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Breaking Ice Ceilings, Melting Ice Walls, and Imaging a Better Tomorrow, noon EST on January 13, 2021 (virtual). Dr. Julie Decker, the Director and CEO of the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, will present on how we can work with creative and critical practice and practitioners to imagine a better tomorrow and working to co-create with communities, and Dr. Jessica Graybill, Associate Professor of Geography and Director of the Russian & Eurasia Studies Program at Colgate University , will address aspects of advancement for non-majority researchers and scholars working in polar fields. This webinar is part of the Breaking the Ice Ceiling webinar series, which 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. Register for free here.
ADAC Customer and Partner's Roundtable, 1:00 PM EST on January 13, 2021 (virtual)  . The Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC) is a US Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Office of University Programs, (OUP) Center of Excellence in Maritime Research hosted by the University of Alaska. In accordance with ADAC's "Year 7 Work Plan" ADAC conducts quarterly Customer and Partner's Roundtables. The Center will host its Second Program Year 7.
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[Wilson Center] Arctic Infrastructure Inventory. The Arctic Infrastructure Inventory (AII) tracks infrastructure projects in the Arctic. With nearly 8,000 projects listed, and thousands more that will be added as it grows, AII aims to be a tool and resource for all stakeholders in Arctic infrastructure-including policymakers, industry, researchers, community leaders, and more. (January 2021)
[Congressional Research Service] Report to Congress on Changes in the Arctic. The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. The seven other Arctic states are Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark (by virtue of Greenland), and Russia. The Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA) of 1984 (Title I of P.L. 98-373 of July 31, 1984) "provide[s] for a comprehensive national policy dealing with national research needs and objectives in the Arctic." The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the lead federal agency for implementing Arctic research policy. (January 2021)
[Department of the Navy] A Strategic Blueprint for the Arctic. America's interests, stretching from Maine in the North Atlantic across the Arctic Ocean through the Bering Strait and Alaska in the North Pacific to the southern tip of the Aleutian Island chain, are best served by fostering compliance with existing rules to assure a peaceful and prosperous Arctic Region. This forward looking regional blueprint describes how the Department will apply naval power as we continue to prepare for a more navigable Arctic Region over the next two decades. (January 2021)
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Media
Microplastics Found Across the Arctic May Be Fibers From Laundry. Polyester fibres make up nearly three-quarters of microplastic pollution in the Arctic and probably come from textile manufacturing and household laundry. We already knew that microplastics are present in the Arctic, but new research shines a light on the source of these tiny fragments. Peter Ross at the University of British Columbia in Canada and his colleagues examined seawater samples from 71 locations across the Arctic taken from 3 to 8 meters below the surface. New Scientist
Network Connects Indigenous Knowledges in the Arctic and US Southwest. On one level, the Arctic and the U.S. Southwest have little in common: One has kilometers of bone-chilling temperatures, ice, and months of darkness; the other has towering cliffs of red rock, parched soil, and broiling summers. But Indigenous Peoples in each region face similar challenges to food resilience and sovereignty. Because of the colonization of Native lands, Indigenous Peoples have been restricted from accessing, cultivating, and managing their traditional foods. At the same time, climate change in both regions is rapidly altering the landscape. EOS
 Researchers Speed Up Analysis of Arctic Ice and Snow Data Through AI. Researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have developed a technique to more quickly analyze extensive data from Arctic ice sheets in order to gain insight and useful knowledge on patterns and trends. Over the years, vast amounts of data have been collected about the Arctic and Antarctic ice. These data are essential for scientists and policymakers seeking to understand climate change and the current trend of melting. Masoud Yari, research assistant professor, and Maryam Rahnemoonfar, associate professor of information systems, have utilized new AI technology to develop a fully automatic technique to analyze ice data, published in the Journal of Glaciology. This is part of the National Science Foundation's ongoing BigData project. Phys.org
 Arctic Deep Draft Port Project in Nome Authorized by Congress. Included in the 2020 Water Resources Development Act that was part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the Deep Draft Port project proposes plans for an extended west causeway and a new deep-water basin at Nome's Port. Mayor John Handeland says that getting the Congressional authorization for the project passes a major hurdle. "We were excited that the Deep Draft Port [project] at Nome was included in the Water Resource Development Act bill that Congress recently passed. This project has been on the planning table and been advanced by the city for a decade, I would say, and getting over this hump is monumental for our area." KNOM
Alaska Teacher's Letter May Have Convinced FCC to Approve SpaceX Launch of Starlink Satellites into Polar Orbit. SpaceX is deploying internet-beaming Starlink satellites to offer high-speed broadband internet connection globally. The company's primary focus is to provide service to rural communities where internet is unreliable, unavailable, or too expensive to set-up due to geography. One of those places is Alaska, where communities deal with the slowest internet in America. Building terrestrial internet networks in rural areas is very expensive due to population density -one customer every couple miles. And in rural areas that do have access to internet service, there are often just one or two internet providers that offer service at a high cost. Space-based internet like SpaceX's Starlink constellation can offer a more affordable solution. Tesmanian
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Future Events
Alaska Native Perspectives of an Evolving Arctic Environment, 12:00 pm AKST on January 15, 2021. Join AKWorld for this discussion of climate, security, economic opportunity, science, resilience and other implications of a changing Arctic. Whether you are in Florida, California, Alaska, or another state in-between, you have experienced significant weather changes amplified by a rapidly changing Arctic. Come, listen, and join the conversation with two Alaska Native women who have firsthand knowledge and understanding of this important issue for Alaska, the United States, and the World.
