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August 2, 2016

Today's C ongressional Action:   
The House and Senate are not in session.

Media   

Whooping Cough Continues to Spread Through Nunavut's Baffin Region.  The number of cases of whooping cough continues to rise in Nunavut, with 70 probable or confirmed cases of the respiratory infection recorded in the territory's Baffin region. And with the rise, Government of Nunavut health officials continue to encourage Nunavummiut to get vaccinated against the infection, the GN said in a July 29 release.
 
Decreased Ice Cover Drives Arctic Maritime Traffic.  The increase in maritime traffic in the Arctic Ocean is related to the decrease of the ice layer in the area, according to a study by the Institute of Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems, a joint centre of the   Higher Council for Scientific Research   (CSIC) and the Universitat de les Illes Balears. "This is the first study on this issue made with real data, since so far there have only existed growth forecast models," points out Victor M. Eguíluz, CSIC researcher at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems.  FIS

Study of Tiny Arctic Creatures Wins Top Award for Highland Student.A marine science student's ground-breaking research into tiny underwater creatures in the Arctic has won her a top accolade from her university. Laura Hobbs, who was a PhD student at the Oban-based Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) UHI, was given the postgraduate student of the year title in recognition of her work with zooplankton.
 
America's Last Mammoths Died of Thirst on an Alaskan Island.  Long after most of their kind had died out, one group of woolly mammoths was still surviving on an Alaskan island. Now it's clear why they finally bit the dust: a warming climate caused their lakes to dry up. Mammoths were in crisis at the end of the last ice age, when human hunters were able to spread into their habitat in the northern hemisphere. Most mammoths on mainland Asia and North America went extinct over 13,000 years ago, either due to climate change, hunting or a mix of both.
 
Inuit Food Insecurity in Iqaluit Up to 11 Times Greater Than for Non-Inuit: Research.  Inuit who live in Iqaluit are nine to 11 times more likely than non-Inuit to suffer from food insecurity. The prevalence of food insecurity in Iqaluit was more than three times higher than the Canadian average and "strongly patterned by ethnic origin," says recent research circulated by the Circumpolar Health Journal.

Legislative Action futureevents   

No Arctic legislation was formally considered yesterday.

Future Events

Informational Webinar on the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee's Draft Arctic Research Plan 2017-2021, August 3 at 3pm EDT (Webinar).   T he Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) requests public comment on the draft Arctic Research Plan 2017-2021 (Five-Year Plan). The Five Year Plan describes research priorities that are expected to benefit from interagency collaboration. It will be published by the Office of Science and Te chnology Policy in late 2016. The Five-Year Plan and additional information is available at  https://review.globalchange.gov/ , where public comments may be submitted between  July 26 and August 21 . Chapter authors will be available to answer questions during a webinar on  August 3 . More information about IARPC, the Five Year Plan and the webinar is available at:  bit.ly/IARPCplan17 

CMTS Speaker Series, August 4, 2016 (Washington, DC  USA). There will be presentation under the US Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) Speaker Series by Ms. Susan "Sudie" Hargis, Tribal Liaison for US Coast Guard District 17, Alaska. It will be held Thursday, August 4, 2016, 10:30 a.m. to Noon at the US Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.  A webinar option is also available.  Please see the attached notice for CMTS contact and webinar access information or contact [email protected] . Ms. Hargis is extremely well-respected in her work with the US Coast Guard and will share her expertise with Alaskan and Arctic Tribal outreach and engagement. I encourage you to join this timely presentation as we all seek to support the President's Arctic initiatives for Tribal outreach.

Hosted by Saint Petersburg State University, the UArctic Congress 2016 will feature Science and Meeting sections, including:
  • Acclaimed keynote speakers and scientific experts presenting research.
  • Parallel sessions on Arctic science, policy, and education topics.
  • Meetings for reps of the Council of UArctic and UArctic Rectors' Forum.
  • Pre-Meetings to foster contacts and enhance networking.
  • Opportunities to promote and market your organization and activities.
  • A UArctic Student Forum with workshops.
  • A Cultural and Social program.
The 2016 UArctic Rectors' Forum and the 19th annual meeting of the Council of UArctic form an integral part of the congress. 

