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The workshop takes place in the framework of IASC BUSINESS & COMMUNITIES MEETINGS (you need to register only for that option – see below). For online access to ZOOM on 30 March (17.00-21.00 GMT) go to https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/821469637

Program via the link / abstract below.
Please note: the workshop will be recorded for internal purposes. The video will be NOT released to the public!

The IASC Social Sciences and Humanities Working Group (WG), together with IASC’s Cryosphere, Marine, and Terrestrial WGs, invites you to a unique cross-disciplinary workshop attempting to bring together the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities in order to discuss and reflect on the gendered nature of Polar research.

The workshop will combine three strands of debate that have thus far not been discussed systematically:

(1) Doing science in the 21st century in a way that departs from but also pays careful attention to the history of exploration and colonial endeavours as “heroic” and masculine activities – while a masculine image still seems to dominate the methodologies and practices of Arctic and Polar research.

(2) The still existing gender gap when it comes to female researchers in hard sciences, their career prospects, and their sometimes difficult working conditions as women in the field. Critiques of the gender gap and gendered research work have thus far neglected the diversity aspects of queer and gender minority (LGBTQI) researchers. They face particular challenges whíle working in a still largely heteronormative research environment as it is described for research stations, vessels or tundra/taiga camps.

(3) The gendered composition of researchers as actors and the gendered spaces of conducting research, including the field sites, have an important impact on research interests, research design, research ethics and epistemology. The gender bias affects the research subject and methodology, and Polar research can learn from and communicate with other fields of science about how to ensure a high standard of equality, sensitivity to issues of marginalization, and ethical production of science.

We invite participants of the ASSW 2020 from natural and social sciences to pop by at the workshop and to join the discussions and break-out groups. Participants will be engaged through alternative formats to gain a maximum of knowledge exchange as well as to map out the state of the art and ideas about where to go from there.

ASSW2020 Moves to Online Only

In the aftermath of the declaration of a “state of emergency” in Iceland (6 March), and in close cooperation and consultation with the government authorities in Iceland, following the recommendations of World Health Organization, and in the understanding that a growing number of States and organizations worldwide are voluntarily issuing bans on “non-essential” travel, the ASSW2020 organizers have decided that the Arctic Science Summit Week 2020 will be held only online. To be 100% clear – there will be no in-person ASSW2020 meeting in Akureyri and we advise you to change your travel reservations and plans accordingly.

(Note: If you cannot cancel your flights to Iceland for a refund, and you can only change them, we suggest you consider contributing to and attending the UArctic Congress, Arctic Circle Assembly, or Cryosphere2020 meetings, all of which are scheduled to be in Iceland this fall.)

Please follow the link above for more information.

Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) is an annual gathering of international organizations involved in Arctic research. It is designed to strengthen collaborations across academia, government agencies, local communities, industry, non-governmental organizations and other Arctic stakeholders.

ASSW2020 is supported by the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Town of Akureyri. ASSW2020 is an important part of the Icelandic Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Most of the events will take place in the facilities of the University of Akureyri.

During ASSW2020 there will be three days dedicated to IASC & Arctic science community meetings (28-30 March); ASSW2020 will also feature the "Science in a Sustainable Arctic" meeting and the 5th Arctic Observing Summit. The entire Arctic community is encouraged to use ASSW as a venue for bringing together their organizations, collaborations, and teams. ASSW organizers provide the logistical support and your meeting attendees only have to register for ASSW2020 and show up.

Please note: Ground Truth Briefings are conducted exclusively by phone. There will be no physical meeting at the Wilson Center. Due to high demand, we encourage participants to call in as early as possible on the day of the conversation.

Call-in numbers:
U.S. Toll-free: 800-369-2054
International: 1-312-470-7179
Passcode: 6238346

The Arctic has been widely understood by coastal states to be an area of “low tension.” However, the Arctic is not insulated from global security challenges, especially those around the impacts of climate change, and the period of Arctic exceptionalism is coming to an end. Mathieu Boulègue, Katarina Kertysova, and Michael Sfraga will consider Russia’s military posture in the European Arctic and seek to explain Moscow’s military build-up in the region, Russia’s general force posture, and its impact for NATO and its allies.

