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October 1, 2018

No Arctic-science events are announced for today.

Happy new fiscal year, for the US federal government.
Media

[UK] Defense Secretary Announces New Defense Arctic Strategy. The strategy will enhance the Ministry of Defense's focus on the Arctic, underlined by our current commitments in the region and future deployments. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "As the ice melts and new shipping routes emerge, the significance of the High North and Arctic region increases... Russia, with more submarines operating under the ice and ambitions to build over 100 facilities in the Arctic, are staking a claim and militarizing the region. We must be ready to deal with all threats as they emerge." United Kingdom Government
 
Pentagon - Defense With an Increasing Footprint in the Arctic, the Corps May Need a New Snow Vehicle. The top Marine has been steadily increasing the Corps' footprint in the arctic region, preparing Marines for a fight in extreme cold-weather environments as the U.S. defense strategy shifts toward near-peer threats. It's an oft repeated remark by Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller that the cold weather business is something the Corps hasn't done for some time. Marine Times
 
Louisiana Biologist Ventured to Arctic Circle to Band Geese. James Whitaker's primary workplace is the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in southwest Louisiana. However, August found him a bit north of there. Roughly 2,800 miles north, as the goose flies. And geese is what the biologist with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries had on his mind. Whitaker spent 10 days inside the Arctic Circle in the extreme north of Canada banding geese that, a few months from now, may be in his more familiar Cameron Parish neighborhood. While he does other banding or aerial surveys outside the state, Whitaker had never ventured that far north. US News & World Report
 
Melting Arctic Ice Opens New Route From Europe to East Asia. A Danish-flagged cargo ship has successfully passed through the Russian Arctic, in a trial voyage showing that melting sea ice could potentially open a new trade route from Europe to east Asia. The Venta Maersk made the journey as a one-off trial, said Palle Laursen, the chief technical officer of A.P. Moller-Maersk, the world's biggest shipping group. The Guardian
 
2018 Arctic Summertime Sea Ice Minimum Extent Tied for Sixth Lowest on Record. Arctic sea ice likely reached its 2018 lowest extent on Sept. 19 and again on Sept. 23, according to NASA and the NASA-supported National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Analysis of satellite data by NSIDC and NASA showed that, at 1.77 million square miles (4.59 million square kilometers), 2018 effectively tied with 2008 and 2010 for the sixth lowest summertime minimum extent in the satellite record. Science Daily
 
An 'Ancestral Memory' Inscribed in Skin. Grete Chythlook dreamed of the tattoo before she had ever seen one in person: a few fine lines drawn from the bottom lip down to the tip of the chin. "I didn't know anybody who had a chin tattoo," she said, "whether Inuit, Gwich'in or any other group." So when a friend asked her to accompany her to a tattooing session, and the design matched her vision, she sensed that something special was happening. New York Times
Future Events

Polar Law Symposium (11th annual), October 2-4, 2018 (TromsΓΈ, Norway) . This symposium brings together established scholars and post-doctoral and doctoral researchers from all across the world to share research in the fields of polar law and policy. Leading experts are invited to give keynote lectures. A history of the symposium is  here , news about it is  here , and registration is  here .

The Increasing Second Derivative of Arctic Change: How Should the Research Community Keep Up? October 5, 2018, 1:30 pm EST (Webinar). The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) seeks a broad conversation with past, present, and future members of its community on how SEARCH might serve to advance synthesis and engagement in the coming decades? What coordination of research and communication is needed? Register and receive webinar link: hereFor more information, contact Brendan P. Kelly ( bpkelly@alaska.edu ) SEARCH Executive Director.

The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress is hosted by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, and the Ministry of the Environment, Finland. The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress will build on the success of the first Congress, held in 2014 in Trondheim, Norway, and will bring together scientists, policymakers government officials, Indigenous representatives, Traditional Knowledge holders, industry, non-governmental organizations, and others to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Arctic biodiversity. 

Canada Permafrost Association Annual General Meeting, October 10-12, 2018 (Whitehorse, Yukon Canada). The Canada Permafrost Association (CPA) is being formed to address the multidisciplinary nature of permafrost-- bridging natural and social sciences, engineering, and governments.  A central goal of the CPA is to assist in the transfer of knowledge between disciplines and across various demographics. This will better equip Canadians to respond to permafrost-related problems. As the inaugural meeting of the CPA, participants will take part in some of the formative discussions of the Association.  In addition, there will be opportunities for participants to present research findings, keynote addresses and a field trip. 

Arctic Circle Assembly, October 2018 (Reykjavik, Iceland). 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.

