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February 14, 2023

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TOMORROW | 1:00- 4:45 pm ET on February 15, 2023 | Washington, DC USA

Release of USARC’s 2023-2024 Goals Report

The US Arctic Research Commission’s "Report on the Goals and Objectives for Arctic Research 2023-2024," presented to the President and Congress, will be publicly released at an event hosted by the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute. The report establishes national Arctic research priorities and recommendations that, when achieved, will advance efforts outlined in our nation’s Arctic policies, strategies, and plans. The event, starting at 1:00 pm ET, will include remarks from Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and senior officials from the White House, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, State Department, and from commissioners and staff.

Event Link
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President Biden Announces Key Nominees: Mike Sfraga, Nominee for Ambassador at Large for Arctic Affairs

Michael Sfraga is the Chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, to which he was appointed by President Biden in 2021. Sfraga was the founding director of the Polar Institute and concurrently served as Director of the Global Risk and Resilience Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. He currently serves as the Institute’s Chair and Distinguished Fellow. An Alaskan and a geographer by training, his work focuses on the changing geography of the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes, Arctic policy, and the impacts and implications of a changing climate on political, social, economic, environmental, and security regimes in the Arctic. Sfraga served as distinguished Co-lead Scholar for the U.S. Department of State’s inaugural Fulbright Arctic Initiative from 2015 to 2019, a complementary program to the U.S. Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. He served as Chair of the 2020 Committee of Visitors Review of the Section for Arctic Science, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, and he currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs. Sfraga previously served in several academic, administrative, and executive positions at the University of Alaska including Vice Chancellor, Associate Vice President, faculty member, Department Chair, and Associate Dean. He earned the first Ph.D. in Geography and Northern Studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The White House

U.S., Allies Need to Operate in the High North More to Deter China, Russia, Experts Say

Physical presence by allied navies and coast guards is increasingly important as Russia builds up its military presence and China’s expands its intentions beyond commerce in the waters of the High North, senior maritime officers from three countries and a National Security Council official agreed last week. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Kevin Lunday, Atlantic Area commander, recalled cutter USCGC Kimball (WMSL-756) spotting a Chinese guided-missile cruiser operating 86 miles north of Alaska’s Kiska Island on a routine patrol in the Bering Sea last year. He told attendees at a Wilson Center forum that the crew of the cutter reported seeing two more Chinese warships and four Russian warships together operating within established international norms in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone soon after.

USNI News

Denmark Begins Procurement Process to Deliver New Capabilities for Arctic Operations

This procurement process is supporting capability requirements set out in a supplement to the current Danish Defense Agreement (which covers the 2018-23 period). The supplement, known as ‘The Arctic Capability package’, was published in February 2021. “The work for implementing the agreement has already begun,” Commodore Claus Andersen, a Royal Danish Navy (RDN) officer and Deputy National Armaments Director in Denmark’s Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO), told the SAE Media Group Maritime Reconnaissance and Surveillance Technology conference, held in London on 1-2 February.

Naval News

New Data Gives NOAA More Extensive Picture of Global Climate

NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) is updating its current global climate dataset to provide more information about the Earth's climate, while also extending the planet's observed temperature record by 30 years.

NOAA
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February 17-24, 2023 | Vienna, Austria

ASSW 2023 Science Symposium: The Arctic in the Anthropocene

This event is organized by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)and hosted by the Austrian Polar Research Institute (APRI). This event provides opportunities for coordination, cooperation, and collaboration between the various scientific organizations involved in Arctic research. It was initiated by the IASC in 1999. This event includes a Science Symposium. These symposia create a platform for exchanging knowledge, cross-fertilization, and collaboration and attract scientists, students, policymakers, and other professionals from all over the world.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 11:00 am ET on February 21, 2023 | Virtual

Arctic360 Annual Conference: TILTING THE GLOBE ACCELERATING COOPERATION, INNOVATION & OPPORTUNITY

Join Migration in Harmony Research and Coordination Network for a free webinar with Arctic scholars Dr. Nafisa Yeasmin and Dr. Heather Nicol. This virtual conversation will consider Arctic security, borders, and immigration in a climate change context. Dr. Nafisa Yeasmin will present on the immigration and security aspects of the Finnish Arctic and Dr. Heather Nicol will present on Arctic borders and transnational actors.

