Today, no Arctic-science event is scheduled. | |
2021 Alaska Seabird Die-Off Update | |
From May to September 2021, partners reported dead and dying seabirds from the Bering Strait region, Aleutian Islands, and the Gulf of Alaska. The main species reported from the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands were shearwaters, but also included kittiwakes, murres, and puffins. A separate die-off at Middleton Island occurred in late July and affected kittiwakes and gulls. | |
Major Exercise in Svalbard: Preparing for Cruise Accident in the Arctic | |
A cruise ship carrying 200 has shipwrecked far north in Svalbard waters. There are no roads, cabins or any other infrastructure nearby and rescuing as many people as possible as fast as possible is a matter of urgency. That is the scenario for a full-scale exercise off the coast of Svalbard. | |
Navigating Maritime Activities in Arctic Focus of UH Research | |
Climate change is causing the Arctic sea ice to thin, making more Arctic waters accessible to shipping and transportation, research and exploration, and other economic development activities. Increased maritime activities in the region pose potential risks to the pristine Arctic environment, especially in areas used by fishing vessels, offshore oil and gas industry and cruise liners. The National Science Foundation granted nearly $800,000 in funding to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers to develop a state-of-the-art mathematical model to predict interactions between sea ice and ships or industrial structures. Additionally, the research team will create a risk-assessment system for shipping and other operations in the Arctic. | |
Russia’s Defense Minister Pushes Siberian Mega-Plan | |
The grand Soviet-style initiative has over the past months been actively lobbied by Shoigu, and the loyal ally of Vladimir Putin has now reportedly gained solid support from the Kremlin. According to the powerful national security leader, up to five new major cities should be built in Siberia, each with a population of up to one million. | |
UMass Amherst Professor to Lead Team Researching "Last Great Arctic Mystery" | |
A professor from the University of Massachusetts Amherst will lead a team of researchers to explore how humans survived in the harsh conditions of northern Greenland thousands of years ago. The four-year project is receiving a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation. WAMC's Jim Levulis spoke with Ray Bradley, a professor of geosciences at UMass Amherst, about the work. | |
Integrated Ecosystem Research Program | |
The North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) in partnership with the North Slope Borough/Shell Baseline Studies Program, announces a Request for Proposals offering a total of $2.2 million to support the Synthesis Phase of the Arctic Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (IERP) and the Assessment Phase of a future IERP that will continue integrated ecosystem research in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, centered in the Northern Bering Sea. | |
NEW THIS WEEK | 2:00 pm ET on October 4, 2021 | Virtual
Mapping the Changing Climate in the Polar Regions
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As climate change accelerates and the Arctic becomes more accessible than ever before, the geopolitical importance of the polar regions is growing. Arctic countries share a commitment to protecting the environment of those regions in the face of growing interest. In particular, Finland and the United States share a commitment to increase Arctic and polar scientific cooperation, as well as a responsibility to create awareness of the pace of climate change in the polar regions and the effects of global emissions on the Arctic environment. The Wilson Center’s Polar Institute and the Embassy of Finland will host this discussion exploring how science and technology help the United Nations, Finland and the United States increase awareness about the changes occurring in the polar regions. | |
12:00 pm ET on October 6, 2021 | Virtual
We’re All in the Same Boat: Newfoundland & Labrador
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NERACOOS and CIOOS Atlantic, with funding support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada, will host a three-part webinar series featuring discussions with local experts on scientific, economic, and policy issues facing coastal communities spanning the Arctic to the Northeastern seaboard of the United States. Each of the three seminars will coincide with part of the voyage of the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which has partnered with Canada to undertake a research cruise the Northwest Passage and circumnavigation of North America. As the Healy passes through the Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, experts in a variety of subjects will speak about the challenges they're encountering, and how we can come up with solutions that transcend borders.
Conversations will include John Farrell, the executive director of the US Arctic Research Commission, and Larry Mayer, a former commissioner with the US Arctic Research Commission.
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October 14-17, 2021 | Harpa, Reykjavík, Iceland
Arctic Circle Assembly
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The annual Arctic Circle Assembly is the largest annual international gathering on the Arctic, attended by more than 2000 participants from 60 countries. It is attended by heads of states and governments, ministers, members of parliaments, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, indigenous representatives, environmentalists, students, activists and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the future of the Arctic.
For the most up-to-date COVID information, please see the the US Embassy in Reykjavik's COVID page: here.
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12:00 pm ET on October 20, 2021 | Virtual
We’re All in the Same Boat: Nova Scotia & the Gulf of Maine
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NERACOOS and CIOOS Atlantic, with funding support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada, will host a three-part webinar series featuring discussions with local experts on scientific, economic, and policy issues facing coastal communities spanning the Arctic to the Northeastern seaboard of the United States. Each of the three seminars will coincide with part of the voyage of the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which has partnered with Canada to undertake a research cruise the Northwest Passage and circumnavigation of North America. As the Healy passes through the Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, experts in a variety of subjects will speak about the challenges they're encountering, and how we can come up with solutions that transcend borders. | |
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OCTOBER 24–29, 2021 | BOULDER, COLORADO, USA
2021 Regional Conference on Permafrost/19th International Conference Cold Regions Engineering
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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. | |
November 2-4, 2021 | Virtual
The Maritime Risk Symposium
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The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual three-day conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security. Government agencies, commercial entities, institutions of research, and higher education come together to discuss various threats, challenges, and risks to international and domestic maritime sectors. | |
November 10-11, 2021 | Brussels, Belgium
EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue
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The European Commission and the European External Action Service will organize a high-level EU Arctic Forum and the Annual Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue. The EU Arctic Forum will bring together key Arctic players and stakeholders to assess recent developments in the region and discuss challenges ahead. The event will provide a strategic outlook for the updated EU Arctic policy and delve into topics that are of particular significance for the Arctic’s inhabitants. | |
November 17, 2021 | Portland, Maine USA
New England Arctic Network 2021 Meeting
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The New England Arctic Network (NEAN) will host its 2021 meeting at the University of New England in Portland, Maine. Additional information will be published soon. | |
December 6-10, 2021 | Virtual
ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting
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Hosted entirely online the ArcticNet Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting 2021 (ASM2021) is a hub for Arctic research in Canada. The ASM2021 brings together researchers from the natural, health, and social sciences to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing Arctic region, shaped by climate change and modernization. This conference will push the boundaries of our collective understanding of the Arctic and strengthen our ability to address the Arctic issues of today and tomorrow. | |
December 13-17, 2021 | New Orleans, LA USA & virtual
A Blue Arctic Ocean: U.S. Arctic Research and Marine Infrastructure Needs
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The National Academies’ Polar Research Board is convening the following session at the Fall AGU meeting. | |
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. | |
April 5-8, 2022 | Anchorage, Alaska USA
Reducing Arctic Risks and Advancing Cooperation, Alaskan Command Arctic Symposium 2022
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Arctic Symposium 2022 continues momentum in Arctic defense and security collaboration established in prior ALCOM-hosted events. AAS22 seeks to address the challenges faced by the U.S. military and our allies and partners in understanding and responding to our respective national interests. AAS22 is planned and organized by the Arctic Domain Awareness Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in support and in compliance to guidance from Alaskan Command (ALCOM) Staff and Commander. More information available soon. | |
External links in this publication, and on the USARC's World Wide Web site (www.arctic.gov) do not constitute an endorsement by the US Arctic Research Commission of external Web sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the USARC does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this newsletter and the USARC website. | | | | |