be in Dillingham March 9-12, focusing on the theme Adaptation: Tides of Change. The conference "highlights regional scientific efforts that provide a more interdisciplinary approach to scientific inquiry and resource management".

Submissions are welcome from all individuals and organizations collecting data in western Alaska. Abstracts can be submitted through January 31st via the conference website.

Session Topics:
(subject to change)

• Oil and Gas/Mining: Brian Rasley
• Fisheries: Gabriel Dunham
• Sustainable Energy: Tom Marsik
• Green Buildings: Jonathan Mears
• Rural Health Care: Rebecca Coupchiak
• Rural Science Education: Tara Borland
• How Can Alaskan Colleges Serve Rural Students Better?: Pete Pinney
• K-12 Session: Deanna Baier
• Ecosystem Health/Climate Change: Todd Radenbaugh; Sue Flensburg
• Citizen/Subsistence Science: Todd Radenbaugh
• Rural Solid Waste: Todd Radenbaugh

Organizers announces a call for applications for a field course entitled, "Advanced Climate Dynamics Course on the Role of High Latitudes in Centennial to Millennial Scale Climate Variability."

The goal of the course is to provide students with empirical, proxy, and dynamical training within climate science and an understanding the basic principles and dynamics behind centennial to millennial scale climate variability and their link to past, present and future changes to high latitude climate.

The course is taught by several invited guest lecturers coordinated by the Bjerknes Centre in Bergen, Norway; University of Washington; and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Application deadline: 10 March 2016.

Held in conjunction with the Arctic Resilience Workshop, Arctic Science Summit Week, Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials meeting and Arctic Observing Summit

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC), in partnership with the Institute of the North (ION) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will host the 4th Sustainable Northern Shelter Forum on 11-13 March 2016, in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Entitled "A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Northern Shelter," the Forum presents an opportunity for an international group of community leaders, builders, architects, building scientists, and planners to discuss common challenges and exchange solutions to producing sustainable, appropriate, and durable buildings and infrastructure in the circumpolar north.

The goals of the forum are to identify strategic research priorities in the field of northern building and infrastructure design and technology, share innovative designs and prototypes, develop ongoing circumpolar partnerships, and disseminate the information gathered among the wider circumpolar community.

Forum topics include:

• Building Science and Construction in the North

• Energy and Alternative Energy Systems and Infrastructure

• Sustainable Design of Buildings and Communities that are defined by Culture and Environment

The Forum is designed to be inclusive, deliberate and focused, with sessions encouraging an open approach of facilitated discussion, based on case studies from Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Participants will come from around the Arctic, but participants from or working in remote northern communities will find the most value.

Sessions will center on holistic problem-solving, with challenges presented to a diverse, interdisciplinary panel of subject matter experts who will share potential solutions and common barriers to the creation of sustainable communities and work toward a common framework for addressing northern barriers to sustainable communities. From these discussions, collaborative task forces will be formed to identify near- and medium-term actions to move communities toward best practices or solutions.

Forum participation is limited to 150. Register early to reserve your seat at the table.

The 12th annual Polar Technology Conference (PTC) will be hosted by Polar Field Services and CH2MHILL Polar Services at the Polar Field Service (PFS) headquarters in Littleton, Colorado.

The primary purpose of this conference is to bring together Polar Scientists and Technology Developers in a forum to exchange information on research system operational needs and technology solutions that have been successful in polar environments. This exchange of knowledge helps to address issues of design, implementation, and deployment for systems that are to achieve their research goals in the Polar Regions.

Past participants have come from the private sector, state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and academia. Presentations generally cover system requirements for proposed research along with descriptions of systems and approaches that have been proven in polar deployments. Typical hardware and software topics have included weather stations, robotics, power systems, telemetry, and remote communications. The scale of systems ranges from the autonomous data collection towers to large scale research stations. Polar venues represented include under, on, and above the ice, tundra, or sea.

Discussions on intra- and inter-national cooperation in site deployment and maintenance are encouraged. Informal breaks allow for opportunities for networking and information exchange. A poster session is also included. Workshops have been held offering tutorial exchanges on specific technologies (e.g., power systems, Iridium). We are pleased to have support from the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs as an endorsement of the concept of bringing together providers and consumers of these technologies in hopes of benefiting from that synergy.

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

The Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN) and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Lamont) will host a Workshop on Polar Predictability on 4-6 May 2016 at Columbia University, Palisades, New York. This is the third annual workshop on this topic. The first was held in April 2014 in Boulder, Colorado and the second was in April 2015 in Reading, United Kingdom.

The 2016 workshop will focus on:

• Sources of polar predictability on sub-seasonal to inter-annual timescales
• Sea ice prediction
• Operational and research efforts

Forecast users and operational forecasters are encouraged to attend the workshop.

The meeting will include a series of invited talks on the first day, followed by contributed talks and poster sessions. Talks will be approximately 25 minutes in length. We are expecting approximately 50-60 participants. The meeting will end by 3:00 p.m. on the third day. An agenda will be available by mid-March.

