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May 10, 2021

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No Arctic-science events are scheduled for today.

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Trudeau Government Promises Coast Guard Two New Heavy Icebreakers for Arctic Operations

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The Canadian Coast Guard will get two new heavy icebreakers, the Liberal government announced today — a significant decision that critics say is meant to avoid making political waves ahead of the next federal election. The decision is expected to fulfill a promise made more than a dozen years ago by the former Conservative government to build one Polar-class icebreaker at Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver.

CBC News

Oceanographers Find 'Heat Bombs' Destroying Arctic Sea Ice

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A team led by physical oceanographers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego shows in a new study how plumes of warm water are flowing into the Arctic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean and accelerating sea ice melt from below. The research primarily funded by the Office of Naval Research describes so-called underwater “heat bombs” as one of many mechanisms by which global warming-driven encroachment is changing the nature of the Arctic Ocean faster than nearly any other place on Earth.

SciTech Daily

Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation's Solar Farm Now Generating Electricity

There will be something noticeably different in Old Crow, Yukon, in a few months. The hum of diesel engines will be gone. For the first time in 50 years, there will be silence. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation's solar farm is now generating electricity. In July, the array will be fully operational, capable of meeting the community's needs, to the degree diesel generators — some of which date back to the 1970s — will be powered down on sunny days.

CBC News

Scientists Fear More Lung Cancer as Radon is Released from Thawing Permafrost

Massive amounts of uranium are stored in high concentrations underground throughout the Arctic zone. A product of uranium decay is radon gas. Normally, radon is contained in the soil by layers of ground and snow atop it. However, as permafrost thaws, the radioactive gas seeps out from underground and is released into the atmosphere. The link between thawing permafrost and increased risk of lung cancer is presented by researchers with the Federal Center for Comprehensive Study of the Arctic with the Russian Academy of Science.

The Barents Observer

Request for Public Comment: Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee Draft Arctic Research Plan

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) has released a draft of the Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 for public review in the Federal Register. The comment period will close on June 11, 2021. The draft plan addresses the most pressing Arctic research needs that require a collaborative approach and that can advance understanding of the Arctic, inform policy and planning decisions, and promote the well-being of Arctic and global communities. Download the plan and learn how to comment at iarpccollaborations.org/draft-plan.html

The Federal Register
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3:00 pm MAY 17, 2021 | WEBINAR

Draft Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 Information Session: Focus on Priority Area 4

IARPC has released a draft of the next five-year Arctic Research Plan, which will span from 2022-2026. We are now asking the public to comment on the draft plan by June 11, 2021. To provide additional information about the draft plan contents and development, we are hosting a series of one-hour information sessions. A webinar May 17, 10am AKT / 2pm PT will focus on Priority Area 4: Risk Management and Hazard Mitigation.

Event Link

MAY 17-21, 2021 | VIRTUAL

COE Summit

DHS S&T's Centers of Excellence (COE) Summit is set and focused on Homeland Security Challenges: Evolving Threats & Dynamic Solutions. This event is a special opportunity for COE researchers to connect and network with DHS components, federal, state, and local stakeholders, as well as industry partners to present current and emerging solutions to threats and challenges faced by DHS. Attendees can visit the Innovation Showcase, where COE and vendor partners showcase research breakthroughs, new products and tools to assist operational decision-makers and dynamic solutions to secure our Homeland.

Event Link

Noon PDT on MAY 12, 2021 | Virtual

Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry and the Legacy of Justice Thomas Berger: A Conversation with Whit Fraser, Stephen Kakfwi, and Marie Wilson

On April 28th, 2021, former British Columbia Supreme Court Judge, Thomas Berger, passed away at 88 years of age. Berger leaves an enormous legacy in Canada and the world of achievements that stem from a lifetime dedicated to social justice. Three individuals who were intimately involved in one such achievement, the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry and its aftermath – Dene leader Stephen Kakfwi, and CBC reporters Whit Fraser and Marie Wilson – will come together to share stories of their time with Berger and to reflect on his legacy.


Event Link

11:00 am EDT on MAY 21, 2021 | Virtual

Wounded Healers: Video, Expression & Transforming Research

This event is hosted by Migration in Harmony Research Coordination Network. In 2021, a coalition of organizations including The Arctic Institute, Women in Polar Sciences, and Women of the Arctic are organizing a webinar series, Breaking the Ice Ceiling, that aims to illuminate polar research and achievements (past and present) by those who identify as women and to foster discussion on systemic change in polar sciences (Indigenous, natural, and social sciences) to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this webinar, you will learn from Director Romani Makkik and Producer Dr. Shari Fox about strengths-based research and transforming the research process through critical reflection and new expression.

Event Link

June 2-3, 2021 | VIRTUAL

The Arctic Domain Awareness Center Program Year 7 Annual Meeting

ADAC will conduct the Center's Program Year 7 Annual meeting to focus on U.S. Coast Guard Project Champions, key stakeholders and the community of Arctic science and technology researchers. Included in the Program Year 7 Annual meeting are planned guest speakers from HQ U.S. Coast Guard, DHS S&T and senior Arctic Research leadership in Washington D.C.

Event Link

JUNE 2021 | ARKHANGELSK, RUSSIA

10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS X) Arctic Generations: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Event Link

1:00 pm UTC on JUNE 9, 2021 | VIRTUAL

Third Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3):

Closing Webinar

This meeting is part of the ASM3 webinar series and will focus on the post-ministerial review: joint statement actions.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 2:30- 5:00 pm (CET) on June 17, 2021 | VIRTUAL

The EU's Arctic Influence: Presentation of a Report on the EU Actions Affecting the Arctic

The seminar will present a report prepared in relation to the project “Overview of EU actions in the Arctic and their impact.” The study considers a broad range of ways in which EU policies affect the Arctic and influence the EU’s environmental footprint and economic presence in the region. During the study the EU’s environmental and economic Arctic impact has been considered, relevant policies have been identified and analysed as well as policy options for strengthening the EU Arctic approach have been proposed. The report has been written by a team of experts led by Prof. Timo Koivurova. The seminar will include the presentation of the study, commentaries from Arctic stakeholders as well as insights into the current stage of developing the new EU’s policy towards the Arctic, to which the report is to contribute.

Event Link
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OCTOBER 24–29, 2021 | BOULDER, COLORADO, USA

2021 Regional Conference on Permafrost/19th International Conference Cold Regions Engineering

For the first time, a Regional Conference on Permafrost will be combined with the bi-annual 19th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering. This conference is hosted by the US Permafrost Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the International Permafrost Association, the Permafrost Young Researchers Network, and the University of Colorado Boulder. A complete list of planned sessions is available here.

Event Link

MAY 9-12, 2022 | HANKO, FINLAND

2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses

Organizers announce, that due to the coronavirus outbreak, the 2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses has been postponed to 2022. This symposium will bring together molecular microbial ecologists specializing in different organism groups to share our latest results and discuss methodological problems, as well as future prospects in the field, including practical international collaborations. The environmental focus will be on cryospheric environments including sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and permafrost, but excellent research in other polar environments is also invited. The methods to be discussed will focus on 'omics' techniques, ranging from single cells to metagenomes, but research using additional methods is encouraged as well.

Event Link
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