Past Events

Organizers invite abstract submissions for the Arctic Frontiers 2018 conference. The theme of this conference will be "Connecting the Arctic" and will convene 21-26 January 2018 in Tromsø, Norway.

In a world of increasing turmoil the Arctic is still a place for collaboration and peaceful communication. In maintaining peaceful relations across borders in the north the encompassing science collaboration has been particular important. The vast ocean that represents the bulk of the arctic area carries large potentials, but also threats. As increasingly larger parts of it will be utilized, how do we communicate and conduct search and rescue. And more importantly, how do we secure productive and healthy oceans. Sustainable development of the ocean is of particular importance in this matter. Sustainable business development is also key in securing resilient arctic societies. Connecting these societies together and closer to the rest of the world’s ideas, knowledge, technology and capital is an issue of special importance at Arctic Frontiers Policy in 2018.

In 2018 the Arctic Frontiers Policy program will have five main sessions with the following tentative working titles: State of the Arctic, Technology and connectivity, Resilient Arctic societies and business development, Healthy and productive oceans, Industry and environment.

On behalf of the Scientific Program Committees, we have great pleasure in inviting you to submit one or more online abstracts, for oral or poster presentation, to any of the four parts.

We ask you to do so in accordance with the instructions provided on the Call for Papers page at the link above.

All abstracts will be reviewed by members of the four scientific committees for rating of abstract quality and presentation content.

Abstract submission deadline: Tuesday, 19 September 2017

Note this call for papers addresses only the science section that takes place from Tuesday 23 January to Thursday 27 January 2018.

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) will host a webinar on the Outcomes of the U.S. Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. This webinar will be hosted via Zoom Video Conferencing and open to the public.

The United States chaired the Arctic Council from May 2015 to May 2017, culminating in the Fairbanks Ministerial on 11 May 2017 and producing results focused on science and furthering our understanding of the Arctic region. Additional initiatives focused on research needs and science based-actions, furthering our ability to conduct science and make science-based decisions. The U.S. Senior Arctic Official, Julie Gourley, will provide an overview of the highlights of the U.S. chairmanship. Project leads, Roberto Delgado, John Farrell, and Sarah Abdelrahim, will present the outcomes of select science-related chairmanship initiatives.

Purpose:

• To present and discuss results on modeling of meltwater retention processes in snow and firn on ice sheets and glaciers
• To plan and coordinate meltwater retention model development
• To emphasize optical remote sensing snow parameter data comparison and data assimilation
• To formulate a protocol for a meltwater retention model intercomparison project (RetMIP)

This is workshop two as part of Danish Council for Independent Research (DFF) Natural Sciences program (FNU) project 4002-00234: Understanding and predicting non-linear change in the permeability of Greenland firn and has a special session co-sponsored by the ESA Scientific Exploitation of Operational Missions (SEOM) Sentinel-3 for Science, Land Study 1: SNOW.

Sessions:

1. Snow model development
2. Meltwater retention model validation
3. Meltwater retention model intercomparison project (RetMIP)
4. Optical remote sensing to improve snow models

Workshop expected outcomes:

• A protocol for a retention model intercomparison project (RetMIP) including instructions and datasets for validation
• A list of requirements and minimum accuracy levels for models using optical remotely sensed snow parameter data
• A journal special issue like the 2016 special issue in Frontiers in Earth Science - Melt Water Retention Processes in Snow and Firn on Ice Sheets and Glaciers: Observations and Modeling, papers feeding into the IPCC Special Report on Climate change and the oceans and the cryosphere.

Financial Support:

We have some financial support, but may ask a modest registration fee. We plan for the workshop to include lunch, morning and afternoon coffee breaks.

Venue:

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Østervoldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K

Contributions:

Contributions are welcomed in the form of oral presentations and/or posters. Presentation duration will be 15-20 minutes, including discussion. One or more longer invited keynote presentations are planned.

Abstracts and registration:

Those intending to attend the workshop should submit abstracts (maximum length 200 words) by email to Peter Langen (pla at dmi.dk) no later than the registration deadline Friday 18 August 2017. Abstracts should indicate whether an oral or poster presentation is preferred.

