Witness the Arctic - Fall 2017, Volume 21 Number 2

Chronicles of the NSF Arctic Science Section Fall 2017, Volume 21 Number 2 Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) (pgs 2-5) • Translating Science - SEARCH’s Adventures in Synthesis and Engagement • SEARCH Plans Meetings for Actionable Science Arctic System Science Program (pgs 6-8) • Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN) Updates Arctic Social Sciences Program (pgs 9-20) • Research Processes and Indigenous Communities in Western Alaska: Results from a Workshop on Indigenous Perspectives • Investigating the Health and Wellbeing of Alaska Native Elderly in Northwest Alaska Using Community-Based Research Methods Science Education News (pgs 21-25) • Joint Science Education Project (JSEP): Mentoring the Next Generation of Polar Scientists National Science Foundation News (pgs 26-28) • Updates from NSF’s Arctic Sciences and Research Support and Logistics Programs Interagency News (pgs 29-36) • Governing Across the Waves: An International Workshop on Managing Maritime Traffic in the Bering Strait • IARPC Seeks Comments on Revision of Principles for Conduct of Research in the Arctic U.S. Arctic Research Commission (pgs 37-42) • New Agreement to Enhance International Arctic Scientific Cooperation Polar Research Board (pgs 43-45) • Recent Icebreaker Report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine International News (pgs 46-60) • Highlights from the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) • The Year of Polar Prediction • Greenland Ecological Monitoring Program’s Treasure Trove of Arctic Research Data Publicly Available ARCUS News (pgs 61-65) • ARCUS Program News A Note From the ARCUS Executive Director (pgs 66-68) • 2017: An Interesting Year for Arctic Research In this Issue Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Translating Science - SEARCH's Adventures in Synthesis and Engagement By: Brendan P. Kelly, SEARCH Executive Director The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) facilitates synthesis of Arctic science and communicates our current understanding to help society respond to a rapidly changing Arctic. We focus our syntheses on the changing cryosphere (permafrost, land ice, and sea ice) and the consequences for ecosystems and society. We communicate our understanding to multiple audiences but with an emphasis on policymakers. Synthesizing and communicating to non-scientists both are acts of translation—across disciplinary languages in the case of synthesis and from technical to non-technical language in the case of conversing with policymakers. A recent example of translating across disciplines was the International Workshop to Reconcile Methane Budgets in the Northern Permafrost Region ( https://eos.org/meeting-reports/resolving-a-methanemystery-in-the-arctic ). SEARCH brought together over 40 international scientists with expertise ranging from atmospheric chemistry to oceanography to ecology. Translating across discipline-specific vocabularies was essential to understanding mismatches in estimates of methane emissions from permafrost based on field measurements and on atmospheric data. The common understanding established in the workshop allowed the researchers from different disciplines to create a collaborative plan to reconcile the divergent estimates. While it is possible to coral scientists for three-day technical workshops, opportunities to communicate with policymakers typically depend on shorter convenings. Hence, SEARCH produces short, written briefs addressing policy-relevant questions about Arctic change ( https://www.arcus.org/search-program /arctic-answers ). Those "Arctic Answers" informed a series of recent in-person policy briefings in Alaska; other states; , Washington, DC; , , and abroad. , The production of the briefs was 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 2 enhanced by collaboration with Congressional staff who provided guidance and feedback. In response to the briefs. SEARCH was invited to brief the Senate Arctic and Ocean caucuses on 26 September 2017. Over 30 participants represented both caucuses; three other Senate committees; 9 members' offices; the Navy's Oceanography, Space and Maritime Domain Awareness Directorate; and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. SEARCH followed up with visits to the offices of 9 members of Congress in September and October. Those meetings were collaborative, two-way exchanges in which SEARCH was able to convey up-to-date scientific information, and the congressional staff shared suggestions for increasing our effectiveness in addressing policy. One of SEARCH's leaders is fond of saying, "the science is not complete until the paper is published" to which another adds, "….and the science is made available to stakeholders" including policymakers. Further information about SEARCH Action Teams and related products is available on the SEARCH website . Or, contact Brendan P. Kelly, SEARCH Executive Director ( [email protected] ). Footnotes Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy: https://accap.uaf.edu/SEARCH_Arctic_Answers Arctic Encounter Symposium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTXsdgO5Wv0&t=532s Middlebury Institute of International Studies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzo0S2sD-yk Woodrow Wilson Center: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/arctic-environmental-futures-nexus-sc... American Association for the Advancement of Science: https://www.facebook.com/ArcticChange/videos/353317338412791/ Geopolitics in the New Frontier: Opportunities and Challenges in the Arctic: https://isd.georgetown.edu/ The Arctic at the Crossroads: cooperation or competition?: http://www.ditchley.co.uk/conferences/past-programme/2010-2019/2017/arctic Arctic Science Summit Week: https://www.czech-in.org/cmgateway/assw17/index.html?module=searchablepr... Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 3 Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) SEARCH Plans Meetings for Actionable Science By: Brendan P. Kelly, SEARCH Executive Director What understanding is needed to inform Arctic decisionmaking through 2050? How can scientists better understand and contribute to Arctic policy conversations? How might unexpected events or trends in the Arctic substantially alter policy needs by 2050? What research is needed to avoid unmanageable change in the Arctic? Arctic Futures 2050 will address these questions through a scenarios workshop in 2018 and a larger, open meeting of Arctic scientists and policymakers in 2019. The immediate products will include descriptions of research—jointly produced by scientists and policy staff—needed to inform Arctic policy. The longerterm outcome will be effective and iterative collaborations of scientists and policymakers. Arctic environments are transitioning rapidly to uncertain states, and decision-makers must respond with policies informed by scientific understanding. The Study of Arctic Environmental Change (SEARCH) facilitates cross-disciplinary syntheses to improve our current scientific understanding of Arctic environments and communicates that understanding to policymakers through briefings and roundtables (see the Arctic Answers webpage ). SEARCH recognizes that future scientific understanding of the Arctic will be shaped by the research questions that we ask now, and the utility of the answers for policymaking will be enhanced by early and iterative conversations between researchers and policy staff. In Arctic Futures 2050 , SEARCH and its partners will convene a scenarios workshop to frame research needs in policy terms that will then inform a larger meeting in which scientists and policy staff will develop recommendations for future research. SEARCH welcomes partners in the scientific and decision-making communities to plan and convene Arctic Futures 2050 . Co-producing answers to important questions about the changing Arctic will help 4 break down communication barriers and ensure that the scientific community can meet the needs of decision-makers. Further information about SEARCH Action Teams and related products is available on the SEARCH website . Or, contact Brendan P. Kelly, SEARCH Executive Director ( [email protected] ). Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 5 Arctic System Science Program Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN) Updates By: Betsy Turner-Bogren and Helen Wiggins, ARCUS SIPN 2017 During the final months of funding for the initial Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN) project, efforts were focused on the core Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) activities in the summer and fall of 2017. Activities included development of the June, July, and August monthly reports, and a post-season report to synthesize results from the 2017 melt season. Additionally, SIPN Leadership Team members contributed several peer-reviewed papers for publication and made presentations to the Marine Environmental Observations, Predictions and Response Workshop in Ottawa, Ontario and to the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) Sea Ice Collaboration Team Meeting (see SIPN Presentations and Publications ). The June , July , and August SIO reports received a total of 106 contributions for pan-Arctic extent predictions (based on multiple methods: statistical, dynamical models, estimates based on trends, and subjective information) along with contributions for Alaska regional extent predictions, descriptive regional contributions, and pan-Antarctic extent predictions—a new SIO feature for 2017. 6 Distribution of June, July, and August 2017 Outlook contributions as a series of box plots, broken down by general type of method. The box color depicts contribution method and the number above indicates number of contributions for each type of method. The individual boxes for each method represent, from left to right, June, July and August. The 2017 SIO Post-Season report, under development, will include discussion of the range of methods used by contributors, a review of the 2017 Arctic conditions, and discussion of the Antarctic outlooks. SIPN will hold an open meeting during the 2017 AGU Fall Meetings to provide discussion of the 2017 Arctic sea ice/Sea Ice Outlook season, an overview of the recently-funded "SIPN 2" project and collaborations (see below), and opportunity for discussion and to share information on related efforts. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, 12 December from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. (CST) in New Orleans, Louisiana. More information is available here . For questions and to RSVP, contact Betsy Turner-Bogren, ARCUS ( [email protected]g ). 7 "SIPN2" Project Funded As a follow-on to the current Sea Ice Prediction Network project, a collaborative proposal called "Collaborative Research: Advancing Predictability of Sea Ice: Phase 2 of the Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN2)" has been funded by NSF-Arctic System Science Program. This project, which will begin in January 2018, will result in a better quantification of the role of oceanic heat and climate variations in the Pacific sector of the Arctic; new observational-based sea-ice products; and activities to improve seasonal predictability of Arctic sea ice, the limits of this predictability, and the economic value of forecasts for stakeholders. More information about the new project will be announced via the SIPN Mailing List and discussed at the 12 December open meeting at AGU . Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 8 Arctic Social Sciences Program Research Processes and Indigenous Communities in Western Alaska: Results from a Workshop on Indigenous Perspectives By: Brenden Raymond-Yakoubian, Sandhill.Culture.Craft Principal and Julie Raymond-Yakoubian, Kawerak, Inc., Social Science Program Director Kawerak, Inc. , the Alaska Native non-profit tribal consortium for the Bering Strait region, and Sandhill.Culture.Craft , a social science research and consulting firm based in Girdwood, Alaska, partnered to hold a two-day workshop in August 2016 to discuss key Indigenous perspectives on a variety of issues regarding the relationships between Indigenous communities and research processes. Nine workshop participants from western and northern Alaska Indigenous communities and organizations attended in addition to seven other guests and observers, including guests from the Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska , the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Park Service, and Kawerak. The workshop was funded by NSF's Arctic Social Science and Oceans Sciences Divisions. The Kawerak Marine Program and the National Park Service Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Alaska also provided support. The workshop was part of a larger project conducted by Kawerak and Sandhill.Culture.Craft: an anthropology of research to examine the relationships between research and Indigenous communities from a holistic perspective. This larger project seeks to understand this "landscape" of interrelationships. Project Leads Julie Raymond-Yakoubian and Brenden Raymond-Yakoubian see this as a valuable endeavor that can inform future work on the nexus between communities and research by grounding that work with a holistic look at the complex web of people, institutions, and processes that are involved in this nexus. The workshop and larger project take place within a backdrop of increasing attention to research processes in the north as an object of discussion and inquiry. This has included conversations about, among other things, increased research activities and impacts to communities, how to integrate communities and their concerns and knowledge into research, and changing protocols and standards. The workshop was successful in its goal of providing a forum for discussion of key Indigenous perspectives on these issues (regarding which, these are historically the most under-represented voices). 9 the qualitative research approach known as a "grounded theory framework"—in which theory is derived from the data rather than applying a theoretical framework to guide data analyses—this study will gather interviews with Alaska Native Elders (n=80) in Anchorage, Norton Sound Southern sub-region, and the Aleutian Islands region. Semi-structured in-depth interviews will be conducted with Elders nominated by their community as respected Elders in order to learn what is required to age in place, what it means to age well in their community, role of generativity (the desire to pass on your legacy to future generations to ensure they have a healthy future), as well as the joys and challenges of aging in place. Findings will inform the factors that assist communities to determine how they can support the needs of their Elders and enable them to live their remaining years as they may wish. To date, 41 interviews have been completed in the Norton Sound southern sub-region. Data collection in Anchorage and the Aleutian Islands will take place during spring 2018. Through the establishment of a locally and culturally informed understanding of successful aging, this research advances discovery and builds on the previous Successful Aging Study (Lewis, 2010, 2011, 2013a, 2013b, 2014a, 2014b, Skewes and Lewis 2016, Lewis and Allen 2017). In addition to contributing to the academic literature on successful aging, it promotes teaching and learning from the Elders on healthy aging in rural and urban Alaska, as well as training graduate students how to work respectfully with Alaska Native communities (e.g., gain entrée, host community meetings, coordinate team and community schedules, and host dissemination presentations), and learn effective communication strategies to visit with Elders and learn from their experiences. It also educates researchers on the importance of CBPR and of allowing the elderly to subjectively define their aging process, as well as engaging the local community throughout the entire research process, which promotes the co-production of knowledge and bi-directional learning. This research project broadens the participation of underrepresented groups (Alaska Natives, Elders, rural and remote communities) and puts them on equal footing with the scientists in interpreting results and in presenting the results. This research also has the potential to contribute to the disciplines of anthropology, gerontology, community psychology, sociology, and Indigenous research methods and others by paving the way for future researchers interested in Indigenous aging. The research findings can influence health and social policy in Alaska and how healthcare and long-term support and services are delivered to older residents in rural communities. 