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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: Announcements

Published: 12 May 2023

Hits: 1570

The weather and science story behind OpenSnow

Joel Gratz, OpenSnow Founding Meteorologist

When: 17^th May 11:00AM-12:00PM MDT

Where: Online event

Joel Gratz, the founding meteorologist at OpenSnow, will discuss how OpenSnow creates its (often but not always accurate) snow forecasts, some of the challenges that arose during the 15+ year journey of building the business which now serves forecasts to millions of people worldwide, and the difficulty of gathering snow data around the world. In addition to a few slides, Joel will walk through the OpenSnow app in real-time, and he would love to take many
questions and work through the answers with live data. https://opensnow.com/

 

LIVESTREAM VIA ZOOM:
https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/96149491753

iPhone one-tap :
US: +16465588656,,96149491753#

Telephone:
US: 1-646-558-8656 
Meeting ID: 96149491753
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/MNl8z

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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: Announcements

Published: 11 May 2023

Hits: 1580

When: Tue, May 23, 2023 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM GMT

Where: Online

Signup for the event

 

Both Iceland and Canada are welcoming record numbers of newcomers into their societies as domestic fertility rates continue to decline, demand for skilled workers grows ever larger, and global conflicts and climate change induce more people to seek safety and opportunity in foreign lands.

As noted recently by Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the ratio of foreign-born Icelanders to those born in country is larger than the former’s share of the Icelandic workforce. Her government has therefore recently passed legislation that will make it easier for people to work in Iceland, including foreign students who have completed their studies locally. Such measures are intended to create a more diverse workforce, better ensure the effective integration of newcomers, and keep Iceland competitive on a global scale. As a nation of immigrants and one recognized for its official multiculturalism policy, Canada has learned that achieving these aims takes political will, resources, and culture change both within organizations and society at large.

In the workplace, leaders and employees will have a responsibility to challenge old assumptions, rethink traditional ways of working, and identify and tackle racism, discrimination, and exclusion when they occur. In this light this webinar will look at issues, experiences, and successful approaches to building diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace both in Canada and Iceland, particularly in a northern context. The event will feature insights from Canadian and Icelandic speakers with expertise and lived experience in this field.

Moderator

• Devlin Fernandes is the Executive Director of Gwitchin Council, based in Yellowknife. She has been involved a number of activities with Iceland over the years (including related to the Sustainable Development Working Group, and attending and participating in panels at Arctic Circle Assembly over many years).

Speakers

• Achola Otieno is a policy analyst with over a decade of experience working in Human Rights, both within Iceland and internationally, working with organisations such as the Icelandic local government and the U.N.H.C.R., as well as undertaking collaborative advocacy for underrepresented groups.
• Elínborg Kolbeinsdóttir is an advisor for the coordinated reception of refugees at the International Department of the City of Reykjavík. She is one of the founders of Her Voice, a non-profit organisation based in Reykjavík, which strives to raise awareness of the experiences of women of foreign origin in Iceland.
• Ambe Chenemu is a community organizer and advocate. Ambe is the Founder and President of the Black Advocacy Coalition, Founding President of the Global Shapers Community in Yellowknife, and one of the Founding Members of Black CAN. Ambe also works as a Policy and Government Relations Advisor with the Tłı̨chǫ Government. Originally from Cameroon, Ambe has lived in the Northwest Territories for 10 years and is passionate about building strong and empowered northern communities. Ambe is also an aspiring candidate for the 2023 Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly elections.

Agenda

11:30 - 11:40: Opening Remarks: Ambassador Jeannette Menzies, Embassy of Canada in Reykjavík

11:40 - 12:00: Remarks by panelists

12:00 - 12:25: Moderated Q&A

12:25 - 12:30: Closing Remarks: Ambassador Hlynur Gudjonsson, Embassy of Iceland in Ottawa

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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: Announcements

Published: 09 May 2023

Hits: 1764

Welcome to our EU-PolarNet 2 spring newsletter 2023! We are looking forward to an exciting 3^rd year of our project. The first half of the year is dedicated to research prioritisation process of EU-PolarNet 2. The research prioritisation process will take place in a retreat in June with members of our Polar Expert Group and other high-level scientists and stakeholders.

We are happy to fund 3 exciting service contracts as an outcome of the last call for services, which are now starting their work.

In May, we have organised a well-attended policy briefing in Brussels together with the SO-CHIC project. The briefing focused on Antarctica and how the ongoing changes there influence our climate in Europe. You can view the policy briefing.

 

News

EU-PolarNet 2 at ASSW2023

We had a pleasantly full room at this early morning session. The session was co-convened by Annette Scheepstra (EU-PolarNet 2 stakeholder guardian) and Anneli Strobel (EU-PolarNet 2 project manager) and chaired by Renuka Badhe (EU-PolarNet 2 Work Package 6 lead). The session was targeted to a broad range of our stakeholders and introduced EU-PolarNet 2 and particularly our research prioritisation process. Find out more.

