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March 2, 2020

ISAR-6: Arctic Research: the Decade Past and the Decade Future, March 2-6, 2020 (Tokyo, Japan).  Please note, this event has been canceled. Additional information may be released on the link soon.
Media

The Fulbright Arctic Initiative is Now Accepting Applications. The Fulbright Arctic Initiative brings together a network of scholars, professionals and applied researchers from the United States, Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden for a series of three seminar meetings and a Fulbright exchange experience to address key research and policy questions related to creating a secure and sustainable Arctic. The third cohort of the Fulbright Arctic Initiative will stimulate international research collaboration on Arctic issues while increasing mutual understanding between people of the United States and member countries of the Arctic Council.  Fulbright Scholar Program
 
arctic shipping Russian Arctic Shipping Up 430 Percent in Three Years. The goods volumes delivered to and from ports on the Arctic shipping route has never been close to the current level. According to Nikolay Monko, the Acting Director of the Northern Sea Route Administration, a total of 31,5 million tons of goods was shipped on the route in 2019. That is an increase of 56,7 percent from 2019, and 150 percent from 2018. Over the last three years, NSR volumes have hiked by more than 430 percent.  Hellenic Shipping News  
 
Arctic May See 'Ice-Free' Summers in as few as 15 years, Study Says. Climate change is taking its toll on one of the world's coldest places. A study suggests that the Arctic 'may be essentially ice-free during summer within 15 years."  The study used statistical models to predict the future amount of Arctic ice, which suggested that the Arctic could be ice-free in the summer during the decade of the 2030s - most likely in the year 2034. USA Today
 
Detailed New Maps Show Thawing Arctic Permafrost. The European Space Agency (ESA) has released a series of maps that let viewers track the gradual thawing of permafrost around the Arctic pole between 2003 and 2017. The melting of permafrost could add massive amounts of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere in the coming decades as it thaws, potentially worsening the effects of climate change. New Atlas
Future Events

** New this week** 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 "Project and Programs Underway in the Region-What development can be done to encourage sustainable communities and economic growth?"

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. 

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.

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.

The 7th Annual Arctic Encounter, April 16-17, 2020 (Seattle, WA USA).  The 2019 Arctic Encounter Seattle drew participants and stakeholders from over 20 nations, including over 80 speakers, 27 sponsors, 17 media partners, northern fashion and photography art installations, 13 guest performers, the second annual Far North Fashion Show, live podcast recording sessions, musical and spoken word performances, and over 10 artist exhibitors. The 2020 Arctic Encounter Seattle expects to increase engagement in new sectors and engage participants through policy debates, research presentations, live performances, and more. The Arctic Encounter is the largest annual Arctic policy and business conference convening in the United States, with partnerships and convening efforts worldwide. 

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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