16 Figure 3. The late Margaret Hemnes from Nome walking to the tribal hall in the Village of Koyuk, Alaska in 2011. Photo courtesy of Jordan P. Lewis. The results of this research will be published and disseminated for other tribal health organizations, researchers, gerontologists, anthropologists, and students to use with the permission of the tribal governing authorities, the Alaska Native participants, and their communities. This study will also highlight that aging does not have to equal poor health and immobility; successful aging should be and can be attained by everyone and defined in their own terms—not according to others' benchmarks for successful aging that do not reflect the cultural values of these Elders and their communities. This research has the potential to inform health professionals, policy advocates, and local and state officials about the factors that determine whether or not rural Alaska communities are able to meet the needs of their elderly and enable them to live their remaining years as they may wish. Year three of the NSF grant will focus on peer-reviewed publications, professional presentations, and dissemination of findings back to participating communities. We will work with each community to determine the most effective format to share the findings and present findings in non-academic language. Communities have requested newsletters, flyers, and other handouts that highlight the major findings of the study. In addition to dissemination efforts, we will be holding the first Indigenous successful aging conference in Anchorage in May 2019. This conference will bring together the leading scholars in successful aging and Alaska Native Elders from across the State to discuss the findings of these studies, discuss the current successful aging literature, and develop strategies and a paper to indigenize the 17 successful aging literature and encourage more Indigenous communities across the Arctic to engage in this research. Further information is available on the National Resource Center for Alaska Native Elders website . For more information, contact Jordan P. Lewis by email ( [email protected] ) or by phone: (907) 786-4708. 18 Figure 4. Elizabeth Fleagle (Inupiat Eskimo, Elder, Mentor, Traditional Counselor) and author, Jordan P. Lewis in Suquamish Lodge, Bainbridge Island, Washington in 2012. Photo courtesy of Jeremiah E. Lewis. Jordan P. Lewis (Aleut from the Native Village of Naknek, Alaska) is an Associate Professor with the WWAMI School of Medical Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Trained as a community psychologist, social worker, and gerontologist, Dr. Lewis's research identifies characteristics that enable Alaska Native Elders to age well, become role models for their families and communities, and fill the roles of tribal leaders in the traditions passed on by previous generations. Using the lessons and experiences of Elders, Dr. Lewis develops culturally tailored approaches for family and community members to improve the health of all generations, from long term care programs to community based programs to support families caring for loved ones. His past research has explored cultural understandings of successful aging, intergenerational programming in tribal communities, as well as collecting stories to improve program and service delivery in long-term care settings. Jordan received his BSW from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, MSW from Washington University in St. Louis, and PhD from University of Alaska Fairbanks. References Israel, B. A., Eng, E., Schulz, A. J., and Parker, E. A. 2013. Methods for community-based participatory research for health (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Lewis, J.P., and Allen, J. 2017. "Alaska Native Elders in Recovery: Linkages between Indigenous Cultural Generativity and Sobriety to promote Successful Aging". Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology, 1-14. Lewis, J.P. 2014a. "The role of the social engagement in the definition of successful aging among Alaska Native Elders in Bristol Bay, Alaska." Psychology of Developing Societies, 26(2), 263-290. Lewis, J.P. 2014b. "What successful aging means to Alaska Natives: Exploring the reciprocal relationship between the health and well-being of Alaska Native Elders." International Journal of Ageing and Society, 3(1). ISSN: 2160-1909. 19 Lewis, J.P. 2013a. "The Importance of Optimism in Maintaining Healthy Aging in Rural Alaska." Qualitative Health Research, 23(11). (doi: 10.1177/1049732313508013). Lewis, J.P. 2013b. "The future of successful aging in Alaska: What can we learn from our Elders to ensure a healthy future." International Journal of Circumpolar Health (72), 21186. This paper is part of Supplement 1, 2013, ICCH15 Proceedings. ( http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21186 ). Lewis, J.P, and Boyd, K. 2013. "Forward steps and missteps: What we've learned through the process of conducting CBPR research in rural Alaska." Journal of Indigenous Research. Available at: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/kicjir/vol2/iss1/3 . Lewis, J. P. and Boyd, K. 2012. "Determined by the Community: CBPR in Alaska Native Communities Building Local Control and Self-Determination." Journal of Indigenous Research: Vol. 1(2), Article 6. Available at: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/kicjir/vol1/iss2/6 . Lewis, J.P. 2011. "Successful aging through the eyes of Alaska Native Elders. What it means to be an Elder in Bristol Bay, AK." The Gerontologist, 51(4), 540-549. (doi:10.1093/geront/gnr006). Lewis, J. P. 2010. "Successful aging through the eyes of Alaska Natives. Exploring generational differences among Alaska Natives." Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 25 (4), 385-396. (doi:10.1007/s10823-010-9124-8). Skewes, M.C., and Lewis, J.P. 2016. 2016. -010-nd alcohol use among rural Alaska Native elders." International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 75. Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 20 Science Education News Joint Science Education Project (JSEP): Mentoring the Next Generation of Polar Scientists By: Lauren Culler, Research Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at Dartmouth College and JSEP co-Principal Investigator, and Lee McDavid, Program Manager of the Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College Twenty high school students from Greenland, Denmark, and the U.S. learned about polar science this past summer as they gained first-hand experience of how international research teams work together and some of the challenges they face, especially when speaking different languages. The Joint Science Education Project (JSEP) is co-sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation and Naalakkersuisut (Government of Greenland). Established in 2007 during the International Polar Year by the Joint Committee , a high-level forum of the Greenlandic, Danish, and American governments, JSEP is designed to inspire the next generation of polar scientists by giving young students the opportunity to learn in one of most important research locations in the world. In 2017, JSEP brought together twenty high school students, eight educators and five Dartmouth College