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New activities at the Catalyst platform

Have you visited the Catalyst Platform yet? It is one of the main cooperation tools developed by EU-PolarNet 2 that shall improve the information flow within the European Polar community. The Catalyst platform collects all news and events from EU-PolarNet, the European Polar Board and the EU Polar Cluster. It thus provides an excellent overview of all information about the European polar research community in one place! More information here.

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New EU-PolarNet 2 Service Contract funded!

Through the Service Calls, EU-PolarNet 2 is seeking support from the European research community to develop ideas for concrete research activities for the research needs defined in the Integrated European Polar Research Programme (EPRP). The third and last EU-PolarNet 2 Call for Services closed on 20 December 2022. We are supporting the Services "EA-MISI", "COLDwater" and "HILDAE", which will feed into our research prioritisation process. More information.

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Webinar on permafrost research needs

On 21 March, EU-PolarNet 2 held one of its thematic webinars, together with the EU Polar Cluster project Nunataryuk. We had three excellent speakers for this webinar webinar on “Permafrost Research: current activity and future needs”, who provided an overview of EU Arctic permafrost research activities, current fields of study and future research needs in a policy relevant context. You can find a recording here.

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Coming soon: Webinar "Governing and Protectinc the Antarctic and Southern Ocean"

This EU-PolarNet 2 webinar, hosted by the European Polar Board, gives an overview of Antarctic Governance and various actors involved – the Antarctic Treaty and its related agreements including the Madrid Protocol. The webinar will take place on 15 May 2023, 14:00 CEST.

 

EU Polar Cluster news

The EU Polar Cluster held 2 events at ASSW2023 in Vienna. The “European Coordination of Polar Research” Community Meeting and the “Polar Research Communications Meeting”. The Communications Meeting fostered great discussion with many communication specialists of the EU Polar Cluster and external guests, and the initiatives will be continued in a Cluster Communications Working Group.

Furthermore, the EU Polar Cluster had a booth at AGU (American Geophysical Union) Fall Meeting 2022 in Chicago - one of the most influential events in the world dedicated to the advancement of Earth and space sciences.

The EU Polar Cluster welcomed a new permanent member, EuroGOOS/ Arctic ROOS. Furthermore, the projects HiAOOS and ACCIBERG became members of the Cluster beginning of 2023.

Since summer 2021, the EU Polar Cluster publishes its own regular newsletters. Read the latest edition of the EU Polar Cluster and sign up to the Cluster newsletter here.

 

Parner highlights on polar research

IPCC releases new Synthesis Report

Following lengthy negotiations, the IPCC presented the new Synthesis Report for its sixth reporting cycle in Interlaken, Switzerland, in March. In a press release on the report, the IPCC stresses that the speed and scope of the measures implemented and planned to date are insufficient to combat climate change. Find out more.

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Record low sea ice cover in the Antarctic

There is currently less sea ice in the Antarctic than at any time in the forty years since the beginning of satellite observations. The melting has progressed since December 2022, especially in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas in the West Antarctic, the former becoming virtually ice-free.
Find out more.

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Policy briefing: Recent changes in the Antarctic

EU-PolarNet 2 organised a policy briefing on behalf of the EU Polar Cluster, to be held in Brussels on 3^rd of May from 14:00 - 16:00, titled “Recent changes in the Antarctic and their impacts on Europe". This event was jointly organised by the Horizon2020-funded EU Polar Cluster projects EU-PolarNet 2 and SO-CHIC, with TiPACCS, and PROTECT. The goal was to present relevant insights to European policy makers on the importance of the Southern Ocean and the rapid melting of sea ice for sea level and Europe. The recording of the event is available here.

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European Polar Board accepted as UNFCC observer

The EPB has been accepted by the 27^th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC as an Observer organization. The UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) has the objective to “estabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. Find out more.

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Arctic Ocean: Greater Future acidification in summer

Over the past 200 years, our planet’s oceans have absorbed more than a quarter of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In this regard, the water’s pH value isn’t constant; it varies both seasonally and regionally. But that could soon change, as experts from the Alfred Wegener Institute report in the journal Nature. Find out more.

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Policy Brief on the Impacts of High Fuel Prices on Polar Research

The Policy Brief on the Impacts of High Fuel Prices on Polar Research took place in November 2023 by the Policy Advisory Group of the European Polar Board. Find the whole Policy Brief here.

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SO-CHIC webinars hosted by the European Polar Board

Southern Ocean Carbon and Heat Impact on Climate (SO-CHIC) is an EU-funded project (and member of the EU Polar Cluster) that aims to unlock understanding of some of the key Southern Ocean processes. The EPB organised 3 successful webinars introducing specific work packages of the project. Find out more.

