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March 10, 2020

Polar Technology Conference, March 10-12, 2020 (Boulder, Colorado USA and via livestream).  A livestream broadcast of the Polar Technology Conference plenary sessions will be available March 10-12. The goal of the meeting is to link experts in polar science and technology development to discuss current technological resources for polar research and identify barriers to research and application of technology for problems unique to polar regions. Please visit the conference webpage to view details including the speakers, topics, agenda, abstracts, and details on how to access the livestream.
Media

The Arctic in US National Identity (2019). In October-December 2019, the Arctic Studio conducted a series of online surveys to explore the role of the Arctic in U.S. public consciousness. This year's surveys followed similar surveys in 2015 and 2017. Little information exists on American attitudes toward the Arctic and our ongoing project is intended to provide basic data and track changes over time in U.S. Arctic sentiment. We found that Americans continue to mildly disagree with the assertion that the United States is an Arctic nation with broad and fundamental interests in the region. The Arctic Studio
 
russian flag Russia Significantly Steps Up Arctic Engagement With New Strategy. Thirteen years after a Russian-led polar expedition planted the country's flag on the Arctic Ocean sea bed directly under the North Pole, Moscow published its 15-year Arctic masterplan on Thursday (5 March), confirming its growing appetite for the polar region. The Kremlin decree "On the Basics of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic for the Period Until 2035", signed by President Vladimir Putin, set out its policy plans paving the way for massive industrialization of the energy-rich region. EURACTIV
 
Royal Navy Completes Unmanned Equipment Trials in Arctic Conditions. Royal Marines small boat specialists 47 Commando have been in Norway working alongside HMS Albion, the Royal Navy's autonomous accelerator NavyX and the Office for the Chief Technology Officer to see how the kit could work during operations. Exercise Autonomous Advance Force put unmanned boat Mast 13, heavy lift drone from Malloy, remotely-piloted air system Puma and the Remus unmanned sub-surface drone through their paces in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. Naval News
Future Events

2020 North American Arctic Leaders Forum, March 12, 2020 (Washington, DC USA). The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region North American Arctic Leaders Forum will include panelists representing Canada, the United States, and Greenland and discuss how each country is working on Arctic strategies. US Arctic Research Commission Executive Director John Farrell will be part of a panel on "Arctic Infrastructure, Economic and Community Development." Panel speakers will highlight the US and Canada Critical Minerals Action Plan, the Implementation of the US Coast Guard Arctic Strategy and National Defense.

The 2020 Public Policy Forum: Ascending From the Summit, March 12, 2020 (Washington, DC USA). the Consortium for Ocean Leadership's annual Public Policy Forum will explore the topic of Ascending from the Summit: Transforming U.S. Ocean Science & Technology Partnerships.Building upon a November 2019 White House Summit, this year's Public Policy Forum will expand the scope of this conversation by convening perspectives from a broader cross-section of the ocean community. During four panel discussions, speakers will offer their insights from the White House Summit, honing in on what partnerships we need to explore the ocean, characterize ocean life, protect coastal health and safety, and sustain ocean observations. US Arctic Research Commissioner Dr. Larry Mayer will present as part of a panel on Exploring the Ocean.

presented by University of Alaska Fairbanks Center for One Health Researc h in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, will host internationally recognize d keynote speakers across eight themes. There will be something for all  stakeholders - community members, health care providers, state and federal agency employees, researchers, educators and students. One Health recognizes the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health, and that a holistic approach to the well-being of all will lead to improved health outcomes and enhanced resilience.

Linking Experts in Polar Science and Technology, March 12, 2020 (Boulder, Colorado USA). 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.

High North Dialogue, March 18-19, 2020 (Bodø, Norway). 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. The High North Dialogue 2020 will provide you with a different perspective on the future of the High North. The theme of the 2020 conference is "Business in the Arctic." The conference also includes Master and PhD courses, a research workshop, breakout sessions, the High North Hero award, and the High North Young Entrepreneur contest. Please visit our website for more information.

March 2020 National Weather Service Alaska Climate Outlook Briefing, March 20, 2020 (Webinar and Fairbanks, Alaska USA). This is part of the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series. 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. 
 
usarc_logo_small_transparent_background 113th USARC Meeting, March 24, 2020 (Orono, Maine USA). The US Arctic Research Commission will host its 113th meeting at the University of Maine. Additional information coming soon on the website and in the Federal Register.