Financial support:

We are working to raise some financial support for early career scientists to participate in the workshop. Please indicate at registration whether you will request support.

Accommodation:

A range of hotels and hostels exist near the workshop location. Public transit is very efficient, including bike rental. Booking these early is recommended due to high demand that may occur.

In this talk, several issues related to surface hydrometeor classification are discussed. These include uncertainty in the observations, algorithms used to deduce the precipitation type from numerical weather prediction models, and the uncertainty in the models themselves. One of these issues, the uncertainty in the algorithms is addressed by reinventing the way hydrometeor classification is performed in NWP models. This new classifier is referred to as the Spectral Bin Classifier (SBC). Its design and performance metrics will be presented.

Available in-person in IARC/Akasofu 407 on the University of Alaska Campus or online.

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. Rick Thoman (Climate Science and Services Manager, Environmental and Scientific Services Division, National Weather Service Alaska Region) will review recent climate conditions around Alaska, review forecast tools and finish up with the Climate Prediction Center's forecast for the upcoming season.

Rick will also present a "Feature-of-the-Month" special addition in which each month he will highlight a topic relevant to the particular month.

Available in-person in IARC/Akasofu 407 on the UAF Campus or online:
http://accap.adobeconnect.com/september_2017/event/registration.html

Feel free to bring your lunch and join the gathering in-person or join online to learn more about Alaska climate and weather.

This will be a monthly series generally taking place the third Friday of each month.

Members of the National Science Foundation (NSF) INCLUDES Implementation Working Group are pleased to present a web seminar on the new NSF INCLUDES Dear Colleague Letter: Announcement of an Effort to Expand the NSF INCLUDES National Network.

There will be a chat option available for questions during the webinar. Following the webinar, a copy of slides will be sent out at the end to anyone registered for the webinar. The slides and recording will also be available on the NSF INCLUDES page on the NSF website.

The webinar is FREE, but registration is required. A confirmation email with instructions for joining the session will be sent following registration.

To view the NSF Dear Colleague Letter, go to:
https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17111/nsf17111.jsp?org=NSF

Ice Core Analysis and Techniques (ICAT) aims to educate a new generation of ice core researchers and foster a collaborative environment for future glaciological projects. This course will educate young scientists regarding new methods developed for the analysis of ice cores with regard to climate research, with dedicated theoretical and laboratory exercise sessions.

We hope that you will help advertise this exciting PhD school to PhD students and junior postdocs who conduct ice core analysis or are users of ice core data* (glaciological, oceanographic, climate modelers, earth scientists).

For more information please follow the link above.

This one-day event will address climate model representation of sea ice and the fundamental and applied issues in mathematical modeling of sea ice. In particular, it will seek to identify future priorities for climate sea ice model development. The workshop will include the presentation and discussion of different views and modeling approaches, issues relevant to adequate simulation of sea ice from the perspective of the mathematical modeler, and will be relevant to those working on climate models, specifically for sea ice.

Workshop Background:

Observations, theory, and numerical modeling strongly indicate a substantial alteration of the Earth's climate with global average warming in the coming decades. Our understanding of current and future climate is substantially derived from climate models. Climate models solve systems of equations that simulate the circulation and physical evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and cryosphere. Sea ice, an important component of the cryosphere, provides a partial barrier to exchanges of momentum, heat, and freshwater between the atmosphere and ocean and is a complex composite of ice and brine that exhibits varying structural, thermodynamic, and mechanical properties across a range of length and timescales. The last decade's rapid and substantial reduction of the Arctic sea ice cover has been widely reported and further changes are expected in the coming years. While loss of sea ice will not alter sea level, it does alter the exchanges and feedbacks between the atmosphere and ocean and has a significant impact on the polar regions and global climate through its impact on atmospheric and oceanic circulations.

