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June 4, 2021

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No Arctic-science event is scheduled for today.

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Gambell Gets Distemper Outbreak Under Control

The community of Gambell fought a distemper outbreak among its dog population this spring and managed to squash the epidemic in its early onset. Distemper is a deadly disease that can afflict dogs and wildlife alike and also has been documented in the North Atlantic to jump from dogs to marine mammals like seals, explains Dr. Bob Gerlach, the State Veterinarian. Gambell mayor Joel James said that dogs started to get sick and by lucky coincidence the Alaska Native Rural Veterinarian group was in town for a regular spay and neuter clinic. They ended up helping to find out what caused the sickness and then rendered assistance to get the outbreak under control by starting a massive vaccination effort.

Nome Nugget

Arctic Open-water Periods are Projected to Lengthen Dramatically by 2100

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A team from the Centre for Earth Observation Science at the University of Manitoba has published a paper in the Nature journal Communications Earth & Environment that addresses a large gap in our understanding of Arctic Sea Ice coverage. Their paper, "Arctic open-water periods are projected to lengthen dramatically by 2100," reports on how sensitive the seasonal retreat and advance of Arctic sea ice in specific regions are to different thresholds of global warming, that is, what happens to the ice for every degree of warming.

Phys.org

Arctic Sea Ice Thinning Faster Than Expected

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Sea ice thickness is inferred by measuring the height of the ice above the water, and this measurement is distorted by snow weighing the ice floe down. Scientists adjust for this using a map of snow depth in the Arctic that is decades out of date. In the new study, researchers swapped this map for the results of a new computer model designed to estimate snow depth as it varies year to year.

Science Daily

Will a Native-led Initiative Spur an Agricultural Revolution in Rural Alaska?

When Eva Dawn Burk first saw Calypso Farm and Ecology Center in 2019, she felt enchanted. Calypso is an educational farm tucked away in a boreal forest in Ester, Alaska, near Fairbanks. To Burk, it looked like a subarctic Eden, encompassing vegetable and flower gardens, greenhouses, goats, sheep, honeybees, a nature trail and more. In non-pandemic summers, the property teems with local kids and aspiring farmers who converge on the terraced hillside for hands-on education.

High Country News
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1:00 pm UTC on JUNE 9, 2021 | VIRTUAL

Third Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3):

Closing Webinar

This meeting is part of the ASM3 webinar series and will focus on the post-ministerial review: joint statement actions.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 5:00 pm (GMT +3) on JUNE 9, 2021 | VIRTUAL

Sustainable Partnerships in the Arctic

This event focuses on future areas for higher education collaboration and successes in developing multidisciplinary partnerships in the Arctic region. Speakers inspire participants with innovative examples and tips to develop collaborations for a sustainable Arctic. Participants, from the Arctic Council member states and beyond, have the opportunity to participate in an interactive networking element, ‘partnership speed-dating’, as a way to meet others and discuss potential future collaborations. This webinar is part of the "Internationalization of Higher Education in the COVID-19 Era" series jointly organized by the Department of State’s USA Study Abroad branch, the Fulbright Finland Foundation, and the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA).

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | Noon ET on JUNE 14, 2021 | VIRTUAL

Creating Space for Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Sphere

This webinar is part of The Arctic Institute's Breaking the Ice Ceiling series to illuminate polar research by those who identify as women & to foster discussion on systemic change in polar sciences to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this webinar, learn from Meredith LaValley, Dr. Olivia Lee, and Liz Weinberg on how an interagency body like the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) create space for diversity and inclusion discussions and progress across the federal government.

Event Link

JUNE 15-20, 2021 | Virtual

10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS X) Arctic Generations: Looking Back and Looking Forward

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.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 1:30 pm ET on JUNE 16, 2021 | Virtual

10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS X) Arctic Generations: Looking Back and Looking Forward

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.

Event Link

2:30- 5:00 pm (CET) on June 17, 2021 | VIRTUAL

The EU's Arctic Influence: Presentation of a Report on the EU Actions Affecting the Arctic

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.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 1:00 pm ET on JUNE 22, 2021 | VIRTUAL

Don Anderson: Evidence for Massive and Recurrent Toxic Blooms of Alexandrium Catenella in the Alaskan Arctic

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.

Event Link
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OCTOBER 24–29, 2021 | BOULDER, COLORADO, USA

2021 Regional Conference on Permafrost/19th International Conference Cold Regions Engineering

For the first time, a Regional Conference on Permafrost will be combined with the bi-annual 19th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering. This conference is hosted by the US Permafrost Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the International Permafrost Association, the Permafrost Young Researchers Network, and the University of Colorado Boulder. A complete list of planned sessions is available here.

Event Link

MAY 9-12, 2022 | HANKO, FINLAND

2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses

Organizers announce, that due to the coronavirus outbreak, the 2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses has been postponed to 2022. This symposium will bring together molecular microbial ecologists specializing in different organism groups to share our latest results and discuss methodological problems, as well as future prospects in the field, including practical international collaborations. The environmental focus will be on cryospheric environments including sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and permafrost, but excellent research in other polar environments is also invited. The methods to be discussed will focus on 'omics' techniques, ranging from single cells to metagenomes, but research using additional methods is encouraged as well.

Event Link
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