Arctic Science Summit Week and the 5th Arctic Observing Summit. March 27 to April 2, 2020, (Akureyri, Iceland).  The Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) is a high-level biennial summit that provides a platform to address urgent and broadly recognized needs of Arctic observing across all components of the Arctic system. The theme of AOS 2020 is Observing for Action. AOS 2020 will be held in Akureyri, Iceland (March 31-April 2) and will focus on pressing issues related to the use, design, optimization and implementation of the observing system. To that end, submissions in the form of white papers, short statements and poster abstracts are requested that address any and all aspects of the overarching theme and sub-themes.

A Comparison of the Zooplankton Communities Between the Arctic Ocean and Subarctic Pacific with Emphasis on ROV Observations, March 30, 2020 (Silver Spring, Maryland USA). This is part of the OneNOAA Science Seminars. We describe the zooplankton communities found in the upper 3 kilometers of the oceans to the north and south of Alaska from ROV observations supported by plankton net collections. Each tool has implicit biases. The ROV is particularly adept at finding larger, rarer and more fragile species, while nets provide quantitative information on smaller, more abundant and more robust species. Together they provide a more complete assessment of biodiversity in each habitat.
 
Ice Core Science Community Planning Workshop 2020, April 2-3, 2020 (Alexandria, Virginia  USA). Scientific discoveries achieved in the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets and temperate glaciers are critical to society today, but they are not achieved without significant advance planning. The U.S. Ice Drilling Program (IDP) will sponsor an interdisciplinary ice community workshop to identify science driving future Arctic and Antarctic ice coring sites, the ice drilling technology that will be needed, and the timeline over the coming decade for advancing ice core science on multiple frontiers. The outcome of the workshop will be white papers describing community endeavors with associated timelines that will become part of the updated U.S. Ice Drilling Program Long Range Science Plan.

North x North Festival + Critical Futures, April 13-19, 2020 (Anchorage, Alaska USA).  North x North celebrates connection, creativity, imagination and innovation across the Circumpolar North and convenes people worldwide for a discussion about possible futures. It begins with Critical Futures , a creative conference that focuses on language, visuals and ideas for creatively and critically thinking about the future and responding to climate change, and ends with a Fest featuring film, food and music. This event is hosted by the Anchorage Museum.

** Update **  The 7th Annual Arctic Encounter, April 16-17, 2020 (Seattle, WA USA).  The Arctic Encounter has been postponed. More information may be available at the link soon.

NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program Webinar Series, April 16, 2020 (Webinar). Deep-sea coral and sponge communities in the Aleutian Islands are important habitat features for many life stages of commercially important fish targets, including Atka mackerel, Pacific cod, and rockfish. The effects of commercial fishing activities on deep-sea corals and sponges has been difficult to quantify due to a lack of spatially-explicit fishery data, bottom contact by different gear types, undetermined location of corals and sponges, and the susceptibility and recovery dynamics these structure-forming invertebrates (SFI). To address these challenges, a fishing effects model was developed in the North Pacific to integrate spatially explicit VMS data with target-specific gear configurations for over 40,000 bottom trawls since 2003. Fishery observer coverage for Aleutian Island trawl fisheries is nearly 100 percent and records catch species composition. Species distribution models provide presence data for coral, sponge, Primnoidae, and Stylasteridae.

Securing S&T Success for the Coming Arctic, April 22-23, 2020 (Washington, DC USA). The Arctic Domain Awareness Center hosts this annual meeting.  The meeting will review the Center's current research and discuss better leveraging ADAC.  The agenda includes discussions regarding the transition of ADAC's mature research and the initiation of new research associated with ADAC's recently awarded projects from ADAC's Arctic Incidence of National Significance 2019 workshop.

ICESAT-2 Cryospheric Science Hackweek, June 15-19, 2020 (Seattle, Washington  USA). ICESat-2 Cryospheric Science Hackweek is a 5-day hackweek to be held at the University of Washington. Participants will learn about technologies used to access and process ICESat-2 data with a focus on the cryosphere. Mornings will consist of interactive lectures, and afternoon sessions will involve facilitated exploration of datasets and hands-on software development.

Arctic Science Summit Week 2021- Open Science Conference: The Arctic Regional Changes, Global Impacts, March 23-26, 2021 (Lisbon, Portugal). The event will bring together scientists, Indigenous people, Arctic community members, and Arctic science stakeholders from all over the world to present and discuss the most recent advances on Arctic knowledge across disciplines, from the natural sciences to the humanities. The OSC will also be an opportunity to foster research synergies between both Polar Regions, with sessions that target both Poles welcomed. 

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