Welcome to the February edition of the NERC Arctic Office Bulletin. Thank you to all our colleagues and partners who are working so hard, in often very difficult circumstances, to organise events and develop new opportunities for collaboration.
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.
NERC Arctic Station Open Day, 25 February
The NERC Arctic Office and the British Antarctic Survey will be jointly hosting a NERC Arctic Station event on Thursday 25 February from 1230 to 1500. The event will focus on environmental changes happening in and around Svalbard. There will also be an update on the facilities available at the Station, including new marine and lab equipment, and in Ny-Ålesund generally. Together this will be a fantastic opportunity to hear about how the Station can support new science. Don’t miss this session if you have ever wanted to work at the UK’s Arctic Station. Registration is now open via https://www.arctic.ac.uk/news/nerc-arctic-station-day-2021-registration-now-open/.
Last chance – UK-Russia Arctic Science Priorities Conference, 18-19 February
Organised by the UK Polar Network and APECS Russia this event will promote and foster science connections and collaborations among UK and Russian scientists by providing a platform for extensive open dialogue on common goals and priorities. To help build a road map for future Arctic research and support the development of successful collaborations. This is a good opportunity to meet potential new colleagues from across the UK and Russian science community. Registration at https://forms.gle/w5fp7tcSe79cdgRV7
UK-Iceland – Arctic Marine Research and Innovation Opportunities for Future Collaboration, 23 February
This online event will bring leading UK and Icelandic scientists and other experts together to exchange information about the latest research regarding the Arctic marine environment, highlight past successes, and identify opportunities for future collaboration. The event will be opened Michael Nevin, the UK’s Ambassador to Iceland, and Einar Gunnarsson, Iceland’s Ambassador for Arctic Affairs and Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials. Registration and further details: https://www.onlineevent.is/ukicelandarcticresearch
Funding available – IASC Cross-Cutting and Working Group Funds
The Arctic Science Summit Week is swiftly approaching and with it the decision about funding proposals. Applications for support can be submitted to one Working Group, to several together, or all of them. Consultation with some of the Working Group leadership and/or members is always helpful. The deadline for IASC to receive the proposals is 22 February. https://iasc.info/communications/news-archive/678-iasc-cross-cutting-and-working-group-proposals-2021-deadline-22-february-2021
International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic, 2-4 & 8-9 March
Organised by the Government of Iceland and the Nordic Council of Ministers, this symposium focuses on pollution data and sources; observation challenges; monitoring systems; solutions; and science-policy connections. This is a really good opportunity to get up to speed on an issue of growing impact and importance, and make connections with policy makers. https://www.arcticplastics2020.is/index.php/en/
Arctic Science Summit Week 2021, 19-26 March – registration and programme
This year’s ASSW, the associated business and community meetings, as well as the topical science sessions and posters will be fully online. Registration is expected to be available very soon via https://assw2021.pt/ with reduced fees until 7 March. Registration support for ECRs, Indigenous researchers and those with specific interests in Arctic science in Russia is available through IASC, through a link on the same page. Applications for this IASC support must be received by 22 February.
UK Arctic Conference – 13-15 September, Durham University
Thank you very much to Dr Robert Baxter who has enthusiastically taken on the hosting of next year’s UK Arctic Science Conference. Durham has a very strong track record in Arctic research and is also the home of the DurhamARCTIC doctoral training and research centre, focused on interdisciplinary collaboration: https://www.dur.ac.uk/arctic/. We are all planning for an in-person Arctic Conference, but will be ready for all eventualities. More details about registration and programme to follow soon. In the meantime, please add 13-15 September to your calendars!
Contact details
Henry Burgess, Head, NERC Arctic Office, henry.burgess@bas.ac.uk
Nicola Munro, NERC Arctic Office, nalm@bas.ac.uk
Nick Cox, NERC Arctic Research Station Manager, nc@bas.ac.uk