The second circular for the MicroPerm workshop is availabble for download. The workshop, aimed at the circumpolar integration of permafrost microbiological studies, will take place in Potsdam (Germany) from November 8-10 2010. MicroPerm aims at establishing a research network bringing together early career scientists with expert researchers in the field of permafrost microbiology. The workshop will provide a forum for all scientists interested in permafrost microbiology and to work towards a project integrating results and methods relevant to that topic. Travel grants will be available for early career scientists.
For more information you can download the second circular here or visit the IPA website.
IASC Medals are awarded in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to the understanding of the Arctic. A maximum of one award is made each year, assuming that there is a nominee of appropriate quality. The award of medals will normally be by the President of IASC during the Arctic Science Summit Week (or exceptionally at another major international meeting) following the ratification of the award. Nominations can be submitted to the IASC Secretariat at any time.
Download the official form here: IASC Medal Nomination Form
The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the new Canadian High Arctic Research Station will be located in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. “Through our Northern Strategy our Government is committed to realizing the full potential of Canada’s North” said Prime Minister Harper. “By building this leading-edge research station, we are advancing Canada’s knowledge of the Arctic’s resources and climate while at the same time ensuring that Northern communities are prosperous, vibrant and secure.”
The Canadian High Arctic Research Station will be a year-round, multidisciplinary facility exploring the cutting-edge of Arctic science and technology issues. The research at the station will aim to help protect and understand the northern environment, contributing to the overall quality of life for Northerners and all Canadians. The station is an integral part of Canada’s four part Northern Strategy: to assert and defend Canada’s sovereignty, to protect the unique and fragile arctic ecosystem, to develop a strong Northern economy and to encourage good governance and greater local control and opportunity.
For more information on the research station and a feasibility study, please visit:http://www.scienceadvice.ca/en/assessments/completed/canadian-arctic.aspx and http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nth/st/fs-eng.asp
24 August 2010
SAMOYLOV ISLAND – Russia’s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, visited the polar research station “Samoylov” in the Lena Delta, North Siberia, to get an impression of Russian and German permafrost research in the region. Putin visited field experiments related to micrometeorology, greenhouse gas flux studies as well as palaeoclimate research. Members of the “Lena Delta 2010 Expedition”, had the unique opportunity to discuss the future of polar research in Northern Russia with the Prime Minister in person.
The Lena River Delta located at the Laptev Sea coast in northeastern Siberia is a key region for understanding the basic processes of the dynamics and development of permafrost in the Siberian Arctic. The wide variety of research projects on Samoylov Island are run by the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam, the Universities of Hamburg and Cologne, the Arctic und Antarctic Research Institute in St. Petersburg, the Permafrost Institute in Yakutsk, Moscow State University and the Institute of Forest Research in Krasnoyarsk.
Photo: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the participants of the “Lena Delta 2010 Expedition” in front of the Russian-German research station "Samoylov". ©Thomas Opel, Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam
For more information on the Samoylov research station, please visit: http://www.awi.de/en/infrastructure/stations/samoylov_station/
The Polar Journal is a multi-disciplinary social sciences and humanities scholarly journal which will help to create a community among the considerable number of specialists and policy makers working on these crucial regions. The journal welcomes papers on polar affairs from all fields of the social sciences and the humanities.
The main purpose of the journal is to develop a forum for the scholarly discussion of polar issues from a social science and humanities perspective and to help build a community of scholars working on polar issues. In order to better develop the field of polar social sciences and humanities and build connections between scholars, each issue of the journal will either feature articles from different disciplines on polar affairs or feature a topical theme from a range of scholarly approaches.
The 'special issue' section of the journal will take up around fifty percent of the journal, with the remaining space available for papers on other topics submitted independently of the special issue theme. This will allow for timely publication of research which reflects current concerns, and will also ensure that each issue of the journal is both specialised and aimed at the wider body of polar scholars and those interested in polar affairs.
More information on the journal and its editorial board can be found at: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/journal.asp?issn=2154-896X&linktype=5
A draft of the State of the Arctic Coast 2010 report (please note: not for quotation or citation) is available for review. The goal of this report is to draw on initial findings regarding climate change and human dimensions for the Arctic as a whole provided by the ACIA and AHDR reports to develop a comprehensive picture of the status and current and anticipated changes in the most sensitive Arctic coastal areas.
Adopting a social ecological system perspective the report considers the implications of change for the interaction of humans with natural coastal systems. The report is intended as a first step towards a continuously updated coastal assessment and aims to identify key issues requiring future scientific attention in an international Earth system research agenda.
The draft report is the outcome of this collaborative effort and starts with a thematic review of the state of physical and ecological systems and human communities and activities on the Arctic coast as of 2010. It than moves to a more holistic and coupled-system perspective to identify knowledge gaps and future research needs. Current knowledge presented and synthesized is based on published literature and other sources.
The document was prepared by an international writing team, including 15 Lead Authors and 27 Contributing Authors. The draft report was released during the IPY Oslo Conference, 8-12 June 2010. The whole report will soon be available for a 2-month public review during August-September with the objective to publish the final version early in 2011. Instructions for submitting review comments will be posted along with the full draft report by the end of July.