Conference on Water Innovations for Healthy Arctic Homes: September 18-21, 2016, Anchorage, Alaska. This circumpolar conference will bring together engineers, health experts, researchers, community members, policymakers, and innovators to discuss health benefits, challenges and innovations associated with making running water and sewer in remote northern communities safe, affordable and sustainable. Information and an expression of interest in attending can be found here. (The full link is:  http://wihah2016.com/)
 
13th International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments: September 19-22, 2016 (Tromso, Norway).   GIMS 13  promotes the study of natural gas and release systems on a global scale and  facilitates interdisciplinary and international cooperation. The conference  intends to bring together geologists, biologists, microbiologist, geophysicists, oceanographers, geochemists and scientists from modeling disciplines. The forum will provide a platform for current knowledge and future programs in gas inventories, fluxes and their role within the carbon cycle and biodiversity. Conference is organized by CAGE - Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate at UiT The  Arctic University of Norway. Abstract submission deadline is May 30th and registration deadline is June 20th. For more information:  http://gims13.uit.no
 
Bridging the Future of Arctic Social Science Research, September 23-24, 2016 (Monticello, Virginia, USA). The event is sponsored by Arctic Horizons.  The event will reassemble the members of the National Steering Committee and a small but diverse selection of representatives from the five regional workshops, to total about 15 people. The aim will be to identify and synthesize the core threads of the previous workshops and public contributions proffered between workshops. The target output for the workshop will be a final report draft and outline of steps leading to the final report release in June 2016. The Jefferson Institute will manage production of the publication.
 
Second International Conference on Natural Resources and Integrated Development of Coastal Areas in the Arctic Zone, September 27-29, 2016 (Arkhangelsk, Russia).  The Conference is organized by FASO of Russia, Russian Academy of Sciences, Government of Arkhangelsk region, Arkhangelsk Scientific Center and International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). Conference is aimed at elaboration of research-based practical measures and instruments for realization of human, natural and transport-logistical potential of the Arctic zone, including development of the Northern Sea Route and implementation of models of integrated coastal areas management. For additional information, please email.

Arctic Ambitions V: International Business Conference & Trade Show, October 4-5, 2016 (Anchorage, Alaska, USA). This once-a-year event uniquely focuses on business and investment opportunities flowing from developments in the Arctic. With interest in commercial development in the Arctic growing rapidly, WTC Anchorage initiated the Arctic Ambitions conference five years ago to address issues such as innovation, investment, infrastructure development, transportation, natural resources, and trade. At the event, corporate executives and senior government officials from across the Arctic, and around the world, make presentations and participate in panel discussions. This year's conference also includes a Trade Show and B2B Matchmaking Session. For more information, please contact Greg Wolf ( [email protected]) or call 907-278-7233.

Inuit traditions are a repository of Inuit culture and a primary expression of Inuit identity. The theme for the 2016 Inuit Studies Conference invites Elders, knowledge-bearers, researchers, artists, policy-makers, students and others to engage in conversations about the many ways in which traditions shape understanding, while registering social and cultural change. The institutional hosts of "Inuit Traditions," Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Nunatsiavut Government, invite you to contribute to an exchange of knowledge to be held in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, October 7-10, 2016. Presentations on all aspects of Inuit studies will be welcome.

Arctic Technology Conference, October 24-26, 2016 (St. John's, Canada).  Founded in 1969, the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is the world's foremost event for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. The Arctic Technology Conference (ATC) is built upon OTC's successful multidisciplinary approach, with 14 technical societies and organizations working together to deliver the world's most comprehensive Arctic event.

Converging Interests: Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS16), October 27-28, 2016 (Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada). MASS16 will once again focus on the challenges associated with both northern and maritime environments. The aim of the 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 various components of northern development. 
 
The 5th Forum for Arctic Modeling and Observational Synthesis (FAMOS) project School and Meeting, November 1-4, 2016 (Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA).The major goals of the meeting are to discuss results of ongoing FAMOS activities, and to plan 2016-2017 coordinated modeling and observing projects, with a special focus on high and very high spatiotemporal resolution processes. You can register here.

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