It's about one week before we embark on our journey north and the challenge of preparing to leave for almost six weeks has become a reality. What to pack, how to pack, visits with family and friends, putting personal tasks in order, testing equipment, communicating, etc.... are all on the prep list. The biggest challenge in preparing has been how to prepare for the unknown field conditions, especially when it's in the 90's here in NJ and it will be in the 30's and 40's in Svalbard! Fortunately I've had numerous hints on how to pack from the PI's, previous participants, and personal experience in the various field conditions, but it remains to be seen whether it will all fit into one piece of luggage. I'll let you know!
Preparing for this experience not only means preparing for field conditions, but more importantly it means preparing for the scientific work we will be doing while in Svalbard. Dissecting natural processes for answers to questions about climate change has always intrigued me, and I'm looking forward to applying a number of creative field methods to understand the mechanisms of climate change. Watch my journal for more information about the specific research questions and methods we'll be using. You will be asked for assistance in answering a research question using a number of temperature sensors I'm taking into the field. Watch my journal for the beginning of our study. I can't wait to hear your ideas!
How about a fun contest for all you competitive kids? I've given the challenge to my students and will open it up to all kids (ages 3-14) who follow my journal and photo gallery. Hidden in some pictures will be the Chatham High School cougar and polar bears (models - not the real ones!!), and your challenge is to locate the cougar and bears in the photos. Document which pictures and how many cougars and bears can be seen, and when I return to NJ there will be a small prize for those with the correct numbers, and a larger prize for someone drawn from all those submitting the correct answer. The deadline to submit an entry is Friday September 5th. Submit them to me at mholzer [at] polartrec.com. Good Luck!
Follow the CHS cougar and the polar bear to Svalbard