Witness the Arctic | Volume 25, Number 1 - Summer

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a network of over 230 universities, colleges, research institutes, and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the North. UArctic builds and strengthens collective resources and infrastructures that enable member institutions to better serve their constituents and their regions. Through cooperation in education, research, and outreach UArctic enhances human capacity in the North, promotes viable communities and sustainable economies, and forges global partnerships.

The Sea Ice Prediction Network–Phase 2 (SIPN2) is a network of US and international members working to advance research on the processes driving sea-ice predictability, prediction products, and the communication of findings to interested stakeholders. Recent activities include the 2021 June Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) Report that provided an open process for those interested in Arctic sea ice to share ideas and predictions for Arctic ice extent, sea-ice probability, ice-free date, and other variables and a SIO Contributors Forum in which international participants shared information about sea-ice forecast methods, discuss related challenges, and identify activities and products that could advance forecasting skill. An upcoming webinar will provide an overview of a newly developed dynamical seasonal prediction system and its performance in predicting regional Arctic sea-ice conditions.

The US Arctic Research Commission (USARC) hosted the Arctic Sustainable Energy Research Conference 20–22 April 2021. The conference, held online, had a strong emphasis on "energy equity" and approaches to expand the inclusion and participation of individuals in underserved communities in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and decision-making.

Researchers on a collaborative project entitled, "Arctic Freshwater Pathways and their Impact on North Atlantic Deep Water Formation in a Hierarchy of Models," are investigating freshwater pathways—both oceanic and ice—between the Arctic and subpolar North Atlantic. The team has been focusing on the Beaufort Sea, the Arctic Ocean's largest freshwater reservoir, which has increased its freshwater content by 40% over the last two decades.

What does "proper engagement" between Arctic researchers and Indigenous communities in mean in 2021? With all the uncertainties surrounding Arctic research in the past year, it is vital that we remember some particularly important guidelines identified in the five core values of accountability, effective communication, respect for Indigenous Knowledge and Cultures, established and sustained relationships, and responsible environmental stewardship.

PolarTREC announces support of 2021 PolarTREC teacher expeditions. Liza Backman, from Brooklyn, New York, spent 14 days in May quarantining in Fairbanks, Alaska before joining her research team studying the phenology and vegetation in the warming Arctic at Toolik Field Station. In September, Jon Pazol, is anticipated to head to Norway to board a ship-based expedition as part of the Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational System program. PolarTREC alumni, Mark Goldner, will report from the High Arctic Change 2021 expedition supported by National Geographic.

In a recent Dear Colleague Letter, NSF has outlined immediate actions being taken to support indigenous individuals and organizations. NSF has revised and clarified the Arctic Research Opportunities (NSF 21-526) and Navigating the New Arctic (NNA; NSF 21-524) to highlight ethical conduct of research in the Arctic. The updated solicitations also provide guidance on how to build true collaborations with local and Indigenous peoples in NSF-funded research and education.

The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) new website is designed to connect scientists across international, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries and connecting those who do research with those who seek the outcomes of that research. Updated informationabout IASC organized meetings, its five Working Groups, reports, and other activities are summarized in this article.

Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, has announced the establishment of a new Department of Defense Regional Center, the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. Defense Department Regional Centers are international academic venues for bilateral and multilateral research, communication, and training with the goal of building strong, sustainable international networks of security leaders.

The significance of the inclusion of climate change in the establishment of the center is noted in a perspective from Marisol Maddox, Arctic Analyst at the Wilson Center's Polar Institute.

Since 2016, the Arctic Data Center has preserved the work of over 2900 researchers in over 6400 individual datasets. The recent NSF award will allow the Center to increase capabilities in a number of critical areas and enable researchers to create branded portals that provide a convenient, readily customized way to communicate their research to the broader community.

The Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO), a resource for Alaska Native subsistence hunters, coastal communities, and others interested in sea ice and walrus, provides weekly reports during the spring sea-ice season with information on weather and sea ice conditions relevant to walrus in the northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea regions of Alaska. The Outlooks are produced with information on weather and sea ice conditions provided by the National Weather Service - Alaska Region and Alaska Native sea ice experts. The 2021 SIWO season began on Friday, 26 March and ended on Friday, 18 June.

The "Pan-Arctic Report: Gender Equality in the Arctic" is a part of an international collaborative project under the Arctic Council Sustainable Development Group on Gender Equality in the Arctic (GEA) dating back to 2013. The purpose of the GEA project is to raise visibility and understanding of the importance of gender issues in the Arctic, to identify priorities and concrete strategies for increased diversity and gender balance in policy and decision-making processes, and to provide information to facilitate sustainable policy making for the future.

Through the Polar Learning and Responding Climate Change Education Partnership, researchers created the polar quiz Kahoot! as part of a series of Climate Challenges for education and engagement. At least three teachers hosted the quiz in each of the 50 US states and Washington, DC., demonstrating that US teachers are interested in including polar content in their classrooms. The Kahoot! game-based player response system records which state each response comes from, so the researchers have a glimpse of regional variations in student polar knowledge.