2021 Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 26-28, 2021 (virtual). The Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS) has  been bringing together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and interested public for over twenty years to discuss the latest marine research being conducted in Alaskan waters. Showcasing Alaska's marine science remains the utmost priority despite the challenges we all have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also exploring some additional events (virtual panels, social hours, etc.) surrounding the virtual launch of AMSS 2021, so stay tuned! We are looking for panel ideas Topic ideas may include but are not limited to: coastal resiliency, ocean noise, marine debris, perspectives on changing ecosystems, co-production of knowledge, economics of climate change, and the future of the Arctic Research Post-COVID in local communities. (submit here: https://alaskamarinescience.org/2021-panels).
Arctic Frontiers 2021, February 1-4, 2021 (virtual). Arctic Frontiers  started out in 2006 assembling the first global scientific conference on economic, societal and environmental sustainable growth in the north. In February 2021, we will arrange the 15th conference with the theme "Building Bridges". The conference has a pan arctic perspective and builds new partnerships across nations, generations and ethnic groups. Arctic Frontiers provides a forum for dialogue and communication between science, government and industry in the Arctic.
Co-producing Arctic Conservation | The Wolf-Pack Hunting Approach, 1:00 pm on February 3, 2021 (virtual). In this webinar, you will learn from Victoria Qutuuq Buschman about co-producing Arctic conservation with Indigenous communities and from Dr. Tayana Arakchaa about Tozhu Hunting Strategy in the Siberian Taiga. This webinar is part of the Breaking the Ice Ceiling webinar series, which 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. Register for free here.
 ALCOM's Arctic Senior Leader Summit, 2021, March 10-11, 2021 (virtual). In support of U.S. Northern Command's Arctic mission, please consider joining Lt General David Krumm, USAF, Commander Alaska Command, Alaska NORAD Region and 11th Air Force and a host of Defense and Security Leaders for Arctic Senior Leader Summit 2021 (ASLS 21) 10-11 March 2021. This event is oriented to addressing senior leader strategic views on the developing range of security and defense matters affecting the Arctic region. Due to the on-going complications of in-person meetings as a result of COVID 19, Arctic Senior Summit 2021 will be conducted via video conference. Day 1 of ASLS 2021 is focused on plenary presentations and follow-on strategic discussions. Day 2 ASLS 2021 is a planned tabletop exercise. Further details and registration to be provided soon via ASLS 21 planning team at the Arctic Domain Awareness Center. Please see: https://arcticdomainawarenesscenter.org/Events for more details or email ADAC center leadership at https://arcticdomainawarenesscenter.org/Team.
Arctic Science Summit Week, March 20-26, 2021 (Lisbon, Portugal). The Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, the  Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Local Organizing Committee will host the Arctic Science Summit Week 2021. The Conference is organized by FCT, Ciência Viva, AIR Center, the Portuguese Arctic Community and by IASC and partners. Framed by the overarching theme for the Science Conference "The Arctic: Regional Changes, Global Impacts," Lisbon invites International experts on the Arctic and Indigenous Peoples to discuss the "New Arctic" and also its impacts and interactions to and with the lower latitudes.
 One Health, One Future, April 6-11, 2021 (virtual). This is expected to be the largest circumpolar One Health conference held in the United States in 2021, with participation anticipated from across the Arctic region. The event is part of the United States contribution to One Arctic, One Health, an Arctic Council project now in its sixth 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.
2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses, May 3-6, 2021 (Hanko, Finland). Organizers announce, that due to the coronavirus outbreak, the 2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses has been postponed to 2021. 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.
3rd Arctic Science Ministerial, May 8-9, 2021 (Toyko, Japan). The  Japanese and Icelandic organizers of this ministerial continue to plan for an in-person ministerial, in Tokyo, but have moved the dates from November 21-22, 2020 to May 8-9, 2021 because of Covid-19. Since the last Arctic Science Ministerial in 2018, changes in the Arctic ecosystem and the resulting impacts locally and globally have been severely felt. Considering the need for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and repair measures, the relevance of an international Arctic Science Ministerial has never been greater. It is necessary to strengthen scientific cooperation and collaboration among both Arctic and non-Arctic States in order to develop our understanding of the rapid changes impacting the Arctic. The First Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM1) was hosted by the United States in 2016, and two years later, the Second Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM2) was co-hosted by Germany, Finland, and the European Commission. ASM3 will be co-hosted by Iceland and Japan.
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