The ARCTICenter at the University of Northern Iowa (USA) and Northern Arctic Federal University (Russia) are pleased to host the 10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS X) organized by the International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA). ICASS X will focus on all aspects of human existence in the Arctic in the past, present and future: social, cultural, historical, economic, political, linguistic, educational, archaeological, engineering, health, legal, psychological, to name a few. The Congress will also emphasize history, future and sustainability of Arctic peoples and environments throughout generations and co-production of knowledge with Indigenous knowledge holders and Arctic stakeholders.USARC Commissioner Tom Dans will provide welcoming, introductory remarks.

October 2021 will mark 50 years since the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was passed and Alaska Native corporations were first established. While Alaska Native corporations are indeed businesses, they are not typical publicly-traded corporations, nor are their shareholders typical. Their primary purpose centers on Alaska Native people, their communities and the promotion of their social, cultural, and economic advancement. Please join the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute, with the ANCSA Regional Association and Alaska Native Village Corporation Association, to explore the unique ownership and missions of their member organizations.

The seminar will present a report prepared in relation to the project “Overview of EU actions in the Arctic and their impact.” The study considers a broad range of ways in which EU policies affect the Arctic and influence the EU’s environmental footprint and economic presence in the region. During the study the EU’s environmental and economic Arctic impact has been considered, relevant policies have been identified and analysed as well as policy options for strengthening the EU Arctic approach have been proposed. The report has been written by a team of experts led by Prof. Timo Koivurova. The seminar will include the presentation of the study, commentaries from Arctic stakeholders as well as insights into the current stage of developing the new EU’s policy towards the Arctic, to which the report is to contribute.

The Arctic Ocean is experiencing rapid and dramatic changes in response to climate-driven warming. Many organisms may spread northward as a result of rising temperatures and loss of sea ice, but few present such significant threats to human and ecosystem health as harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. Alexandrium catenella, a producer of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), has a long history of causing toxicity in the Gulf of Alaska, yet there is little recognition of this organism as a human health concern north of Bering Strait. Here we describe an exceptionally large A. catenella benthic cyst bed and hydrographic conditions across the Chukchi Sea that support germination and development of recurrent, self-initiating, and self-seeding blooms. This event is part of the ARCUS Arctic Research Seminar Series.

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