graduate students for three weeks of inquiry-based and hands-on polar science in Greenland—a vast icecovered island ringed by graceful tundra. The students hailed from California, Virginia, Missouri, Massachusetts, Oregon; Copenhagen; and Greenland's four high schools in Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, and Qaqortoq. They were joined by a U.S. high school science teacher, Erica Wallstrom from Rutland, Vermont, and educators from Greenland, Denmark, and Chile. "Most people think that Greenland is 100% covered in ice," says Neosha Narayanan, one of the U.S. students. "My friends are surprised to hear that Greenland is habitable at all." 21 JSEP students look west toward the Kangerlussuaq fjord from the top of Black Ridge. Photo courtesy of Erica Wallstrom. The first stop for the multicultural and multilingual JSEP team was two weeks in Kangerlussuaq, a community in southwest Greenland that, although small in population, has been supporting international scientific research in Greenland for decades. Students were able get a close-up view of important field sites, including the massive Russell Glacier, Point 660 at the edge of the ice sheet, and Sea Tomato Lake , site of mysterious baseball-sized cyanobacteria. Students worked in groups to complete projects relevant to Greenland's rapidly changing environment and motivated by questions such as, "how do warming temperature affect permafrost?" Teachers challenged students to experience and understand the scientific process—how to ask a good question and propose a hypothesis, and how to collect and analyze data. "The projects are one of the best parts of the program," says Melissa DeSiervo, an ecology graduate student. "The students really enjoy working in the field and designing and executing their own project." The culmination of their work in Kangerlussuaq was celebrated during an outreach event at the Kangerlussuaq Airport, where students showed videos they had created and talked with international travelers about the significance of their science projects for Greenland, the Arctic, and the world. 22 "I loved doing the science experiments!" says Neosha. "It was rewarding to present our final research video at the Kangerlussuaq airport afterwards. Our research group definitely bonded a lot during the few days that we had to formulate our research question, collect data, record data, and create our video." JSEP students talked to travelers at the Kangerlussuaq Airport in English, Danish, and Greenlandic about the effects of climate change on Greenland. Photo courtesy of Erica Wallstrom. During the third week of the expedition, all twenty students and their teachers boarded a LC-130 cargo plane with ski-equipped landing gear. Their destination was snow-covered Summit Camp, a U.S. research base atop the Greenland Ice Sheet at over 10,000 feet in elevation and an average July temperature of 12˚ F. This year-round facility provides crucial information for understanding Earth's climate. Students learned from researchers about ice and snow and the challenges of doing science in such a remote and frigid environment. 23 JSEP students and educators at Summit Station, a research station at the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Photo courtesy of Erica Wallstrom. For three years, JSEP has been integrating U.S. graduate students into the core curriculum. This year, five Dartmouth graduate students in earth sciences, biology, and engineering added their expertise, acting as teachers and mentors. The graduate students are also learning—practicing how to effectively communicate science to non-scientists and others not in their area of expertise, a critical skill when working in interdisciplinary and international teams. "JSEP is a formative experience for graduate students who will increasingly engage with public audiences," says Hunter Snyder, an ecology graduate student. "It fosters a cultural understanding, a crucial part of making science that we can all care about." The graduate students are also producing polar science lesson plans based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for high school classrooms. A sample lesson plan is "The World of Lichens" . With the help of Dartmouth's Institute of Arctic Studies , the host institution for the U.S. contributions to JSEP, the lesson plans will be made available to any school free of charge. One goal of JSEP is building a diverse international network of students, scientists, teachers, and other stakeholders who understand the necessity of collaboration and educating the next generation of scientists and engineers. "It's awesome to watch the students transform over the course of the program," 24 observes DeSiervo. "When they go back to their schools and hometowns, they are real leaders and Arctic science ambassadors in their communities." Further information is available on the JSEP website . Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 25 Mr. Michael Emerson, Director, Maritime Transportation Systems, (center) and RADM Michael McAllister, Coast Guard District 17 Commander, (right) recognized by the Russian Ministry of Transport, Andrey Viktorovich Khaustov, General Director of the State Marine Pollution Control, Salvage and Rescue Administration of the Russian Federation (left). Photo courtesy of Rachel Perron. The workshop started with the baseline acknowledgement that, as Arctic ice retreats and ship traffic increases through the narrow Bering Strait, the U.S. and Russia have an ever-increasing interest to manage this emerging maritime chokepoint. By learning from other countries with shared responsibility for transboundary waterways, the workshop's objective included a product aimed at informing a Bering Strait model of management. To collect the data, CASP asked the experts to address issues broadly organized into five substantive panels: Introduction to Bering Strait region. 1. Ensuring safe and secure maritime activity. 2. Ensuring environmentally responsible maritime activity. 3. Ensuring resilience in a dynamic social-economic-environmental context. 4. Ensuring coordinated decision-making and management. 5. Each panel submitted recommendations regarding: 1. best practices; 2. lessons learned; and 3) further research needs as developed during the guided discussion. CASP assimilated and summarized these recommendations into the Waves 2016 Report detailing the findings as well as plans to complete a more in-depth, scholarly volume in the near future. The key findings included the importance of regular dialogue between cooperating nations, conforming to a shared vision, ensuring political and financial support, and putting forth efforts to change human behavior to promote policy compliance. 32 Governing Across the Waves Workshop participants at Bowdoin College, Maine. Photo courtesy of Rachel Perron. The relationships established during the workshop, buoyed by the in-depth discussions, are already having an impact on Coast Guard policy in the Bering Strait. In October 2017, a Coast Guard delegation, including CASP Arctic Scholar Dr. Rebecca Pincus, traveled to London to meet with the Russian Ministry of Transport on possible shipping route options. Through CASP's unique ability to bring together international delegations and academic scholars, the Coast Guard found a forum for engaging the Russian Ministry of Transport on crucial issues not limited to one nation's waters. Since the London meeting, the Coast Guard continues to work with its Russian counterparts. Mr. Emerson anticipates a joint U.S.-Russia submission to the International Maritime Organization shortly: an agreement that will ensure the safe transit of vessels through this sensitive ecological environment and secure the economic viability of the sea passage. Further information is available on the CASP website . 