IARC Annual Report
This is the web version of the International Arctic Research Center 2021 annual report. The full publication, along with past years’ reports , can be downloaded from the IARC Communication Products page. Message from the Director 2021 has further strengthened IARC’s role as a leader in Arctic collaboration — a key aspect of the strategic planning initiative we…
Building a local climate workforce through science that serves
Most definitions of science focus on the pursuit of knowledge through rigorous and systematic investigation. For the Kake Climate Partnership, that isn’t enough. “We’re trying to go a step further by providing services for the tribe and community,” said Elizabeth Figus, who is leading the partnership with the Tribe, Tribal corporation and municipal government in…
When it doesn’t rain enough in the rainforest
In 2018, Ketchikan, Alaska, received 100 inches of rain. It was deep in a drought. Compare that to Las Vegas, with its measly four inches of annual rainfall, or California’s Central Valley, with 20 inches. It’s hard to imagine that 100 inches of rain could cause concern. Yet, from 2016-2019, Southeast Alaska experienced drinking water…
Climate change could enable Alaska to grow more of its own food – now is the time to plan for it
Story originally published in The Conversation. Gardeners in Alaska know that it’s hard to grow big, juicy tomatoes here. But as the climate rapidly warms in the far north, that could change. Anchorage reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) for the first time on record in 2019. Arctic sea ice is rapidly receding, and average annual temperatures are…
Alaska teachers invited to a virtual Arctic Educators Fair
Alaska educators and Arctic-inspired teachers are invited to a free virtual Arctic Educators Fair on Feb. 16 from 4-5:30 p.m. This event will connect formal and informal educators with Arctic scientists to create hands-on and place-based learning experiences for students. Educator participants will engage with scientists to: Learn about contemporary Arctic research Find opportunities to…
IARC at Alaska Forum on the Environment 2022
IARC is an active partner in the 2022 Alaska Forum on the Environment. For the eleventh straight year, Nancy Fresco, the network coordinator for IARC’s Scenarios Network for Alaska + Arctic Planning, organized the climate change track of the conference. During the virtual event, IARC scientists and staff are sharing information on southeast Alaska drought,…
Film reveals Arctic change through Indigenous, scientific knowledge
Five years ago, facing momentous changes in coastal sea ice, Iñupiaq residents of Kotzebue, Alaska, began a collaborative research project with scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Columbia University. Their goal was to better understand these changes. The project, called Ice Bridges, or Ikaaġvik Sikukun in the Iñupiaq language, melded Indigenous observations, aerial…
Turning science into music to find common ground and inspire
If climate change was a song, what would it sound like? Alaska composer Michael Bucy has an answer to that question. Warming oceans, melting ice and disrupted jet streams came to life in his original composition performed in Juneau earlier this winter. Complex changes in the Bering Sea inspired the musical representation, which Bucy set…
Science Shorts: PredictFest and hyperspectral imaging
This past week, IARC scientists presented their work alongside thousands of colleagues from around the world at the 2021 American Geophysical Union fall meeting. These Science Shorts, first published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, highlight some of that work. You can also find out more about UAF at AGU by searching for #UAFxAGU on Twitter,…
Science Shorts: Researchers work to predict long-term flood hazards
This week, IARC scientists are presenting their work alongside thousands of colleagues from around the world at the 2021 American Geophysical Union fall meeting. These Science Shorts, first published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, highlight some of that work. You can also find out more about UAF at AGU by searching for #UAFxAGU on Twitter,…