Welcome to the NERC Arctic Office Bulletin for April 2022. If you have an event that you would like us to promote here or via the NERC Arctic Office website, www.arctic.ac.uk, please let us know. We’re always glad to hear from you. If you haven’t received this Bulletin direct, you can sign up to our mailing list on the website’s home page. For all previous bulletins, please visit the Arctic Office bulletins page.
New IASC President and Arctic Science Summit Week
At the recent ASSW in Tromsø Henry Burgess was elected as the President of the International Arctic Science Committee for the next four years. This is an important and challenging time for IASC. The need for truly international, independent and inclusive Arctic science has never been greater. You can read Henry’s closing remarks to the recent meeting here: https://iasc.info/news/iasc-news/971-closing-remarks-assw2022-1-april-2022-by-henry-burgess-iasc-president All comments, ideas and suggestions are welcome.
The ASSW was a success, with a full programme of science day, business meetings and the Arctic Observing Summit. The event was run as a hybrid, with around a one-third in person and two-thirds online split. As in many international meetings hybrid now looks to be semi-permanent. It was a happy and lively meeting, although there was much concern over the future of Arctic cooperation. Thank you to all the UK-based representatives on the IASC Working Groups, business meeting representatives and the many researchers – including early career researchers – who took part in the events. The terms of a number of our Working Group representatives are now complete and we will be advertising these new opportunities soon after Easter.
Call for applications to host the Arctic Science Summit Week in 2024
The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) accepted the invitation by the NERC Arctic Office and the UK Arctic and Antarctic Partnership (UKAAP), with the support of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to hold the 2024 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) and Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) in the United Kingdom. Applications are now invited from United Kingdom academic institutions, in partnership with others as needed, to act as the local host for this important and high-profile Arctic science event in 2024. Further information, including eligibility criteria and application process can be found here: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/news/2385/ . It’s not too late to apply – deadline for applications is 29th April 2022. Please get in contact with Henry Burgess (henry.burgess@bas.ac.uk) if you have any questions.
NERC Arctic Research Station Update
We are very pleased to say that the Arctic Station is currently open, and we look forward to a busy season! If you have an idea for a project and would like to know how we can support you, please get in contact! All the latest information on the station, including the lab and new science kit, information on how to apply, is available on the Station website: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/uk-arctic-research-station/ You can also follow us for updates on Twitter @ArcticStationUK @Arctic_Office.
Arctic Live 2022
AXA Arctic Live 2022, lead by Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop from Encounter Edu will be once again carrying out live lessons from the NERC station at the end of this month, interacting with students from across the globe. Guest speakers include Nick Cox, current Arctic Station Manager and Henry Burgess, Head, NERC Arctic Office. Further information is available here: https://encounteredu.com/live-lessons/axa-arctic-live-2022
KROP (Kongsfjorden and Rijpfjorden Observatory Program)
SAMS (Finlo Cottier) and UiT/UNIS (Jørgen Berge) have been maintaining two long-term moorings in Svalbard, tracking both long and short term environmental changes in two contrasting Arctic fjords. One is located in Kongsfjorden (since 2002), the other in Rijpjorden (since 2006). The observatories consist of a set of standard oceanographic instruments deployed every year (CTDs, ADCPs, sediment traps), as well as opportunistic additional sensors from collaborating researchers (e. g. AZFPs, AURAL hydrophones, RAS autonomous water samplers, settlement plates). This is a valuable data resource for anyone working on ocean processes in the fjord. The data is available here: https://archive.norstore.no/.
Reminder: Oxford University Polar Forum Arctic Horizon Scan
The Oxford University Polar Forum have just launched an Arctic Horizon Scanning exercise to identify priorities for Arctic research in the coming decade. Please see the website for further information and for the link to the online survey: https://www.polar.ox.ac.uk/horizon/. The survey will be open until 23 August 2022, with a workshop planned for 7-9 September 2022.