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The eleventh Portuguese flight supporting the Antarctic Summer season 2022-23

On the 17th of February 2023, the PROPOLAR chartered flight, transported researchers and technicians between Punta Arenas (Chile) and the airfield Teniente R. Marsh in King George Island (South Shetlands, Antarctica), to support the austral summer season’s scientific field activities. Find out more.

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A nicely conducted campaign

The 36^th Spanish Antarctic Campaign (2022/23), funded by Science and Innovation Ministry, has successfully concluded on the 21^st March. The Spanish Antarctic program hosted 8 research projects of Portugal, Chile, Canada, Germany and Colombia. About 230 people have participated, including scientists, technical personnel and crews, in the Spanish facilities: Juan Carlos I station and Byers Camp (Livingston Is.), Gabriel de Castilla station (Deception Is.) and the Hesperides vessel. Find out more.

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Dutch research on Antarctic tourism

What is the impact of tourism on Antarctica, and how do you deal with this in policy? Ships are getting bigger, travel further and more often, and companies offer a growing range of activities. How does this impact Antarctica, and how can we continue to protect it? This is what the Dutch Research Agenda programme “Polar Tourism - Research Programme on Assessment of Impacts and Responses” (PT-REPAIR) aims to investigate with four compliant research projects. Find out more.

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New chair of IASC SHWG / New Horizon project underway

Dr. Catherine Chambers was elected chair of the IASC Social and Human Working Group during ASSW. There is exciting work ahead for SHWG related to the updated strategic plan with new scientific priorities, and SHWG will play a lead role in addressing social and human research needs for ICARP IV. Through the Stefansson Arctic Institute, Catherine is now working on an Arctic fisheries case study in a new EU Horizon Europe project called MarineSABRES. Find out more.

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Polar Museum opens in Poland at the end of March

The documentation of polar activities has always been close to the heart of Polish polar explorers. And now, there is finally a place to store souvenirs and show them to the world - the Polar Museum (Muzeum Polarne) in Puławy, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Republic of Poland. Find out more.

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The power of ice that sculptured Fennoscandia's landscape

New research from University of Oulu in Nature Communications reveals that the immense ice sheet that covered Fennoscandia during the last ice age excavated the equivalent bedrock volume of over 500 “Mount Everests”. A study by researchers Alun Hubbard and Henry Patton of Oulu and Tromso universities brings a new perspective on the impact of this ice during the last glacial. Find out more.

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12 million euros from the Academy of Finland to strengthen the research profile areas at the University of Oulu

The University of Oulu was granted 12 million euros to support its strong research areas, which are related to sustainable materials and systems, digitalisation and climate change in the northern environment. The University of Oulu received PROFI funding for three research themes: Hydrogen Future as a Climate Change Solution (H2Future), Hybrid Intelligence: Human-AI Co-evolution and Learning in Multi-realities (HI) and Frontiers Arctic and Global Resilience (Front). Find out more.

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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: Announcements

Published: 05 May 2023

Hits: 1652

Introducing the WDS Community of Excellence, our new member platform, powered by Glue Up!

We are excited to announce the implementation of a new CRM for WDS members, the WDS Community of Excellence. Our new member platform, powered by Glue Up, is a cloud-based software that will help us manage events, memberships, communities, and email campaigns more easily and effectively. It will also help us collect and analyze data from our activities and improve our engagement with our members and stakeholders.

Some of the benefits of using and participating in our Community of Excellence include easy access to information about events, memberships, and communities and seamless integration with our website for member application and renewal. The WDS Community of Excellence will also feature automated tracking of member disciplines, partnerships, certification, and affiliations, as well as improved communication and engagement with WDS and other members.

Here's how we're using Glue Up for our new member platform, the WDS Community of Excellence:

• Membership application to renewal is integrated into our website, and renewals are automated through the system.
• We're tracking members by discipline, partnerships, certification, affiliations, and more, allowing us to streamline communication with members.
• We're managing events, starting with the Sustainability Summit in July 2023, with a registration page through Glue Up.
• We've created online communities for ECR and organizational members, providing expert advice and resources from community members and WDS.
• We're sending newsletters and targeted messages to members through Glue Up.
• Glue Up feeds information into the member directory, which we are working to integrate into the WDS website.

This implementation of the WDS Community of Excellence demonstrates our commitment to managing your data responsibly and providing you with an easy-to-use system that allows you to connect conveniently and consistently with us and each other. We appreciate your patience as we evaluated and implemented membership systems. We hope you will enjoy using our new member platform as we launch it soon.

Here are a few tasks for you:
Log in and create a profile at https://app.glueup.com/org/wds/.
Update your information, including your location, discipline, and contact information.

Let us know if there are additional individuals from your team who should be included in the system.

Give us feedback at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..