33 Cara Condit is the Executive Director of the USCG Center for Arctic Study and Policy (CASP), where she is guiding the next era of Arctic research and collaborative policy advancements. Cara received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, and her LL.M. in National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. Cara specializes in policy and legislation to further environmental compliance and enforcement efforts in the maritime domain. Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 34 Interagency News IARPC Seeks Comments on Revision of Principles for Conduct of Research in the Arctic By: IARPC Staff The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) is seeking comments on how best to revise and strengthen the NSF Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic . A Federal Register Notice has been published to solicit community input. Comments can be submitted to the Principles Revision Working Group of IARPC by email ( [email protected] ) or to the Principles Revision Working Group co-chairs, Roberto Delgado of National Institutes of Health ( [email protected] ) and Renee Crain of NSF ( [email protected] ). Comments can be submitted by 16 January 2018. The current Principles were prepared by the Social Science Task Force of the U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee, approved by the IARPC on 28 June 1990 and published by IARPC in volume 9 (Spring 1995, pp.56-57) of the journal "Arctic Research of the United States." ( Download PDF of Volume 9 ) Since 1990, community engagement and Arctic research have advanced both in theory and in practice, necessitating a review and update of the current Principles. The Principles Revision Working Group of IARPC is seeking input from all stakeholders to revise and update the Principles. The update will focus on communicating clearly the Principles for community engagement by Arctic researchers and including language that describes partnerships and collaborations with Indigenous scholars, enhanced communitybased observations, fostering community-based participatory research, and the integral contributions of Indigenous knowledge in the co-production and dissemination of knowledge. Input is also sought on enhancing the dissemination and implementation of the Principles. The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) will host a listening session to hear 35 comments on how best to revise and strengthen the Principles during the 2017 AGU Fall Meetings in New Orleans, Louisiana. The listening session will be held on Thursday, December 14th from 3:00-4:00 CT in the Arctic Community Meeting Room, in Riverside Room I at the Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans-Convention Center (2nd floor, 1201 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana). Further information is available on the IARPC Collaborations website . Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 36 U.S. Arctic Research Commission New Agreement to Enhance International Arctic Scientific Cooperation By: John Farrell, Executive Director, U.S. Arctic Research Commission Editor's Note: This article, originally published in the October 2017 issue of Witness Community Highlights , has been updated with new information and the newly-released map of "Identified Geographic Areas" related to the Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation. The eight member states of the Arctic Council vowed to improve cooperation on Arctic science via a legally binding agreement, entitled "Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation" signed on 11 May 2017 at the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska . This was the third binding agreement initiated in the 20-year history of the Arctic Council. The first two focused on search-and-rescue and on oil-spill response. In short, the goal of this science agreement is to facilitate access, whether to territory and research areas, platforms, infrastructure, facilities, materials, samples, data, or equipment. In the words of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the document promises to ease "the movement of scientists, scientific equipment and, importantly, data sharing" across the North. Barriers to research, such as denied visas, the inability to carry equipment and samples across national borders, or denial of access to data, preclude scientific investigation, slow progress, increase cost, and retard the growth of knowledge. In addition to access, the agreement, which was designed to be inclusive, contains articles that discuss education, career development and training, traditional and local knowledge, and cooperation with parties other than the eight Arctic nations. The U.S. and Russia successfully co-led the effort to reach this agreement, which required several years of discussion and negotiation under the auspices of an Arctic Council Task Force. This cooperative effort was an uncommon bright light in a currently dark chapter of U.S.-Russia relations. This agreement, and the Arctic Science Ministerial meeting held at the White House on 28 September 2016, are examples of how science and research across borders can advance diplomatic efforts through soft power, rather than coercion. Paul Berkman and co-authors published a paper on this agreement titled, "The Arctic Science Agreement propels science diplomacy" in the 3 November 2017 issue of Science . Although signed, the agreement will not "enter into force" until 30 days after all eight parties have 37 indicated that they have completed all necessary internal procedures required to enforce the agreement. At the time of this publication, the U.S., Sweden, Norway, and Finland have informed Denmark, the "depositary" for the agreement, that they have completed the steps necessary to implement the agreement. The final four signatories (Russia, Canada, Iceland, and Denmark) have yet to inform the depositary. Each party identified geographic areas over which the agreement pertains. These are contained in an annex to the agreement. The U.S. Department of State has created a map that graphically displays these areas (see Figure 1). 38 Figure 1: Map of the Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation. U.S. Department of State, OES/OPA. October 2017. 39 For the U.S., the area is the Arctic region as defined in the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 as amended, and is "All United States territory north of the Arctic Circle and north and west of the boundary formed by the Porcupine, Yukon, and Kuskokwim Rivers; the Aleutian chain; and adjacent marine areas in the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort, Bering, and Chukchi Seas." Maps of the U.S. Arctic may be found on the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) website . In practice, will this agreement enhance Arctic scientific cooperation? While the intent is positive, some question whether it will do so, as the document has several escape clauses. For example, the agreement includes phrases such as, " …shall use their best efforts…, " and " Implementation of this Agreement shall be subject to the availability of relevant resources. " And Article 10 reads, " Activities and obligations under this Agreement shall be conducted subject to applicable international law and the applicable laws, regulations, procedures, and policies of the Parties concerned. For those Parties that have subnational governments, the applicable laws, regulations, procedures, and policies include those of their subnational governments. " So, it remains possible to deny access despite best efforts that fail, or to insufficient resources to facilitate access, or to existing procedures or policies that run counter to the goals of the agreement. In essence, the validity of the agreement will only be determined when it is exercised. If denials of access and other challenges can be overcome through discussion and negotiation facilitated under this agreement, then it will have merit. The proof will be in the pudding. The parties to the agreement are currently in the process of establishing specific procedures and processes necessary to implement the agreement, and a Terms of Reference may be established. Generally speaking, Arctic researchers have benefitted from good access to the pan-Arctic region, but this is not always the case. For example, entering the Russian Federation has sometimes proven difficult. Between 1990 and 2014, the U.S. Department of State submitted 48 requests to Russia for U.S. vessels to conduct marine scientific research in the Russian Exclusive Economic Zone. Of those requests, 20, representing 42%, were either denied or elicited no response, which the State Department considers to be denial of access (See Figure 2). 