The 7th symposium will address this year political aspects of life in the Arctic as well as the Arctic life as an object of politics, even in the academia. Life in the Arctic has become politicized in many ways due to the effects and challenges posed by climate change, industrialization, urbanization and globalization to local communities and inhabitants. Across the region, conflicts over land use and natural resources accompanied by insecurity and uncertainty about the future are part of everyday life in the Arctic. Such conflicts are political, and occur without respect to the borders of states or boundaries of politically constructed regions. In contrast to much publicized and debated threats of an open, international, direct and even military conflict over Arctic resources, these often small-scale, local conflicts relate to unequal social arrangements, benefit sharing and risk distribution in connection to mega-projects and infrastructural development around the region, and they could also be called “structural violence”. Living in the Arctic, for both humans and non-humans, is nowadays a political question of coping with, adapting to and transforming changing conditions and circumstances, but also a starting point and object of political interventions of different scales, institutional arrangements and by a broad range of political actors. Papers and presentations covering different aspects of Arctic life as a political phenomenon are welcome.

Keynote speakers:

Will be confirmed in the connection of the second call for papers. The second call will be published in early June, 2017.

Deadline for proposals:

Please send your abstract (max. 250-words) with your name, title, affiliation and contact information before July 31, 2017 by email to Monica Tennberg (monica.tennberg [at] ulapland.fi).

Programme:

The programme will include keynote talks, presentations by the participants and discussions on the basis of presentations. A symposium dinner will be organized.

The accepted papers and programme will be announced by August 15, 2017.

Deadline for registration:

If you prefer to participate to the symposium without presenting a paper, please register your participation before September 15, 2017 by email to Susanna Pirnes (susanna.pirnes [at] ulapland.fi)

Travel and accommodation:

The event will be held in Loma-Vietonen, 65 kilometres northwest from Rovaniemi. The organizers will arrange transportation for participants from Rovaniemi to Loma-Vietonen and back. There is no fee for participation, but participants (except presenters) will cover their own travel and accommodation costs. Information about travel and accommodation arrangements will be sent to the participants. Let us know if you have any wishes about the diet.

More information:

Symposium organizer, research professor Monica Tennberg, research professor, Northern political economy/Sustainable development research group, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland (monica.tennberg [at] ulapland.fi) and the symposium organizing team Tanja Joona (tanja.joona [at] ulapland.fi), Susanna Pirnes (susanna.pirnes [at] ulapland.fi), and Hanna Lempinen (hanna.lempinen [at] ulapland.fi)

Washington, DC - The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) is organizing a panel of Arctic scientists at AAAS Headquarters (1200 New York Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20005) on Wednesday, 27 September (3:00-5:00pm EDT) to discuss global lessons from a thawing Arctic. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, with implications spanning all defining characteristics: sea ice, land ice, permafrost, and cold-adapted communities and ecosystems. The observed changes in the Arctic are resounding, and the resulting connections to the globe are increasingly clear. Panelists will include Dr. Jennifer Francis (Rutgers University) to discuss connections between the Arctic meltdown and unruly tropical storms; Dr. Henry Huntington (Huntington Consulting) to discuss how the opening of a new ocean in the Arctic is raising stakes for security, economies, and conservation; Dr. Ted Scambos (National Snow and Ice Data Center) to provide the latest evidence on how Greenland melt is contributing to sea level rise; and other Arctic scientists. Attending journalists will be given first priority when asking questions of the presenting scientists; however, this event is open to anyone who registers.

FULL AGENDA: The complete details for the event are available here.

For more information, contact Matthew Druckenmiller at druckenmiller [at] nsidc.org or 551-200-0158.

SEARCH is a collaborative program of Arctic researchers, funding agencies, and others that facilitates synthesis of Arctic science and communicates our current understanding to help society respond to a rapidly changing Arctic. More information is available here: https://www.arcus.org/search-program.

Long-term research programs steadily gained in importance over the last decades, monitoring worldwide issues such as climate change, land use changes, deposition and accumulation of pollutants, acceleration of socio-economic evolution, and analyzing their influences on ecosystems. Ecological and socio-ecological questions in mountain areas can hardly be answered by short funding cycles such as 3-years-projects. Thus, long-term research involving different disciplines and scales is a promising way for gaining comprehensive knowledge to develop amendatory strategies. Long-term research means standardization of methods, long-term data storing and handling, and well-defined evaluation procedures.