General Editor:Donald L. Forbes (dforbes@nrcan.gc.ca)
Editorial Board:Hugues Lantuit (Hugues.Lantuit@awi.de), Volker Rachold (Volker.Rachold@iasc.info) and Hartwig Kremer (hartwig.kremer@loicz.org)
For more information and to access the report, see: http://arcticcoasts.org. To submit comments and questions, please email: info@arcticcoasts.org
The International Permafrost Association and the Tyumen Oil and Gas University are excited to present the first circular on the Tenth International Conference on Permafrost, to be held June 25-29, 2012 for the first time in Russia since 1973. The International Conference on Permafrost, held every four years, is the premier venue for all research related to permafrost.
The conference will focus on both arctic, antarctic and alpine permafrost research. The theme of the conference is “Resources and Risks in permafrost regions in a changing world” and refers to both the impacts of a changing world on permafrost and the impact of permafrost on a changing world. It also uses the world “resource”, which, in the host university tradition, relates to permafrost as both an industrial and environmental resource. The conference will also host official IPA Executive Committee and Council meetings. Stipends will be available for young scientists.
You can
download the first Circular online at: http://ipa.arcticportal.org/images/stories/ticop_first_circular.pdf or visit the conference website at: http://ticop2012.org for more information.
The Fifth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that will be presented in 2014 will include a Polar Regions Chapter. Dr Joan Nymand Larsen, Senior Scientist at the Stefansson Arctic Institute in Iceland and President of the International Arctic Social Sciences Association and Professor Oleg Anisimov, head of the Climatology Department at the State Hydrological Institute in St Petersburg have been selected to lead the Polar regions chapter (28) of the Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. For more information on the Report and different chapter, please visit: www.ipcc.ch
During the IPY meeting in Oslo, Norway, members of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and IASC Executive Committees met to discuss the way forward for future bipolar cooperation and the legacy of the IPY. SCAR and IASC already cooperate in a number of bipolar projects and this was felt to be a fruitful relationship. It was also agreed that SCAR and IASC should certainly play a lead role in taking forward IPY legacy issues, but this must be done taking into account the resource limitations (both human and financial) of both organizations. The outcomes and implications of the meeting will be discussed by both Executive Committees. It was also felt that another joint meeting of representatives of both Executive Committees should be arranged in the future to continue discussions.
A workshop on “Exploring Ice and Snow in the Cold War” , supported by the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society in Munich, will take place at the Deutsche Museum in Munich from 27th to 29th of January 2011. The workshop organizers are interested in new research projects at the interface of environmental history, military history and the history of science and technology to contribute to the discussion on the scientific perception and constitution of nature in the Cold War. Travel and accommodation costs will be met by the organizers. Applications must be written in English. Abstracts (500 words) and a short CV should be submitted by email no later than August 30th 2010. For more information and contact details, please download the pdf file: Workshop Details
The medal was presented by the IASC President, David Hik. at the IPY Science Conference in Oslo. He has inspired many young students," said David Hik in his introduction. Along with the medal, Professor Webber also received an unusual present. The botanist's old herbarium box from the 1960s was found during a recent field trip, and colleagues have framed the lid to return to him with the award.
In his plenary talk, Professor Webber highlighted the role of mentors and the importance of the chance encounters of life. He talked about the influence of his father, who was a school teacher and an avid naturalist, and who was to be his first mentor. His quest to become a polar scientist began at the age of eleven after he saw a movie about polar exploration. "I was bitten by the polar bug," Professor Webber recalled.
His choice of PhD topic was also in part determined by coincidence, as he stepped in for another botanist on a field trip to Baffin Island in northern Canada. "A lot of this is serendipity," he said, referring to a term introduced by Horace Walpole in the 18th century. Professor Webber struck an optimistic note when addressing the young scientists in the audience. "In spite of the dire predictions these days, I remain optimistic. We have such fine scholars. You young scientists can leave a legacy," he stated. He also addressed the more established scientists.
"Your mentoring will be appreciated. We do not know who our mentors are until we look back. And often mentors are not aware that they are being mentors, they are just being themselves," he pointed out. His final message was to the young scientists: "May you have excellent mentors. You have unprecedented opportunities. Life is full of surprises - may some of them be serendipitous," concluded Professor Webber.
Unique Arctic habitats for flora and fauna, including sea ice, tundra, lakes, and peatlands have been disappearing over recent decades, and some characteristic Arctic species have shown a decline. The changes in Arctic Biodiversity have global repercussions and are further creating challenges for people living in the Arctic.
The above statements are examples on the key findings describing changes in Arctic biodiversity that is presented in ‘The Arctic Biodiversity Trends – 2010: Selected Indicators of Change’, a new report synthesizing scientific findings on the status and trends for selected biodiversity in the Arctic issued by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group under the Arctic Council. More information on the key findings and online versions of the different chapters can be found on the website www.arcticbiodiversity.is.