40 Figure 2. Outcome of U.S. requests to conduct marine scientific research in the Russian Exclusive Economic Zone. Over the 25-year period, access was granted 58% of the time. Image courtesy of J. Farrell. Data from the U.S. Department of State. In the agreement, each party designated an entity to serve as the "competent national authority" as the responsible point of contact for the agreement. The United States selected the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. Projecting forward, we look forward to exercising the optimism and enthusiasm for cooperation displayed in the effort to reach this agreement and to facilitating research for the greater good. Who do you call if there is a problem? If you are a U.S.-based scientist facing a challenge covered by the agreement, please contact the U.S. Arctic Research Commission by phone (703-525-0111) or via email ( [email protected] ). The Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation is available online here . Or, download a PDF here . More information about the USARC is available on the USARC website . 41 The Working Groups not only provide travel support for young researchers, they also integrate the IASC Fellowship Program with their activities. A call for applications is released each year in October through the IASC and APECS mailing lists, websites, and Facebook. IASC Fellows gathered at ASSW 2017, Prague, Czech Republic. Photo courtesy of IASC. Upcoming Activities IASC continues to support the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) , scheduled to start in autumn 2019. MOSAiC was born out of the Atmosphere Working Group and will be the first year-round expedition into the central Arctic exploring the Arctic climate system. MOSAiC's overall goal is to understand more thoroughly how the coupled Arctic climate system functions, in particular under rapid Arctic climate change that will not only affect the local Arctic climate but might also be affecting hemispheric circulation patterns and global change. Visit the project's IASC website for more information. IASC is excited to support and foster MOSAiC and aims to incubate other such transformative Arctic science activities. In addition to broad changes in Arctic snow and sea-ice coverage, climate change is expected to affect the occurrence and intensity of cryospheric extremes such as heavy snowfall, icing, avalanches, and the thawing season of permafrost; and sea-ice motion, compression, and ridging. Although extreme events 48 are a core climate research focus, cryospheric extremes have not yet received much attention. The Cryosphere Working Group is organizing a series of workshops and meetings in 2018 to enhance this research area. One of the meetings is projected to take place at Polar2018 , a joint event from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and IASC. Want to find out more about how to get involved with IASC, find collaborators, or how IASC supports Arctic science? Email the IASC Secretariat ( [email protected] ), your national representatives , and/or your Working Group representatives , whose names you will find on the website. To hear more about upcoming IASC activities and opportunities, join the IASC mailing list and Facebook group . 49 Gunnar Gunnarsson is the IASC Executive Officer, based in Akureyri, Iceland. His research activities include participation in the Nordic Centre of Excellence ARCPATH (Arctic Climate Predictions - Pathways to Resilient, Sustainable Society). Allen Pope is the IASC Executive Secretary, based in Akureyri, Iceland. A glaciologist and remote sensing scientist, Allen has been with IASC since the beginning of 2017. The IASC Secretariat is generously supported by Rannís, the Icelandic Center for Research. Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 50 International News The Year of Polar Prediction By Kirstin Werner, Year of Polar Prediction International Coordination Office, Project Officer Environmental and climate changes in the Arctic have significant impact on maritime traffic related to fisheries, scientific efforts, and tourism, and create potential risks to both humans and the natural environment. Precise weather and sea-ice predictions will play an increasingly important role in managing related safety issues in polar regions. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) under the auspices of its World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) and the Polar Prediction Project (PPP) has initiated the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) , a two-year international and interdisciplinary research initiative that will run from mid-2017 to mid-2019. The goal of the project is to significantly improve environmental prediction capabilities for the polar regions and beyond, on time scales from hours to seasons. YOPP was officially launched in May this year and entails intensive observing and modeling efforts in both the Arctic and the Antarctic. Coordination The German Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research hosts the International Coordination Office (ICO) for Polar Prediction, which serves as a focal point for the communication and coordination among the academic community and stakeholders involved with polar prediction topics. The ICO was established to support the PPP Steering Group in managing everyday activities and to coordinate, plan, and prepare details for the Year of Polar Prediction. Members of the PPP Steering Group represent both operational forecast centers and the science community within different WMO member states. YOPP Task Teams have been established in order to promote and coordinate specific activities during the Year of Polar Prediction. Key Activities and Products Two Special Observing Periods are planned for the Arctic region: 1 February–31 March and 1 July–30 September 2018. In the Antarctic, the Special Observing Period will take place 16 November 2018–15 February 2019 (See Figure 1). During these intensive observation phases, routine observations will be increased in an attempt to close gaps in the current observing systems. Extra observations, such as 51 radiosonde launches and ocean buoy deployments, will allow for forecasting system experiments aimed at optimizing observing systems in the polar regions and providing insight into the impact of better polar observations on forecast skill. To ensure that all observations are considered in forecasting experiments, all data will be shared through WMO's Global Telecommunication System (GTS). Figure 1: Key activities of the Year of Polar Prediction include three Special Observing Periods (SOPs) dedicated to enhance routine measurements and investigations of physical phenomena in polar regions, feeding into the development and improvement of numerical forecasting models, and the verification and improvement of forecasting services. Image courtesy of the International Coordination Office for Polar Prediction. Endorsement YOPP endorsement allows for improved coordination of activities relevant to its goals. Projects, programs, and initiatives that contribute to improving forecasting skills in polar regions can request endorsement by the YOPP initiative—about 65 activities have been endorsed to date (See Figure 2). Detailed information on timing and plans of YOPP-endorsed projects can be viewed via the YOPP Explorer . The endorsement process is also open for research institutes and operational forecasting centers whose activities contribute to the success of the YOPP initiative. 