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I have been in Fairbanks for only a short time - two full days - but I feel like I have seen and learned a lot already. I know what -20˚C feels like on my face. I've heard the snow squeaking under my the enormous arctic boots I have borrowed. I've seen the sun rise and set on the same side of the

Today's Journal My head nods along like a bobble head through the last hours of the second day of orientation. Already I'm starting to feel my eyes glaze over during the next presentation as I feel my body attempting to physically process all of the information that I'm absorbing during the week

I once completed the swimming leg of an ironman competition. I had prepared for weeks swimming countless laps back and forth in a local school pool. I had also done enough sprint and olympic length triathlons with swims in lake water to know what I would be facing on race day. I knew what I had

Today was a very productive day at orientation which began at 8:30 AM. I think one of the most important aspects of the PolarTREC program is to hear comments, suggestions and hear about experiences from PolarTREC alumni. Each of the comments are designed to help each of the current PolarTREC cohort

Teaching is all about getting students to change their minds and making connections. The "best" way this happens is students first reflect on what it is they know or think they know about a given topic. Then the student is faced with something they have not seen or been faced with before and ideally

Stoked. Its a great word. The most familiar use of the word is of course in reference to stirring up or feeding a fire or a furnace. Then there is the Spicoli Stoked. The reference to the character Jeff Spicoli's (Fast Times at Ridgemont

Spoon out the joy of winning the lottery. Blend in how it feels to be recognized for work well done. Add the excitement of seeing your favorite band and stir. The mixture of all these emotions barely approximates the sheer exuberance of learning I was selected to participate in PolarTREC this year

When I first got the email that I had been accepted to PolarTREC I could not hide my smile. Everyone at school, my friends, and my family were extremely excited for me. I was counting down the days until orientation trying to plan for every eventuality and feeling like I was about to start one of

Being selected as a participant in PolarTrec is a very unique opportunity. It is not my first polar experience though. In 2007, I was selected as a researcher in the IPY-ROAM (International Polar Year-Research opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities) I was one of 26 students that was selected to