Welcome to the May 2018 edition of the Arctic Office Bulletin. The most important message is a simple one – if you want to keep receiving the Bulletin or other update e-mails from us, please take 2 minutes to re-register using the link below. We really want to stay in touch with you!
Please visit www.arctic.ac.uk and follow us on Twitter via @Arctic_Office for all the latest news and information. Your news, feedback and suggestions are always welcome.
Register for the Bulletin and e-mail updates
To comply with the new data protection provisions you need to register to receive the Bulletin and update e-mails from the Arctic Office. You can do this via the website here: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/subscribe-for-updates/
The data collected will only be used to send you updates relevant to the UK Arctic research community. From the end of this month, we will not be able to send you the Bulletin or any other e-mail updates unless you have subscribed. It is likely that this Bulletin will be the last in its current form and we will move to an e-mail based version with links to enable you to go straight to the area of interest. We hope that will provide a quick and effective route to share the information from the Arctic Office and beyond. As always, your feedback is welcome.
UK-Canada: Developing Arctic Connections
Over the last 18 months, we have focused on supporting stronger connections with Canadian researchers and institutions in order to provide new opportunities for UK-based scientists. This work has included the Bursaries Programme, engagement with ArcticNet and attendance at annual science meetings and close work with the British High Commission in Ottawa.
To help build our understanding of the wider research environment in Canada and further develop our positive links this week Henry Burgess is accompanying Tim Wheeler (NERC Head of Science and Innovation), Kate Hamer (NERC Head of International) and Jane Francis (Director, BAS) on their visit to Canada to meet research coordinating bodies, funders, university researchers and others.
Further information in the next Bulletin. In the meantime, we have put together a high level summary of key UK-Canada Arctic collaborations over the last two years – please do use and share this widely: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/news/united-kingdom-canada-developing-arctic-connections/
UK Arctic Science Conference 2019
After a really successful and enjoyable event hosted by SAMS in Oban last September, it is great to be able to say that another institution with equally strong Arctic links will lead in 2019. The next UK Arctic Science Conference will be hosted by Loughborough University, 11 to 13 September 2019.
Please save this date in your diaries, further information will be available later this year via the Bulletin and the NERC Arctic Office website. In the meantime, if you have thoughts and suggestions about the event or you want to get involved please let us know and we’ll put you in touch with the team.
UK Antarctic Science Conference 2018
Never let it be said that the Arctic Office isn’t keen to promote events connected with our sister hemisphere! Durham University is hosting this year’s UK Antarctic Science Conference on 10th-12th September 2018. The conference will run from Monday lunchtime to Wednesday lunchtime and will include oral and poster presentations, and abstracts are invited on any aspect of Antarctic research.
The organisers encourage the involvement of early career researchers to come and present their work. Further information can be found on the conference website, which will be updated shortly with details of registration, abstract submission, and accommodation booking: https://www.dur.ac.uk/uk-antarctic-science/
MOSAiC
The panel assessing the UK bids for the NERC funding and BEIS-funded berth costs have informed all the applicants of the outcome. We hope that as many as possible of the successful applicants will be able to attend the ‘Advancing MOSAiC Science’ workshop beginning 28 May at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam. We will be working closely with NERC to share the next steps on UK engagement with the MOSAiC scientific expedition in the coming weeks, including further details of the successful projects.
5 July deadline – Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium proposals
This EU-funded project offers fully funded transnational access to research icebreakers. The first call is open until 5 July. This is a fantastic opportunity to get access to Canadian, US and German vessels. Applications are welcome from international teams and industry partners. Access to PRV Polarstern is offered in the frame of MOSAiC. Further details can be found here: https://www.arice.eu/apply-for-ship-time. For specific questions, please contact: info@arice.eu
UK-Canada Arctic Bursaries
With a second round of funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy we have been able to offer a number of Bursaries to successful applicants. The Bursaries reflect a diverse range of projects. We are grateful to all the Canadian PIs and partners for their continuing support for this important initiative. Brief details of the successful projects can be found here: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/research/international-engagement/uk-canada-arctic-bursaries-20172018/
POLAR2018 in Davos
It is still possible to register to attend what will be the biggest meeting of the Arctic and Antarctic research worlds for some time. Further details here https://www.polar2018.org/registration.html
We would love to know if you are attending – please send us an email to arctic@bas.ac.uk. The NERC Arctic Office will be present for the whole event and we are supporting the attendance of representatives to the Marine, Atmosphere, Terrestrial and Cryosphere IASC Working Groups to ensure that the voices of UK-based researchers are heard strongly and can be as influential as possible.
The IASC Council will be electing two new Executive Committee members this year. With the IASC Strategic Plan 2018-2023 expected to be endorsed at the meeting this is an important moment for the Executive Committee to help shape the delivery of the Plan and secure IASC’s long term role and position. After taking some soundings Henry Burgess, the Head of the NERC Arctic Office and the UK’s Council member, has submitted his nomination. We’ll keep you posted!
Arctic Science Ministerial, Berlin
Science Ministers from around 30 countries will meet 25-26 October in Berlin for the second Arctic Science Ministerial meeting. Organised jointly by Germany, Finland and the European Commission this is the follow-up to the first meeting held in Washington DC in 2016. The details of the meeting are still being shaped but the format is expected to be a science conference on the first day, followed by the meeting of Ministers on the second. We hope that the UK’s Science Minister will attend, along with a diverse range of representatives from across the UK research community. As the European Commission moves to think about the next stages of funding for Arctic research and as the community as a whole develops its thinking on sustained and integrated Arctic observations this is an important moment to inform decision-makers. Further details to follow on this in future Bulletins.
Contacts
Henry Burgess, Head, NERC Arctic Office
Tel: 01223 221426, henry.burgess@bas.ac.uk
Nicola Munro, NERC Arctic Office
Tel: 01223 221468, nalm@bas.ac.uk
Nick Cox, NERC UK Arctic Research Station Manager
Tel: 01223 221503, nc@bas.ac.uk