With this workshop we want to provide:

• A platform for sharing information on long term activities in mountain areas
• A discussion forum for methods, data handling and evaluation
• Round tables for discussions of joint projects
• An opportunity to get together in a marvelous mountain resort

We are aiming to cover three main topics:

• Long-term monitoring: methods & data management
• Long-term monitoring & global warming
• Long-term monitoring & agricultural practices

We invite researchers working on long-term studies in mountain areas to share their results, their expertise in monitoring techniques and their experiences in stakeholder demands. We plan to invite (1-2) keynote speakers to stimulate the discussions. Talks and posters are welcome and we appreciate suggestions on discussion topics and round tables.

Deadline for final registration and abstract submission will be 15th of April 2017.

ARCUS invites registration for the following presentation:

Presentation Title: Marine Research in the North Pacific: The changing landscape for fisheries, ecosystems, and science funding in Alaskan waters
Speaker: Betsy Baker, North Pacific Research Board (NPRB)

Abstract: Betsy Baker, Executive Director of the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) based in Anchorage, Alaska, will discuss current research supporting fisheries and integrated ecosystem information needs in the Arctic, Bering Sea, and Gulf of Alaska. Speaking from her current work directing a science funding non-profit, past experience as a professor of international, ocean, and environmental law, and her collaborations with scientists, federal agencies, and Arctic Council working groups and Permanent Participants, she will discuss emerging challenges and opportunities for the Arctic research community.

This seminar will also be available as a webinar live-stream for those unable to attend in person.

Registration is required. Instructions for accessing the online webinar will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

The ARCUS Arctic Research Seminar Series brings some of the leading Arctic researchers to Washington, D.C. to share the latest findings and what they mean for decision-making. These seminars will be of interest to federal agency officials, congressional staff, non-governmental organizations, associations, and the public.

PolarTREC is currently accepting applications from Researchers for teacher research experiences. Researchers are invited to submit an application to host a PolarTREC teacher in the 2018 arctic and/or the 2018-2019 Antarctic field seasons.

The application deadline has been extended to Monday, 2 October 2017.

More information and the application form are available at the link above.

PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is currently accepting applications from teachers, informal science educators, and researchers for teacher research experiences.

For 2018-2019, we are accepting applications from both U.S. informal science educators as well as formal U.S. classroom teachers (teaching in grades 6-12). Informal educators should have the primary focus on outreach to middle and high school students and/or professional development for their teachers. Applications will be to participate in field research learning experiences during the 2018 (usually Arctic) or 2018-19 (usually Antarctic) field seasons.

Researchers that work in the polar regions are encouraged to submit an application to host a teacher and/or an informal science educator during the 2018-2019 field seasons.

More information about candidate criteria, application forms, researcher application questions, and program requirements for both teachers and researchers are available at the link above.

Informational Webinar:
Anyone that is interested in learning more about participating in PolarTREC are encouraged to attend an informational webinar on Wednesday, 30 August 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ADT (12:00 p.m. PDT, 1:00 p.m. MDT, 2:00 p.m. CDT, 3:00 p.m. EDT). The webinar will give an overview of the PolarTREC program, its goals and objectives, program components, the application process, and will address frequently asked questions. Register for the event. If you are unable to attend, you can view the event archive.

Funding:

PolarTREC is administered by ARCUS. Final selection for this round of applications is pending funding from the National Science Foundation. We will keep all applicants informed of our funding status.

Application deadline: Monday, 2 October 2017 at 5:00 p.m. ADT

Informational webinar date: Wednesday, 30 August 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ADT

Researchers interested in hosting a teacher should contact program staff as soon as possible at info [at] polartrec.com.

Additional information about PolarTREC, including program goals, requirements, and frequently asked questions, is available at on the PolarTREC website at:

https://www.polartrec.com

The workshop will mainly focus on the main SCAR Horizon Scan questions and the future hot scientific topics concerning the permafrost environment in Antarctica. For the past 20 years, research has mainly focused on the thermal state of permafrost and the active layer, periglacial processes and landforms and cryosoils. However, recently the community is becoming multidisciplinary, with research more focused on terrestrial ecosystem dynamics under a changing climate. Simultaneously, the links between ecosystem and permafrost scientists became stronger and more collaborative.