2018 Forum for Arctic Modeling and Observational Synthesis (FAMOS) Project Annual School and Meeting, October 23-26, 2018 (Bergen, Norway) Major goals of this meeting are to coordinate FAMOS activities, report accomplishments, exchange ideas and hypotheses, enhance international arctic studies collaboration and discuss plans for continuing FAMOS work beyond 2019. Meeting registration form is available at project websites: here and here. For questions and details contact A. Proshutinsky, Mike Steele, and Amelie Bouchat.

Arctic Science Forum Associated with the 2nd Arctic Science Ministerial, October 25, 2018 (Berlin, Germany and via webcast). How vulnerable and how resilient are nature and the people of the Arctic region? How well do we understand the regional and global dynamics which are driving change in the Arctic? What impact will change in the Arctic have on us? These and other questions are the focus of this two-day conference. It will take interdisciplinary research in the Arctic to gain an understanding of past and future processes - a complex and cost-intensive venture. This makes an international network of Arctic research so important for delivering better results. Cooperation in research, the exchange of data, collaborative observation and monitoring schemes - international cooperation is imperative in research on the Arctic.
Only the Science Forum, on October 25th, will be webcast. The Arctic Ministerial, on October 26th, will NOT be webcast.

Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS18) "Arctic Technology" November 15-16, 2018 (Newfoundland & Labrador Canada).  Now in its sixth year, MASS has gained an international reputation as a must-attend event to gain a wide perspective on challenges, opportunities and policies related to the Arctic and North Atlantic maritime environments. The aim of this Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador supported international conference is to promote stakeholder collaboration, technological innovation, harsh environment research & development, and world-class education efforts that are contributing to both Maritime and Arctic issues.  This two day conference will draw a diverse group of speakers and attendees representing government, military, Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard, industry, academic leaders, Northern Leaders, research and other key stakeholders. We hope you can join us to be a part of this important dialogue

American Geophysical Union Fall meeting, December 10-14, 2018 (Washington, DC USA). The AGU 2018 Fall Meeting will mark another dynamic year of discovery in Earth and space science, serve as the advent of AGU's Centennial year, and provide a special opportunity to share our science with world AGU logo leaders in Washington, D.C. As the largest Earth and space science gathering in the world, the Fall Meeting places you in the center of a global community of scientists drawn from myriad fields of study whose work protects the health and welfare of people worldwide, spurs innovation, and informs decisions that are critical to the sustainability of the Earth. 

ArcticNet: Annual Scientific Meeting 2018, December 10-14, 2018 (Ottawa, ON Canada). Canada's North is experiencing unprecedented change in its sea and terrestrial ice, permafrost and ecosystems under the triple pressures of climate change, industrialization and modernization. The impacts of these pressures can be seen on food and energy security, shipping, sovereignty, northern community health and well-being, and sustainable development and resource exploitation. All these issues have brought the North to the forefront of national and international agendas. Building on the success of its previous Annual Scientific Meetings and International Arctic Change Conferences, the Arctic Network of Centers of Excellence announces the 14th ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting. 

Arcti c F ron tiers, January 20-25, 2019 (Tromso, Norway) . The Arctic Frontiers  is a global scientific conference on economic, societal, and environmental sustainable growth.  This year's theme will be "Smart Arctic," with a pan-arctic emphasis, and an effort to build new partnerships across nations, generations and ethnic groups. Arctic Frontiers provides a forum for dialogue and communication between science, government and industry . The plenary program will have five main sessions: State of the Arctic, Blue Growth, Smart Solutions, Bridging the Gap, and Arctic business prospects. An abstract-driven science program will address Plastics in the Ocean, the Future of Governance and Handling Vulnerability in Arctic Ecosystems, State of the Arctic and A Smart Arctic Future.

Arctic Futures 2050: Science and Policy for a Changing Arctic, September 4-6, 2019 (Washington, DC USA). In 2019, the Study of Environmental Arctic Change  (SEARCH) and partners will convene Arctic scientists and decision makers to jointly forecast Arctic research needed to inform policy in the coming decades. The conference also is intended to foster more effective and iterative collaborations among Arctic scientists and decision makers.

of the AAG includes over 8,500 geographers converging from the U.S., Canada, and nearly 60 other countries in a typical year including geographers, GIS specialists, environmental scientists, and other leaders for the latest in research and applications in geography, sustainability, and GIScience.

18th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering / 8th Canadian Permafrost Conference, August 18-22, 2019 (Quebec, Canada). Sustainable infrastructure development and permafrost science, in a climate change context, will be the focus of the discussions of this international conference.

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