News Archive

Today, the Russian Research Vessel R/V Akademik Tryoshnikov arrived in port in Kirkenes, Norway. Jon and the UAF research team met up with other researchers from Norway and Japan that will also be on the cruise. Currently, they are loading all their equipment, food and gear on the ship for the next 40 days. Departure is scheduled for later today. You can follow Jon on his expedition here.

And, we are back! Teacher Jon Pazol is headed to the Arctic! He's participating in an international ship-based research expedition, Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational System (NABOS). The goal of this study is to develop a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of how the Eastern Eurasian Basin functions as a switchgear, accumulating and releasing major Arctic riverine transports and redistributing ice and freshwater between the eastern and western Arctic in response to atmospheric and oceanic forcings. Jon will be at sea until late October. You can read about his experience through his journals, view photos, and ask your questions.

Registration is now open for Arctic CCS: Community and Citizen Science in the Far North. This is a free, virtual conference scheduled for 5–7 Oct. 2021. The conference, integrated with social media, will focus on sharing, networking, and discussing the various aspects of conducting community and citizen science research in the Arctic. Abstracts are due on Monday, 23 August 2021 at 5:00 PM Alaska Daylight Time. Share your experiences with community and citizen science research in the Arctic. There are no registration or abstract fees.

Community and Citizen Science in the Far North is a free, virtual conference scheduled for 5–7 Oct. 2021. This virtual conference, integrated with social media, will focus on sharing, networking, and discussing the various aspects of conducting community and citizen science research in the Arctic. Abstracts are due on Monday 23 August 2021 at 5:00 PM Alaska Daylight Time. We encourage community members, students, and educators to submit an abstract. Share your experiences with community and citizen science research in the Arctic. There are no registration or abstract fees. Conference registration opens on August 16, 2021.

Register today for the PolarConnect event with PolarTREC teacher Mark Goldner! The live event takes place on Monday, 26 July 2021 at 11:30AM AKDT [12:30PM PDT, 1:30PM MDT, 2:30PM CDT, 3:30PM EDT]. Learn all about what is happening with a retreating glacier in Svalbard, Norway! This event will focus on the National Geographic supported expedition with the team working with Dr. Julie Brigham-Grette. Teacher Mark Goldner will share what they are learning about the changing glacier and fjord. Learn more about the science at their expedition page.

The International Commission of Polar Meteorology (ICPM) announces the recordings of two recent webinars. The first webinar was presented by Dr. Amlie Kirchgaessner from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) discussing MOSAiC: What is it all about? and My Experiences from the Setup Phase of MOSAiC (Leg 1a). The second webinar was presented by Dr. John Cassano from the National Snow and Ice Date Center (NSIDC) discussing Meteorological Conditions during the MOSAiC Expedition: Normal or unusual? and A Scientist's Experience on the MOSAiC Expedition.

Teacher Mark Goldner is returning to the field with researcher Dr. Julie Brigham-Grette 10 years after his first PolarTREC expedition in 2011. The research, this time funded through National Geographic, will return to the Svalbard Archipelago and continue to look at ice-ocean interactions and processes at the faces of tidewater glaciers. The team will be mapping bathymetry of the ice margin area to compare with earlier surveys, and recording oceanographic data (including temperature, salinity, and turbidity of the water column) to track the inflow of North Atlantic water at the ice face.

The PolarConnect event with PolarTREC teacher Liza Backman on 15 June 2021 is now archived. Liza is working with researchers studying environmental variability and increased temperature on tundra plant phenology in Alaska as part of the Phenology and Vegetation in the Warming Arctic expedition.

Do You Want to Make an Impact in Polar Science Education and Communication?

Get active in Polar Educators International (PEI) and the PEI leadership!

Now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 PEI Council

Polar Educators International is an essential network of educators and researchers aiming to provide a deeper understanding of current polar sciences to a global audience. The one-year Council term begins 1 June 2021. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply. Help shape PEI and the future of polar science education!

PEI Council members benefit from monthly interaction with polar educators and researchers from around the world.

• Help organize engagement activities
• Develop your understanding of the Polar Regions
• Play a key role at the biennial conference in Iceland 2022
• Assist in the development of the new Polar Resource Book

Read more about PEI on their website. To find out more about what the PEI Council does, see the FAQ here.

Applications are due 10 May 2021

Teacher Liza Backman from Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy in Brooklyn, New York, will be traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska in mid-May to prepare for field work before heading to Toolik Field Station, north of the Brooks Range. She’ll be joining researchers Dr. Steve Oberbauer and Dr. Jeremy May as part of the Phenology and Vegetation in the Warming Arctic 2021 expedition. The team will study environmental variability and increased temperature on tundra plant phenology, growth, species composition and ecosystem function. Follow Liza's expedition to the Arctic by learning more about the expedition and following her journals!