Please follow the link above for more information.

ARCUS invites registration for the following presentation:

Presentation Title: Arctic Observations, Data and Society: Using Systems Science and Mediation to Enhance Information Flow for Sustainability
Speaker: Peter Pulsifer, National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)

Abstract: Recent environmental and social change has resulted in an increased focus on the Arctic region by governments and the general public. Much of this interest is generated in the context of the concept of sustainability and the global implications of a changing Arctic. Concurrently, there is a recognition by researchers, Arctic communities, and decision makers that Arctic observations and data are not readily available in a usable form to all who need them. This talk provides a review of Arctic data as a complex system of interrelated data resources, technology, funding, human and machine actors, and other components that can be seen as an "ecosystem." To improve the flow of information will require more than simply making data easier to discover and access in its raw form. New approaches to mediating or transforming data to meet the needs of different user communities are needed and increasingly possible. Enhancing the system will require a broad commitment to dialogue across different communities of practice and a recognition of the need to conceive of data and related technologies as infrastructure that can interoperate from local to global scales. The talk will conclude with a review of existing and emerging projects and programs focused on Arctic data.

This seminar will also be available as a webinar live-stream for those unable to attend in person.

Registration is required. Instructions for accessing the online webinar will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

The ARCUS Arctic Research Seminar Series brings some of the leading Arctic researchers to Washington, D.C. to share the latest findings and what they mean for decision-making. These seminars will be of interest to federal agency officials, congressional staff, non-governmental organizations, associations, and the public.

We are pleased to announce and invite to the International Conference ‘Interdisciplinary Polar Studies in Poland’ to Honor 60th Anniversary of the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund, Svalbard, Arctic and 40th Anniversary of the Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station, South Shetland Islands.

The Conference co-organized by the Centre for Polar Studies will take place in Warsaw (Poland) on 17 – 19 November 2017.

Extended abstract submission deadline: Friday, 6 October 2017.

Early registration deadline: Friday, 6 October 2017.

The IGS Nordic Branch Meeting 2017 will take place in Uppsala, Sweden, 25-27 October 2017.

The Nordic Branch of the IGS meeting provides an opportunity for Nordic-based scientists and students in glaciology to present their latest results and projects. We aim to stimulate discussions and networking among all participants during the meeting, at poster sessions and social events. Presentations are welcome on all aspects of ice and snow research and related topics, and the meeting is open for all interested.

Registration for the meeting is now open at the link above.

The deadline for registration is October 6, 2017.

The 2017 West Antarctic Ice Sheet Workshop, sponsored by NSF and NASA, will be held at the Camp Casey Conference Center / Fort Casey State Park on Whidbey Island, Washington, ~50 miles northwest of Seattle, WA. Camp Casey sits on the Admiralty Inlet, which leads to the Pacific Ocean, and offers excellent views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains as well as easy access to the Olympic Peninsula (via ferry; terminal at the venue).

The NSF-sponsored Interdisciplinary Antarctic Earth Sciences meeting (formerly known as the TAM Meeting) is scheduled for October 11-14 at the same venue, the Camp Casey Conference Center, immediately following the WAIS workshop. The meeting is intended to provide a forum to present and discuss results of recent Antarctic research in the Earth Sciences and to encourage conversations about future interdisciplinary collaborations.

More details about session themes, registration cost, travel support, etc., for both meetings will follow in the coming weeks. Both food and lodging will be available for all at Camp Casey.

Organizers announce a call for registration for the Workshop on Improved Satellite Retrievals of Sea-ice Concentration and Sea-ice Thickness for Climate Applications. Experts on remote sensing and/or large-scale modeling are invited to discuss and outline the most promising opportunities and best practices in the use of existing and future satellite sensors for the remote sensing of sea-ice concentration and thickness, and the use of such data in large-scale modeling applications.

Financial support may be available for the travel and accommodation costs of some workshop participants. Contact workshop organizers for further details.

For more information about the workshop, including the tentative agenda, and to register, please go to the link above.

For questions, contact:

Stefan Kern
Email: stefan.kern [at] uni-hamburg.de

Dirk Notz
Email: dirk.notz [at] mpimet.mpg.de