Outcomes of the meeting will include recommendations for the Sea Ice Outlook and other activities related to polar prediction.

There is no charge for the workshop, and lunch, coffee, and food during breaks will be provided. We expect to be able to accommodate 50-60 participants and will close registration when we reach capacity.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Arctic Council, with the United States handing over its two-year, rotating chairmanship to Finland in the spring of 2017. The United States and Finland are working closely to ensure continuity of shared chairmanship priorities and a long-term approach to addressing challenges in the Arctic.

What will this transition mean for Arctic issues in the years ahead, and what priorities will shape the conversation around sustainable development? How can environmental and economic imperatives be balanced over the long-term?

Please join the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace for a conversation between two sitting ambassadors, the Honorable Charles Adams and the Honorable Kirsti Kauppi, for an exploration of what priorities and outlooks the United States and Finland share on Arctic issues.

Charles C. Adams, Jr. is the U.S. ambassador to Finland. Before his nomination, Ambassador Adams was the managing partner in the Geneva, Switzerland office of the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Kirsti Kauppi is the Finnish ambassador to the United States. Her previous post was Vienna, where she served as ambassador of Finland to Austria and as Finland’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the UN agencies.

David Livingston is an associate in Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where his research focuses on innovation, markets, and risk.

Melanie Nakagawa serves as the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of State for energy transformation in the Bureau of Energy Resources.

The public is invited to a briefing on Attribution of Extreme Weather Events in the Context of Climate Change, a new consensus report from the Academies’ Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate.

The report examines the current state of the science of attribution of extreme weather events to human-caused climate change and natural variability. Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences, will make opening remarks. Dr. David Titley of the Pennsylvania State University, who served as Chair of the report’s authoring committee, will present the report’s findings. Dr. Titley will then open the session for Q&A along with committee members Marshall Shepherd of the University of Georgia, Theodore Shepherd of the University of Reading, UK, and John Walsh of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Follow the link above and register today to attend in person or via webcast.

Save the date for Arctic Science Summit Week 2016 (ASSW) and the Arctic Observing Summit (AOS): 12-18 March 2016 in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks invites you to share your scientific accomplishments and join in the spirit of collaboration toward improving the coordination of Arctic research. Hundreds of scientists and policymakers from around the world will be in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA for the largest Arctic gathering of its kind in 2016.

About the Conference ASSW is an annual gathering of international scientists and policymakers who advance Arctic research. The conference promotes coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all fields of Arctic science. The Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) aims to build a common vision for sustained, long-term observations of the Arctic and serve as a forum for the planning and coordination of such measurements. The conference will include several workshops and side meetings, including the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials Meeting. Several ancillary events will also occur, including public lectures, field trips, and outreach and student events, including the Model Arctic Council.

About the Venue The conference will be held on the beautiful University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. Fairbanks is a winter wonderland in March, with northern lights, winter recreation, and unique cultural experiences.

Subscribe for Updates Receive occasional announcements and information about dates and deadlines, conference participation opportunities, and special events. Subscribe: https://vr2.verticalresponse.com/s/arcticsciencesummitweek.

The Arctic in the Classroom (TAC) program is currently accepting applications from teachers and researchers for participation in the 'Make an Impact Workshop," the TAC kickoff event, which will take place 13-15 March 2016 during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Travel, accommodations, and ASSW registration expenses are covered for workshop participants. Participants are also awarded the opportunity for continued support within The Arctic in the Classroom program. Registration is now open for teachers and researchers. There are approximately 15 spots available. Registration closes on 1 February 2016.

The workshop organizer, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) seeks:

• Educators who currently teach in Alaskan Arctic communities with experience or interest in incorporating local Arctic research into their teaching through citizen-science and community based monitoring.

• Researchers who conduct funded research in the Alaskan Arctic with experience or interest using citizen-science practices as a method to expose teachers, students, and local communities to Arctic research.

TAC aims to bring together the best practices in facilitating successful citizen-science projects and community-based monitoring to support the collaboration of students, teachers, and researchers in arctic communities.

Support for this program is provided by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) and applicable community service payments from federal court settlements.

Further Workshop Information is available at:
https://www.arcus.org/tac/2016-workshop

For questions, please contact:
Sarah Bartholow (ARCUS)
sbartholow [at] arcus.org

Location: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bunnell Building, Schaible Auditorium
Time: 1:30-5:00 pm AKDT

EU-PolarNet would like to invite participants to the open part of the projects second general assembly, which coincides with this year's Arctic Science Summit Week in Fairbanks, Alaska.

EU-PolarNet is a consortium of expertise and infrastructure for polar research, bringing together 22 European research institutions from 17 countries. From 2015-2020, EU-PolarNet will develop and deliver a strategic framework and mechanisms to prioritise science, optimise the use of polar infrastructure, and broker new relationships with international partners that will lead to the co-design of polar research projects that deliver tangible benefits for society.

Those interested in the work of EU-PolarNet and eager to join a discussion on the projects future tasks and expectations are welcome to attend the open afternoon session. A special focus of the meeting will be on stakeholder mapping, the development of a coordinated European Polar Data Infrastructure, and the identification of research priorities for European polar science.

