In celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the US Arctic Research Commission celebrates two employees. Deputy Executive Director Dr. Cheryl Rosa is a wildlife veterinarian (DVM) and wildlife biologist (PhD) is the commission’s Alaska Director. She has previously worked with subsistence communities on the North Slope of Alaska and in the Russian Far East on a wide range of studies involving wildlife health and zoonotic disease, marine mammal stranding response, subsistence food safety, and oil spill/offshore discharge research. Dr. Hadjira Schmitt Foudhil has recently joined the USARC in a dual capacity as Administrative Assistant / Science Associate. She is an expert in energy and climate issues and has helped implement green incentive policies for sustainable transportation, buildings, and energy sectors in France and within Europe.

Gardeners in Alaska know that it’s hard to grow big, juicy tomatoes here. But as the climate rapidly warms in the far north, that could change. Anchorage reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) for the first time on record in 2019.

Advances in satellite technology have revealed that the world’s glaciers contain significantly less ice than previously thought, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience on Monday. The revised estimate reduces global sea level rise by 3 inches if all glaciers were to melt. But it raises concern for some communities that rely on seasonal melt from glaciers to feed rivers and irrigate crops. If glaciers contain less ice, water will run out sooner than expected.

A new research expedition vessel has been designed for Rosgidromet’s research in the Arctic. The new ship will cost about 39.8 billion rubles. The Government will make a decision on supporting this project soon, the Izvestia newspaper reports. Most of the research by the Russian Antarctic Expedition and the High-Latitude Arctic Expedition is carried out by Rosgidromet's Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute with the icebreakers Mikhail Somov and Akademik Fyodorov (built in 1975 and 1987, respectively). 

The Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 provides a high-level strategy and goals for the next five years of Arctic research. In order to respond quickly to novel challenges and to provide more opportunities for Arctic researchers and residents to drive the work IARPC does, we are moving to a two-year implementation process for the plan. Biennial implementation plans will include more granular, specific objectives and deliverables. The first biennial implementation plan is currently under development and will cover 2022-2024. In this webinar, biennial implementation plan transition teams will provide an overview of their draft objectives and request input and ideas. This webinar is hosted by IARPC.

IARPC Collaborations Diversity & Inclusion Working Group hosts this event and is hosting a quarterly reading group initiative, designed to encourage reading and open conversations on topics related to diversity and inclusion in Arctic Science. This event will focus Indigenous food sovereignty and self-governance, featuring a discussion with Carolina Behe of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska.

Arctic360 will host this event with guest from sectors including Indigenous, private sector, and political leaders across Canada. The 2022 conference theme: ‘WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE MEETS DIPLOMACY’ focuses on strengthening partnership to help build green, connected, smart, and climate resilient transportation infrastructure to foster local economic growth and well-being at home and connect the region to domestic and international markets. Turning potential into reality requires vision, planning, political cooperation, and the Public-Private-Indigenous Partnerships that are necessary for success. The path towards 21st century Arctic transportation infrastructure is where ‘Infrastructure Investment Meets Diplomacy.’

The Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) is organized annually by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)  to provide opportunities for coordination, cooperation and collaboration between the various scientific organizations involved in Arctic research. It was initiated by the IASC in 1999.

Join us on April 7th and 8th in Anchorage, Alaska at the Denai’na Convention Center and the Anchorage Museum for Arctic Encounter Anchorage 2022. As the largest Arctic policy and business conference in the United States, with partners and convenings across the globe, the Arctic Encounter brings together thousands of Arctic leaders and voices from around the world. Following two years of cancellation due to COVID-19, 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, and more. Visit ArcticEncounter.com to learn more and to subscribe to receive the most up-to-date information as speakers, partners, exhibitors, and more are announced.

The participants in the forum will focus on improving the living standards in the Arctic region, preserving its unique ecological potential, ensuring sustainable socioeconomic development in polar territories, and strengthening international cooperation to this end. The IAF is a unique space for constructive cooperation with international and regional organizations and an opportunity to focus on Russian and international priorities, including climate change, the environment, economic cooperation in the Arctic, sustainable development of transport infrastructure, and human capital development.

Arctic Symposium 2022 continues momentum in Arctic defense and security collaboration established in prior ALCOM-hosted events. AAS22 seeks to address the challenges faced by the U.S. military and our allies and partners in understanding and responding to our respective national interests. AAS22 is planned and organized by the Arctic Domain Awareness Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in support and in compliance to guidance from Alaskan Command (ALCOM) Staff and Commander. More information available soon.

The 2022 theme, Pathways, reflects the choices the Arctic is facing when addressing pressing global challenges. The urgency for action will be discussed in terms of pathways to economic development, sustainability, climate action, security, stability, and respect for science in decision-making. The scale spans from national to global policies, from corporate strategies to regional actions and indigenous perspectives, emphasizing the need for broad stakeholder engagement and partnership.

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.

The events during the week of August 1st, 2022, will include Enhancing Arctic Science and Engineering Workshop along with Regional Development Tours and forums on the Arctic science to plan for the next 25 years of Arctic research. Participants will include scientists and engineers, Indigenous leaders, Arctic community members, policymakers, government organizations and businesses to celebrate past research success, take stock of current challenges and opportunities and plan for the next generation of collaboration and knowledge co-production that will keep Utqiagvik and Indigenous knowledge at the forefront of Arctic science and contribute to a safe and sustainable future for

the Arctic.