52 Figure 2: YOPP-endorsed research benefits from increased visibility and often increases chances of funding from national sources. In turn, endorsement allows the YOPP network to coordinate activities and enhance networking and communication amongst stakeholders. Image courtesy of the International Coordination Office for Polar Prediction. YOPP Observations Layer Information about extra observations such as buoys, automatic weather stations, and radiosonde launches, as well as aircraft campaigns during the YOPP Special Observing Periods, can be browsed along different time slots (See Figure 3). Observations made during field campaigns of YOPP-endorsed projects are also included. As a living resource, the YOPP Observations Layer will be continuously updated in response to any new information received. 53 Figure 3: In order to provide a better overview of observational activities that will take place during the Year of Polar Prediction, the ICO has developed a kmz file to be opened, e.g., with Google Earth. Image courtesy of the Google Earth/International Coordination Office for Polar Prediction. . YOPP Data Portal The majority of data generated and collected during YOPP observational campaigns, as well as by modelling and verification efforts, will be stored at separate national data centers and portals. The YOPP Data Portal provides metadata and links to these respective datasets. As a legacy for YOPP, this data portal takes into account the various requirements of end-users working with the YOPP data collection. The YOPP Data Portal is hosted by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. The data publisher for Earth and Environmental Science PANGAEA , hosted by the German Alfred Wegener Institute, will be one of the data hubs. YOPP-relevant data will be flagged as a "YOPP" dataset in the label field of the PANGAEA database submission form . 54 How to Get Involved Community members can receive updates on YOPP through various communication channels: mailing list , website , newsletter , and twitter . Additional ways to get involved with the Year of Polar Prediction include engaging in one of the YOPP Task Teams ; requesting a YOPP endorsement; and as a researcher, making observation data available via the WMO Global Telecommunication System (WMO Information System WIS) and the YOPP Data Portal . Another great way of contributing to YOPP is to share deployment opportunities for instruments, such as buoys and floats. Any questions, comments, or ideas can be directed to the ICO at of[email protected] . For More Information The first YOPP online conference, held on 17 October 2017, provided an update on the current status of preparations and planning of the initiative. Listen to the first YOPP online conference on YouTube . Register for the next YOPP online conference, which is scheduled for Friday, 1 December 2017 at 4:00 p.m. (GMT). It is open to everyone interested in improving forecast skills in the polar regions. For more information, go to the Polar Prediction website . Prior to joining the International Coordination Office for Polar Prediction as project officer, Kirstin Werner studied the variability of heat transfer to the Arctic Ocean and corresponding changes in the seaice extent during the past ca 12,000 years at GEOMAR (Kiel, Germany), the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (Boulder, Colorado, USA), and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (Columbus, Ohio, USA). Her new focus at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, Germany, is on the science management aspects of short-term polar weather and climate variability during the Year of Polar Prediction. Kirstin recently completed an on-the-job MSc program in Science Marketing at the Technical University Berlin, Germany. Photo courtesy of Martina Buchholz, Alfred-Wegener-Institut. Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 55 International News Greenland Ecological Monitoring Program's Treasure Trove of Arctic Research Data Publicly Available By: Catherine Jex, Journalist for ScienceNordic.com Editor's Note: This article is based on one published online by ScienceNordic on 15 November 2017, "Treasure trove" of Arctic research data now publicly available , also written by Catherine Jex. The Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring program (GEM) was established in 1994 by research institutions throughout Denmark and Greenland to conduct long-term inter-disciplinary data collection. As part of the program, scientists have been collecting data on snow cover, wind, rain, temperatures, fjord water chemistry, glaciers, and populations of musk oxen, spiders, insects, birds, and more from around Greenland for decades. By visiting the same locations to sample the same characteristics with the same methods year after year, they have steadily built a valuable database. "It is laborious and repetitive work but the result is a treasure trove of data that is helping scientists from across the world to better understand changes in the Arctic," says program leader Torben Røjle Christensen from Aarhus University, Denmark. "We now have a twenty-year record of operational data that cannot be found anywhere else in the circumpolar north. As a coordinated program, it's unique." Take a tour of an Arctic monitoring site . Free Data for Researchers, Students, or Interested Citizens All of the data are now freely available on the GEM data website and a summary of the most significant discoveries from the past year is available in the recently launched Annual Report Cards . GEM has 180 registered users from around the world—mainly researchers who are aware of the program. Now, the goal is to reach the education sector, says Christensen, who hopes that university students and school teachers will use the data. "Anyone can go in and download the data. There's a boatload available," says Christensen, "more than 1,500 parameters to be exact." Below are four recent discoveries from the GEM program. 1) Glacial Melt from Greenland is Making the Sea Fresher 56 A recent study presented the first long data series documenting the impact of melting ice on the water chemistry of a fjord in north east Greenland. One question posed by climate change is "will melting land ice and sea ice in the Arctic slow down or even shut down a vital part of the ocean circulation in the North Atlantic?" The consequences of that outcome could be severe and possibly even cut off the supply of mild, wet weather to north and west Europe. Whether or not this is already under way is a contentious topic, but one clear indication would be a long-term reduction of temperature and salinity in the seas around Greenland. "This is just what we saw," says lead-author Mikael Sejr from Aarhus University, Denmark. "We looked at two of the most basic parameters, it's as simple as it gets: the temperature and salinity of water in a Greenland fjord. But it's a game changer," says Sejr. Marine biologist Mikael Sejr from Aarhus University measures temperature and salinity in Young Sound, Northeast Greenland, for the GEM database. Photo courtesy of Mikael Sejr. Sejr and colleagues studied GEM data collected over 13 years and saw a four-fold increase in the fresh water contributions to the Young Sound in Northeast Greenland that were associated with melting glacier ice further north. "It isn't surprising, but it's the first long data series to show it," says Sejr. The next step is to see how far 57 closed. We received over 150 applications and are currently working with a selection committee on final selections. Keep up with PolarTREC events through the website , PolarTREC on twitter at @PolarTREC, the PolarTREC Facebook group , or by joining the Polar Education Mailing List . PolarTREC is funded by NSF Office of Polar Programs (awards 1525880 & 1630463). Additional funding was received through NASA for teachers in 2016 and 2017 who worked with Operation IceBridge. The University of Alaska and NOAA Teachers at Sea supported a teacher in 2016. Anchorage Arctic Research Day 2018 For those who live or work in Anchorage, Alaska, save the date for the 2nd Anchorage Arctic Research Day 2018, which will take place on Thursday, 26 April 2018 at the Anchorage Museum . Organized by ARCUS, the University of Alaska Anchorage , the Institute of the North , and the Anchorage Museum, this event will include a broad range of speakers on Arctic research and offer great opportunities for networking. Updates will be announced via ArcticInfo . For more information, contact Betsy TurnerBogren at [email protected]g Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN) An update on SIPN activities, including the 2017 Sea Ice Outlook season, an upcoming meeting at the AGU Fall Meeting, and a newly-funded "SIPN2" project, is available in the Arctic Systems Science news section of this issue. Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) ARCUS staff provide a variety of project office support tasks for the SEARCH program. An update on SEARCH activities from SEARCH Executive Director Brendan Kelly is available in the SEARCH News section of this issue, and a schedule of SEARCH events at the AGU Fall Meeting can be found through the SEARCH website . 64 Keep up with ARCUS and Arctic Events Stay in touch with ARCUS and the broader Arctic research community through these communication tools: ARCUS Website ARCUS on Twitter ArcticInfo Mailing List Polar Education Mailing List Witness Community Highlights Witness the Arctic Newsletter Arctic Calendar Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 65 A Note From the ARCUS Executive Director 2017: An Interesting Year for Arctic Research By: Robert H. Rich, Ph.D., CAE Joseph Chamberlain (the father of the late British prime minister) said "I think that you will all agree that we are living in most interesting times. I never remember myself a time in which our history was so full, in which day by day brought us new objects of interest, and, let me say also, new objects for anxiety." Chamberlain could easily have been talking about today's Arctic research, with its amazing discoveries, the worrying attacks on research funding, and the emergence of new objects of interest and anxiety every day. Your Arctic Research Consortium (of the U.S.) is being buffeted by the Arctic region's interesting times, while also helping to lead the effort to maximize the increase of Arctic knowledge. This fall, we released an elevator speech with the following main points: The Arctic is changing rapidly in many ways that will affect people everywhere. 1. We need Arctic research: To understand and respond to Arctic change. 2. ARCUS connects, supports, and advances Arctic research. 3. Earlier this year, significant cuts were proposed to key Arctic research agencies that would have a devastating impact if they were enacted. ARCUS rose to the challenge, raised non-government funding, and organized the Campaign to Defend Arctic Research , which empowered the Arctic research community to reach out to their legislators and make a difference. In March, we partnered with the University of Alaska, Anchorage to organize the first-ever Anchorage Arctic Research Day , which brought together researchers across the city from varying sectors, disciplines, and research organizations to share their interests and form productive relationships. This sold-out event was so popular and well-received that we are doing it again in Anchorage during 2018 (in a bigger venue) and also planning to roll out such "pop-up" community building events in other big Arctic research centers. If your city is ripe for hosting such an event, please let me know. 66 The changes in the Arctic environment remain dramatic, and ARCUS worked as the SEARCH project office to help support a week of researchers reaching out to policymakers, the media, and the interested public this fall. The events included a workshop to develop communications skills of researchers, a press conference at the American Association for the Advancement of Science livestreamed on Facebook, a Capitol Hill briefing, and a panel at the Wilson Center. We also hosted one of our Arctic Research Seminar Series events, which continue to attract outstanding researchers to Washington, DC for discussions with the Arctic research and policy community and worldwide through live stream access and archives online. We were excited to release a new web portal with resources for " Conducting Research with Northern Communities ." This page includes documented practices across various regions of the Arctic and around the pole, resources for community-based monitoring, and even resources beyond the Arctic. We worked closely with Northern Community leaders to create this resource, and continue to engage in multiple projects to better strengthen the important ties between Arctic researchers and those who live in the places you study. ARCUS also supports connections between Polar researchers and pre-college educators. The pilot projects continue enabling partnerships between Alaska educators and researchers through The Arctic in the Classroom and, as I write this, PolarTREC expeditions are occurring in Antarctica and expeditions to the Arctic have recently concluded. We are gearing up for a big week in connection with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting 11-15 December. This year, there will be a terrific open reception for the Arctic research community on Wednesday, 13 December. Right before the reception, we will be holding our annual open meeting to discuss progress, elect new ARCUS Board members, and hear feedback. If you are interested in learning more about ARCUS, I'd encourage you to attend (and there is a live stream version if you won't be in New Orleans.) If you will be in town, you are invited and I hope to see you there. Also at AGU, there will be many Arctic Research Community Meeting Rooms events we're hosting, lots of presentations, posters, and panels, and much more. These activities are just the tip of the iceberg of what ARCUS offers to the Arctic research community, and we continue to innovate. If you have an idea for what we might do to better support you and your research aspirations, please send me an email at [email protected]g . I'd love to hear from you. Even better, if you are able to formally commit to being part of the Arctic research community, you can sign up as an ARCUS member either on behalf of your organization or as an individual. No matter how "interesting" our times become, rest assured that ARCUS will remain as your champion, catalyst, and cheerleader. 67 Welcome New ARCUS Members (Since June 2017) Alaska Ocean Observing System Asiaq - Greenland Survey Ice911 Research Corporation Smithsonian Institution Arctic Studies Center Plus nine new individual members! ARCUS Membership Information Published by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States • 3535 College Road - Suite 101 • Fairbanks, AK 99709 • [email protected] 68 Arctic Research Consortium of the United States 3535 College Road Suite 101 Fairbanks, AK 99709 USA Phone: 907-474-1600 Fax: 907-474-1604 [email protected]g Editors: Betsy Turner-Bogren and Helen Wiggins Contributors: C. Condit, L. Culler, J. Farrell, G. Gunnarsson, C. Jex, B. P. Kelly, J. P. Lewis, L. McDavid, J. L. Mercer, A. Pope, B. Raymond-Yakoubian, J. Raymond-Yakoubian, R. Rich, C. Suchman, B. Turner-Bogren, K. Werner, H. Wiggins, the IARPC Staff, and the National Academies Staff. ARCUS is a nonprofit organization consisting of institutions organized and operated for educational, professional, or scientific purposes. Established by its member institutions in 1988 with the primary mission of strengthening arctic research, ARCUS activities are funded through member dues and contracts and grants with federal and private entities. Witness the Arctic is published periodically by ARCUS. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Archived issues of Witness the Arctic are available at: http:www.arcus.org/witness-the-arctic