Due to the high volume of people using conference call systems during this time, please be patient as you try to connect to this call. If you hear a notice that the numbers do not work, please wait a few moments and simply try again. If you connect and are placed on hold while waiting for an operator, please stay on the line. They are working to connect callers as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to continuing to engage with you!

NSF Polar Programs Officers Roberto Delgado and Colleen Strawhacker will host this webinar on NSF funding opportunities, including RAPID and RCN, and welcome the research community to join, ask questions and share feedback.

More information about the topics to be covered in this webinar:

• NSF Grants Resource Center
• Research Coordination Networks (RCNs)
• Rapid Response Research (RAPID) Proposals

Please see the NSF agency page for more info about NSF funding opportunities.

This webinar will be held via Zoom. Please follow the link above for more details.

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

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

We strongly encourage pre-registration for webinars. It helps speakers tailor their presentations to the audience. Follow the link above to register.

Update: The High North Center for Business and Governance regret to inform that High North Dialogue 2020 next week has been cancelled due to the spread of the Coronavirus.

Since 2007, the High North Dialogue conference series have brought together leaders of the High North – present and future – to discuss the dimensions of the changes taking place in the Arctic. Set in Bodø – the second largest community in North Norway and European Capital of Culture 2024 – the High North Dialogue 2020 will provide you with a different perspective on the future of the High North.

Update from the organizers: We have been monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak closely and have tried to keep you informed of the rapidly changing situation as it pertains to our conference. As part of this process, we have been in close contact with public health officials and have been monitoring guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are currently no confirmed cases in Alaska. However, after conversations with public health officials earlier today, we believe the risks associated with holding the One Health, One Future conference at this time are too high and have made the difficult decision to postpone. Our conference team is working on a plan to refund your registration fees and will share that information on the conference website as soon as the plan is in place. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to email us if you have any questions or concerns. We hope to reschedule the conference once the worldwide situation with COVID-19 has stabilized. One Health continues to be a priority for UAF, as I know it is for you and your communities. We look forward to continued collaboration, albeit virtually, and hope you will be able to join us once we are able to set a date for the rescheduled conference.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Center for One Health Research will partner with the U.S. Department of State to host the international conference, One Health, One Future. This event is expected to be the largest circumpolar One Health conference held in the United States in 2020, with participation anticipated from across the Arctic region.

This event is part of the United States contribution to One Arctic, One Health¸ an Arctic Council project now in its fifth year of operation. The project aims to develop a circumpolar network of One Health experts that can share knowledge, conduct exercises, and spur collaborative investigations of One Health phenomena.

The Polar Technology Conference (PTC) 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 festival represents the films (both documentary and feature, short and full-length) dedicated to the life, people, problems, beauties etc. in the northern regions of our planet.

The festival sets its goals and objectives as following:

• Search and promotion of the best modern films related to the Arctic and reflecting various aspects of life in this region
• The development of cultural exchange and professional cooperation between filmmakers working in the Arctic region
• Promotion of the Chukotka Autonomous Region as an attractive and comfortable region for making films
• Search and support for young talented filmmakers making films in the Arctic region
• Promoting the integration of Russian cinema into the global cinema process
• Creating and development of a comfortable urban environment for residents of the Chukotka Autonomous Region
• Contribution to the appearance and development of cinematographic education and film industry in the Chukotka Autonomous Region

The Festival is being held by the Department of Creative Projects Development of Russian Filmmakers' Union, by the Youth Initiative Production Center, by the Committee for Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Chukotka Autonomous Region, and is supported by the Government of the Chukotka Autonomous Region.

Join PolarTREC educator Sarah Slack and researcher Frank Nitsche who will be presenting from aboard the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer somewhere in the Amundsen Sea. Sarah and Dr. Nitsche will discuss the fieldwork investigating the Thwaites Glacier, surrounding waters, and seafloor in West Antarctica. They will also talk about what it's like to be part of a large research team and how it is to live on a research vessel. This event is free.

Find out more about what Sarah is learning through her journals on Thwaites Offshore Research here.