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December 20, 2017

No Arctic-science events are announced today.
Media

Scientists Stunned by Massive Snowfall Increases Among Alaska's Highest Peaks. A team of scientists presented surprising data on Tuesday suggesting that even as the state of Alaska has warmed up extremely rapidly in recent years, snowfall in the iconic Denali National Park has increased dramatically during the era of human-driven global warming. The researchers from Dartmouth College, the University of Maine at Orono and the University of New Hampshire set up a camp at 13,000 feet atop Mount Hunter, within view of Denali, previously known as Mount McKinley, the highest peak in the United States. There, they drilled into the snow to extract lengthy cores of ice that provided a historical record of snowfall patterns going back more than 1,000 years - and found a marked change over the past 150 years or so. Washington Post
 
Ponant Takes Aim at the North Pole. French cruise company Ponant has ordered a hybrid-electric, LNG-fuelled icebreaker/cruise ship from Vard that it intends to take to the North Pole.  The Polar Class 2 icebreaker's design has been developed by Ponant, Stirling Design International, Aker Arctic and Vard. The vessel is specifically designed to take passengers to polar destinations such as the true geographic North Pole (90 degrees North Latitude), the Weddell Sea, the Ross Sea and Peter I Island. The  Ponant Icebreaker  will be the first electric hybrid cruise icebreaker with dual fuel propulsion, featuring high-capacity batteries and LNG storage on board. Maritime Executive

Beavers Emerge as Agents of Arctic Destruction. Even as climate change shrinks some populations of arctic animals like polar bears and caribou, beavers may be taking advantage of warming temperatures to expand their range. But as the beavers head north, their very presence may worsen the effects of climate change. The issue isn't just that the beavers are moving into a new environment - it's that they're gentrifying it. New York Times
 
The Coast Guard is Asking for Help Responding to a 'Mini Arms Buildup' with Russia in the Arctic. Receding ice in the Arctic and Antarctic has drawn the attention of the world's ocean-going powers, and the US military, led by the Coast Guard, has been pushing for more resources to catch up to other countries operating in those regions. The Coast Guard's icebreaker fleet is the backbone of its operations around the North and South Poles, but that fleet is comparatively small. Of the three it has, only two are operational: the heavy icebreaker Polar Star and medium icebreaker Healy, which mainly does scientific work. Business Insider
 
Mercury From Industrialized Nations is Polluting the Arctic. Scientists have long understood that the Arctic is affected by mercury pollution, but know less about how it happens. Remote, cold and seemingly pristine, why is such an idyllic landscape so contaminated with this highly toxic metal? I recently returned from a two-year research project in Alaska, where I led field research into this issue alongside fellow scientists from the University of Colorado; the University of Nevada's Desert Research Institute; the University of Toulouse and the Sorbonne University in France; and the Gas Technology Institute in Illinois. Scientific American
Future Events
 
ISAR-5 Fifth International Symposium on Arctic Research, January 15-18, 2018 (Tokyo, Japan).  The fifth ISAR has been planned at the recommendation of the science steering committee of ISAR-4, which was held in Toyama, Japan in April 2015. The fifth ISAR will be devoted to discussions on environmental changes in the Arctic and their regional and global implications, to seek additional international scientific collaboration in this area by gathering, synthesizing and sharing information related to these changes occurring in the Arctic. Special emphasis will be placed on the fields of the social sciences and humanities, which were not included in the previous ISARs.  ISAR-5 will consist of general sessions and special sessions. The general sessions will address the following topics: atmosphere; ocean and sea ice; rivers, lakes, permafrost, and snow cover; ice sheets, glaciers, and ice cores; terrestrial ecosystems; marine ecosystems; geospace; policies and economy; and social and cultural dimensions. Special sessions will be solicited on cross-cutting themes.

NSF Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic, Comments due January 16, 2018.  The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC), is seeking comments on how best to revise and strengthen the  Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic . A  Federal Register Notice  has been published to solicit community input. Since 1990, community engagement and Arctic research have advanced both in theory and in practice, necessitating a review and update of the current Principles. The Principles Revision Working Group of IARPC is seeking input from all stakeholders to revise and update the Principles. The update will focus on communicating clearly the Principles for community engagement by Arctic researchers and including language that describes partnerships and collaborations with Indigenous scholars, enhanced community-based observations, fostering community-based participatory research, and the integral contributions of Indigenous knowledge in the co-production and dissemination of knowledge. Input is also sought on enhancing the dissemination and implementation of the Principles. Comments can be emailed to  [email protected]
 
2018 Arctic Frontiers: Connecting the Arctic, January 21-26, 2018 (Tromso, Norway). Arctic Frontiers is an international arena on sustainable development in the Arctic. The conference addresses the management of opportunities and challenges to achieve viable economic growth with societal and environmental sustainability. Arctic Frontiers brings academia, government and business together to create a firmer foundation for decision-making and sustainable economic development in the Arctic. Join the Arctic Frontiers conference preparing the new Arctic future. The conference takes place the fourth week of January in the Norwegian city of Tromsø, known as the Gateway to the Arctic.
 
Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 22-26, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska.)  The Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS) is Alaska's premier marine research conference. For over 20 years, it has brought together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and the public to discuss marine research conducted in Alaskan waters. Over 700 people attend this 4-day long conference held annually in January.  Each day of the conference highlights Alaskan marine ecosystems: Arctic (Tuesday), Bering Sea & Aleutian Islands (Wednesday), and the Gulf of Alaska (Thursday). Research topics discussed range from ocean physics, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, to local traditional knowledge.  Website for 2018 meeting is here .
 
Alaska Forum on the Environment, February 12-16, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska) AFE is a statewide gathering of environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaskan youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders. The diversity of attendees sets this conference apart from any other. The 2018 event will be our 20th year providing a strong educational foundation for all Alaskans and a unique opportunity to interact with others on environmental issues and challenges.

5th Annual Arctic Encounter Symposium (AES), April 19-20, 2018 (Seattle, WA, USA) - The Arctic Encounter, the largest annual Arctic policy conference in the U.S., will convene policymakers, industry leaders, scientists, Arctic artists and musical performers, and other stakeholders to debate and discuss emerging Arctic challenges and opportunities including policy, innovation, security, and development. The mission of AES is to raise awareness, engage challenges, and develop solutions for the future of the Arctic region and the people who live there. The 5th annual AES will take place in downtown Seattle at the  Bell Harbor International Conference Center on Pier 66.  

2018 North by North Festival, April 23-29, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). The North by North Festival captures the spirit of Alaska and the Arctic - to address our challenges and opportunities with Northern innovation and resilience, to build on a rich history and to ensure a future full of promise. The Festival is for the North, and organized by Northerners, with goals of sustainability, livability and growth. The Festival brings innovators from across Alaska, the nation and other Arctic regions to collaborate and address local and circumpolar challenges. Through knowledge, governance, business, design, film, music, food, literature and art, we celebrate the North.

The Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans, June 4-8, 2018 (Washington, DC USA).   The 4th International Symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems - and how to respond. The event is hosted by a variety of groups including International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), N. Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

 
International Conference on Arctic Margins (ICAM) VIII, June 11-14, 2
The international Conference on Arctic Margins (ICAM) is a forum for earth scientists who study the Arctic. It was founded to help understand the little known Arctic geology and to foster cooperation and collaboration among Arctic researchers. There have been 7 meetings since its  inception in 1991. See here  for more information.
 
POLAR 2018, June 15-27, 2018 (Davos, Switzerland).  POLAR2018 is a joint event from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The SCAR meetings, the ASSW and the Open Science Conference will be hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL under the patronage of the Swiss Committee on Polar and High Altitude Research. The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is organizing POLAR2018.

Arctic Observing Summit 2018, June 24-26, 2018 (Davos, Switzerland). 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. AOS 2018 will be held in Davos, Switzerland ( June 24-26) and will focus on pressing issues in the implementation and support of sustained observations that can be addressed through a business-case lens. To that end, short submissions are requested that address any and all aspects of the overarching theme and sub-themes. Additional information can be found here.
 
17th International Congress of Circumpolar Health (ICCH17), August 12-15, 2018 (Copenhagen, Denmark). The ICCH congresses are held every third year in different locations in the circumpolar area and represent the largest scientific meetings worldwide on circumpolar health. The ICCH congresses serve as the primary source of information exchange and scholarly communication in issues relating to circumpolar health. More than 750 participants generally register and participate in each Congress, and more than 400 scientific papers or posters are usually presented.

The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress is hosted by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, and the Ministry of the Environment, Finland. The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress will build on the success of the first Congress, held in 2014 in Trondheim, Norway, and will bring together scientists, policymakers government officials, Indigenous representatives, Traditional Knowledge holders, industry, non-governmental organizations, and others to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Arctic biodiversity. 

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