IASC is pleased to announce funding opportunities for IASC Networks and Workshops. Proposals can be submitted to the IASC Secretariat at any time using an IASC proposal template. Proposals will be considered twice per year after the submission deadlines of 31 August and 31 December.
For more information on the conditions and possibilities, you can download the IASC proposal template here: IASC External Proposals Template
A new IASC newsletter is available for download. This Spring 2010 Progress edition covers:
The IPY Conferences in 2010 and 2012A pdf version of the newsletter can be downloaded here: Progress Spring 2010
An information flyer to ‘explore’ polar science is now available for students and early career scientists. The flyer is a shared initiative of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), the University of the Arctic (UArctic), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the International Antarctic Institute (IAI) and IASC.
With a simple overview it aims to inform about international opportunities to study the richly diverse and challenging world of the polar regions. It contains information on, and links to international organizations that inform and advise early career scientists on: career development, networking, funding opportunities and communication and outreach.
The flyer offers a first step in the advancement and support of a strong future of polar researchers and can be downloaded for print here:
Exploring Polar Science Flyer – small file size
Exploring Polar Science Flyer - large file size
The framework for the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2011 Science Symposium is in place. The Science Symposium, which will be organized for the second time after a successful launch in Bergen 2009, creates a platform for exchanging knowledge, cross fertilization and collaboration in arctic science. In 2011 the theme: ‘The Arctic: The New Frontier for Global Science’ will be the focus point.
The Scientific Steering Group, chaired by Dr. Byong-Kwon Park (Korea Polar Research Institute) and Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier (University of Maryland) has finished the framework for the different sessions.
Disciplinary Sessions
Interdisciplinary Sessions
More information can be found in the 1st circular, which can be downloaded here.
The report from the twenty-ninth Meeting of the Arctic Ocean Sciences Board / IASC Marine Working Group is available. The meeting in Nuuk (Greenland) last April was the last meeting under the chairmanship of Dr. Harald Loeng from Norway as Dr. Savi Narayanan was elected as new chair for a two-year period. Dr. Jackie Grebmeier was elected vice chair for a two‐year period beginning.
For more information on recent and future AOSB/Marine Working Group activities and science initiatives you can download the report here:
After the success of the first international symposium on arctic research, a second symposium will be organized in Tokyo (Japan) from December 7-9, 2010. The three day gathering will cover mainly the same topics as were addressed in 2008 and will focus on Drastic Change under Global Warming. More information about the venue and contact details can be found in the official announcement.
Second International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR-2) Announcement
David Hik was elected as the new IASC President during the annual IASC Council Meeting in Nuuk/Copenhagen. The circumstances where somewhat special considering the fact that half of the IASC delegation was present in Nuuk while the other half was detained in Copenhagen due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Luckily modern technology enabled the first (and hopefully last) IASC elections through a videoconference connecting both cities.
David Hik, Professor and Research Chair in Northern Ecology at the University of Alberta succeeds Kristján Kristjánsson as the IASC Presidents for the next four years. The new elected Vice-Presidents Susan Barr (Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage) and Naja Mikkelsen (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland), and the re-elected Jacqueline Grebmeier (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science) will join Byong-Kwon Park (Korea Polar Research Institute) to complete the IASC Executive Committee.
The full IASC Council and Secretariat would like to express their deep appreciation and sincere thanks to Kristján Kristjánsson (Director of Research Services at Reykjavík University) who served in the Executive Committee as a President from 2006-2010 and Vice-President from 2002-2006, and Professor Emeritus Dieter Fütter, Vice-President from 1994-1997 and 2002-2010, for all their work and highly valued input.
The IASC Bulletin covering the year 08/09 is available. The reporting period for this third IASC yearbook falls within the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 and its aftermath. It shows the wide variety of activities and projects that help carry on the IPY legacy in current and future arctic reseacrh. A special chapter is reserved for the succesfull first OpenScience Symposium that took place during the ASSW 2009 in Bergen (Norway).
You can download the IASC Bulletin 08/09 as a pdf version here or contact the secretariatat at iasc@iasc.info for a printed copy.
The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Open Science Conference represents an exclusive opportunity to assemble the international scientific community working to advance understanding and prediction of variability and change of the Earth’s physical climate system on all space and time scales. The conference takes place from 24-28 2011 October in Denver, Colorado (US). The OSC will facilitate cross-cooperation across the diverse research communities within WCRP, as well as with other international research programmes, including the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), needed to meet the increasingly complex scientific challenges of the future.
You can download the conference flyer here or visit the website for more information.
The dates for the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2011 are set at March 29 until April 2. The ASSW 2011 will take place in the Coex Center in Seoul (Korea) and will have an integrated Science Symposium covering the theme: ‘The Arctic: The New Frontier for Global Science’. The Science Symposium that will be organized for the second time after a successful launch in Bergen 2009 creates a platform for exchanging knowledge, cross fertilization and collaboration in arctic science. The Scientific Steering Group is chaired by Dr. Byong-Kwon Park, Korea Polar Research Institute, and Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier, University of Maryland.