Event Link

February 21-23, 2023 | Toronto, Canada

Arctic360 Annual Conference: TILTING THE GLOBE ACCELERATING COOPERATION, INNOVATION & OPPORTUNITY

The Arctic360 annual conference brings together Northern and Indigenous governments, institutions, and corporations; global financial institutions, state leaders; mining, innovation, and other industry leaders; and Arctic experts from Canada and around the circumpolar North to advance the conversation and foster action for building a sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous Arctic region.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | February 28- March 4, 2023 | Fairbanks, Alaska USA

One Health, One Future 2023 International Conference

This year’s theme is Voices of One Health: Embracing Change & Transformation. The event will engage in dynamic conversations and networking opportunities through hands-on workshops, individual/panel presentations, posters, and plenary sessions. There will also be undergraduate discussion groups which will be a great opportunity for students to meet with researchers and discuss research, education, and their career pathways. This event is hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Event Link

March 4-6, 2023 Tokyo, Japan

Arctic Circle Japan Forum

Arctic Circle and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation are pleased to announce new dates for the Japan Forum. The Forum will focus on Asia in the Future of the Arctic: science, geopolitics, economy, oceans, climate, and technology.

Event Link

March 6-10, 2023 Tokyo, Japan

Seventh International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR-7)

The International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR) has been held every two years since 2008 and aims to present and discuss scientific results with researchers on the Arctic from all-over the world, extracting and sharing issues to solve, and exploring the future of the Arctic. ISAR-7 will consist of General Sessions and Special Sessions. 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; geospacer; laws, politics, and economy; language, culture, and health; and, engineering for sustainable development.

Event Link

March 27-31, 2023 | Santa Barbara, California USA

National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis

This 5-day in-person workshop will provide researchers with an introduction to advanced topics in computationally reproducible research in python, including software and techniques for working with very large datasets. This includes working in cloud computing environments, docker containers, and parallel processing using tools like parsl and dask. The workshop will also cover concrete methods for documenting and uploading data to the Arctic Data Center, advanced approaches to tracking data provenance, responsible research and data management practices including data sovereignty and the CARE principles, and ethical concerns with data-intensive modeling and analysis.

Event Link

March 29-31, 2023 | Anchorage, Alaska USA

The Arctic Encounter 2023

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

Event Link

April 24-27, 2023 | Nuuk, Greenland

2023 AITC – Mapping the Arctic

The geopolitical situation and increased interest in the sustainable development of the Arctic have resulted in new Arctic funding strategies from agencies such as ESA, the American NSF, and the EU work programs. The AITC conference will provide opportunities to interact across scientific, civil, and commercial domains, in three overall thematic tracks Sea, cryosphere, and land, ranging from ocean, sea-ice, and land ice including permafrost and ice-free land, to develop new ideas and projects and to create new collaboration aiming for sustainable development of the Arctic regions and especially Greenland.

Event Link

May 1-4, 2023 | Houston, Texas USA

Offshore Technology Conference 2023

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters. The conference will include presentations discussing technical solutions, innovations, and advancements of all aspects of the offshore energy industry. Participants will include operators, research, vendors, and stakeholders. The experience of the last 50 years in the Arctic will be in attendance. That expertise and knowledge is available to move forward and support energy, mining, renewables, marine transport, tourism, and other activities in the harshest environments.

Event Link

May 22-25, 2023 | Anchorage, Alaska USA

Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference

The 2023 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will focus on Alaska’s role leading the energy transition from established renewable sources to innovative and emerging technologies. World-renowned speakers and experts will highlight the agenda, along with breakout tracks, panel discussions, and multiple networking opportunities.

Event Link

June 5-12, 2023 | Science Cruise

UNOLS/AICC Arctic Chief Scientist Training Cruise

With support from the National Science Foundation and R/V Sikuliaq operations team and crew, Oregon State hosts an early career chief scientist training cruise June 5-12 as part of a transit from Seward to Nome (AK). This training will also include a series of pre-cruise planning meetings from March to May (a condensed version of a typical pre-cruise preparation process). The goal is to help a cohort of diverse researchers gain skills and confidence in requesting, organizing, and leading scientific surveys on Arctic research vessels at high latitudes.


Interested applicants should apply by February 22.

Event Link

November 14-25, 2023 | Rovaniemi, Finland

6th biennial "Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit" Conference

The 6th biennial "Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit" Conference will be held on 14-15 November 2023 in Rovaniemi, Finland, the birthplace of official Arctic cooperation. This international conference, organized by the City of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland, gathers policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders for Arctic discussions. Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, changes in Arctic cooperation will be prominently featured in the conference agenda, and will be explored from the point of view of national and international security, and from a regional perspective, including the Barents region.

Event Link

2025 | Boulder, Colorado USA

4th International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV)

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.

Event Link
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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.