This event is hosted by Alaska Sea Grant and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Northwest Campus, University of Alaska Fairbanks. The 16th Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference (WAISC) brings together people invested in sharing information important to rural communities in Western Alaska. We do this through Western Alaska knowledge and science. The 2024 conference will highlight needs to maintain strength, health, and subsistence lifestyles while moving forward during rapid transitions within the environment, ecology, and industries of Western Alaska. A conference priority is the continued sharing of knowledge across cultural boundaries.

“Long-range drones are a brand new asset in our Armed Forces that will enhance our continuous situation awareness and surveillance of the region,” says Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram. “Good situation awareness is crucial for our ability to enact national control and freedom of action,” he adds in a statement.

Each day an estimated 95 percent of the world’s data travels across the roughly 900,000 miles of submarine fiber optic cables criss-crossing the ocean floor. Modern life as we know it—from internet communications to video calls to streaming services—would look significantly different without this massive infrastructure. To keep up with the world’s insatiable data needs, construction could soon begin on a new cable located within a once-inaccessible environment.

They didn't exist a century ago but today PFAS "forever chemicals" contaminate the environment from groundwater to Antarctic snow to turtle eggs, and concern over their possible toxicity is growing. Lawsuits and regulations targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are multiplying, with France becoming the latest jurisdiction to consider tough new curbs on these long-life substances.

Researchers seeking to understand the ongoing threat of malaria go 'pathogen prospecting' in archival collections… "People tend to associate malaria with tropical and subtropical regions, but in the past, there was also malaria in the Netherlands, the UK, and even in Finland above the Arctic Circle," says co-author Amanda Cooke, a PhD student whose research focuses on historical malaria in Canada.

Organizers seek nominations for individuals interested in serving on the UNOLS Arctic Marine Research Capabilities Committee. The committee will consist of:

1. Up to 12 people
2. Chair – an academic researcher
3. 8-9 members from the research vessel user community including international membership and disciplinary balance.
4. 3-4 Technical / Operational Experts (naval architects, R/V operators, and R/V Technical Support personnel).

Self-nominations are strongly encouraged.  If you are interested in representing community perspectives on current and emerging needs for polar research, we urge you to apply for membership on the AMRCC.  Applicants or nominees should submit a brief statement of interest in serving on AMRCC along with a CV to the UNOLS Office by email <office@unols.org>. Please include information about your sea-going and/or polar experience.  Statements of Interest and CVs are requested by April 28, 2024.  Appointments will be made in a manner to achieve a balance of expertise in the different scientific disciplines and technical areas.  Committee members will be formally appointed by the UNOLS Chair.  

The US Arctic Research Commission will hold its 118th meeting in room 204 of the Administrative/Humanities Building on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, starting at 8:30 am, on April 9, 2024. The meeting is open to the public for in-person participation. The draft meeting agenda can be found here.

On April 9, 9am AKT / 1pm ET, please join IARPC and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) for a webinar on the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV). In this webinar, Matthew Druckenmiller, Andrey Petrov, and April Melvin will provide an update and seek input on: the goals and organizational structure of ICARP IV; ways to get involved and contribute to ICARP IV; the work of the seven ICARP IV Research Priority Teams; planning for the ICARP IV Summit in March 2025, which will be held as part of Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2025 in Boulder, Colorado; and ICARP IV outcomes and deliverables.

As the largest Arctic policy and business conference in North America, with partners and convenings worldwide, the Arctic Encounter continues to gather leading voices from around the world. The Arctic Encounter is eager to welcome 1,000+ participants to Alaska for a world-class arts and cultural experience, including policy debates, dialogue with international leaders, business executives, Indigenous peoples, scientists, students, defense leaders, diplomats, policymakers, and more.

Presented by the U.S. Commercial Service Canada, CanArctic Industry Days is set to bring together U.S. exporters from strategic sectors with Canadian Arctic Indigenous groups. The program is designed to foster a bilateral dialogue centered on knowledge sharing, the expansion of economic development opportunities in Canada's Arctic, and the exploration of potential bilateral partnerships within this dynamically evolving and geo-strategic region. Taking place in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and Iqaluit, Nunavut—two strategically chosen locations—this event promises a unique and impactful experience for all U.S. company presenters.

The European Commission and the European External Action Service jointly host the EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue. The EU Arctic Forum will provide an opportunity to assess recent developments in the Arctic and to discuss challenges ahead. It will look at some of the achievements of the EU Arctic policy in recent years and will continue to provide a strategic outlook for the years to come. The Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue will offer a platform for discussion on Arctic matters affecting Indigenous Peoples.

Launch Alaska hosts this event to celebrate Launch Alaska Portfolio companies and build new connections between the people and projects accelerating the energy transition in Alaska. This event is held the day before the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference and is part of that program. 

Guided by the theme “Transforming Energy Now for the Next 50 Years,” the 2024 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will focus on real world examples in Alaska and around the globe demonstrating progress in the energy transition including established renewable sources, advancements in energy storage, and emerging technologies such as green fuels and advanced nuclear power. World-renowned speakers and experts will highlight the agenda, along with breakout tracks, panel discussions, and multiple networking opportunities.

Nordland Research Institute and NORD University host this event. The congress includes high-level plenary sessions, several parallel sessions, network activities, and social and cultural events. Researchers, policymakers, businesses, and students exchange knowledge and connect across the Arctic. IASSA and UArctic will also hold their General Assemblies.

The 12^th International Conference on Permafrost will consider “Integrating Perspectives of Permafrost Thaw, Change, and Adaptation.” The conference will address the most recent developments and stimulate engaging technical and scientific discussions among academics, professionals, contractors, suppliers, and students. The impacts of climate change and economic development have significantly changed the Arctic, in recent decades, resulting in a wealth of research initiatives and challenging engineering projects. Event partners include the Canadian Permafrost Association, IPA, and Yukon University.

In lead up to its 35th anniversary in 2025, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is coordinating a multi-year planning process for the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) that will engage Arctic researchers, policymakers, residents, and stakeholders from around the world to collegially discuss the state of Arctic science, the place the Arctic occupies in global affairs and systems, to consider the most urgent knowledge gaps and research priorities that lie before us and to explore avenues to address these research needs. This event is hosted by a consortium of US institutions, including the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Northern Iowa, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Alaska Pacific University. ICARP I, II, and III focused the attention of the world’s researchers toward the value of strategic international coordination in accelerating progress in addressing critical challenges. ICARP IV will build upon this concept by striving to achieve consensus and build collaborations among the leading scientific, academic, environmental, Indigenous and political organizations currently concerned with Arctic issues.