For more information, please contact:
Kristina Bar
Email: kbaer [at] awi.de

Location: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Gruening 408
Time: 1:00-3:00 pm AKDT

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC), which consists of principals from 16 agencies, departments, and offices across the
Federal government, is charged with enhancing the scientific monitoring of and research on local, regional, and global environmental issues in the Arctic. IARPC is currently developing a new 5-year research plan. IARPC representatives will discuss progress and are interested in hearing your priorities for the development of the next IARPC 5-year research plan and the implementation of the current plan. The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) will facilitate this stakeholder listening session to gather ideas about funded work or programs that IARPC can incorporate as Research Objectives and Performance Elements in support of the new research Goals. All members of the Alaska, U.S., and international Arctic research community and other stakeholders are invited to participate in this open session.

For more information, please contact:
Jessica Rohde
Email: jrohde [at] arcus.org

The Pacific Arctic Group (PAG) is a group of institutes and individuals having a Pacific perspective on Arctic science. Organized under the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), the PAG has as its mission to serve as a Pacific Arctic regional partnership to plan, coordinate, and collaborate on science activities of mutual interest. The four PAG principle science themes are climate, contaminants, human dimensions and structure, and function of Arctic ecosystems.

This meeting will focus on 'business' matters as well as cover updates of research plans for 2016 field season.

For more information, including a draft meeting agenda, please follow the link above.

For more information, please contact:
Jackie Grebmeier
Email: jgrebmei [at] umces.edu

or

Sung-Ho Kang
Email: shkang [at] kopri.re.kr

The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory of the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) is an international, interdisciplinary initiative organized around a year-long drifting constellation of coupled system observations in the Central Arctic (2019-2020). The ultimate goal is to improve understanding of coupled atmosphere-ice-ocean-ecosystem processes in the Central Arctic to support improved sea-ice forecasting, regional weather forecasting, and climate prediction.

A MOSAiC Town Hall meeting will be held at Arctic Science Summit Week. This town hall meeting will provide a brief overview of MOSAiC and introduce the new MOSAiC Scientific Implementation Plan. This will include information on logistical support for the initiative and describe pathways for scientific involvement by the international community. An open discussion will follow. The goal for this town hall is to facilitate international coordination on science, infrastructure, logistics, and support for MOSAiC.

For more information on MOSAiC, go to:
http://www.mosaicobservatory.org/

For questions, please contact:
Matthew Shupe
Email: matthew.shupe [at] noaa.gov

Organizers announce a workshop entitled "Arctic Air Pollution: Exploring Collaborative Frameworks for Natural and Social Science" that will take place in conjunction with Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW)/Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) on 14 March 2016, 3:00-6:00 p.m. AKST, in room 202 of the Gruening building on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The objective of the workshop is to map the breadth of potential approaches for collaboration between the air Pollution in the Arctic: Climate, Environment and Societies (PACES) program and Arctic communities, in particular those related to community monitoring possibilities. The workshop outcome will be a draft roadmap that recommends how these collaborations could be put into practice. This process will hopefully lead to a broader community workshop of
physical/chemical and social science researchers to develop these ideas. Those include considerations of whether this task can be taken on by workshop participants or whether a project with a dedicated budget and personnel is needed to conduct a full scoping study. Priority geographical areas and scientific topics will be identified, as well as criteria that help to assess how the expected effort for science/society collaborations will contribute to the overall PACES objectives related to improved knowledge about Arctic air pollution and its impacts.

This workshop is organized by the PACES program in partnership with the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).

A follow up discussion with a smaller group of participants will take place in the afternoon on 15 March, 2016.

For more information on the workshop or the PACES project, please visit the URL above.

For questions, please contact:
Sandy Starkweather
Phone: 303-402-9408
Email: sandy.starkweather [at] noaa.gov

Location: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Gruening 412
Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm AKDT

The Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC) is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence program primarily developed to meet the information needs of the U.S. Coast Guard as they increase and extend their operations in the North Pacific, Bering, Beaufort, and Chukchi Seas. Although this is an Alaskan state-wide program with national participation, primary administration is through the University of Alaska Anchorage with research partnerships at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. ADAC strives to develop and transition technology solutions, innovative products, and educational programs to improve situational awareness and crisis response capabilities related to emerging maritime challenges posed by the dynamic Arctic environment. ADAC research areas include Maritime Domain Awareness, Maritime Situational Awareness and Response Support, Maritime Technology Research, and Integrated Education.

ADAC will host a townhall style meeting to explain the purpose of the Arctic Domain Awareness Center, describe the research needs of the Coast Guard, and solicit input on active and future research projects that may enhance operational security in the Arctic marine system.

Interested participants are also invited to submit two to three slides with relevant research ideas to Cassie Pinkel (cjpinkel [at] alaska.edu). The slides will be shared via GoTo Meeting. It will be possible to join remotely for those who will not be in Fairbanks.

For more information, please contact:
Douglas Causey
Email: dcausey [at] uaa.alaska.edu