Arctic Science Summit Week

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Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

ASSW Welcome and Overview

By Larry Hinzman, UAF Vice Chancellor for Research

Welcome to the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week. This annual gathering of scientists, program managers, indigenous peoples, industry, government agencies and policy makers is a unique opportunity to bring together diverse perspectives to develop a better understanding of the Arctic environment and its role in global policy.

This series of events presents a venue for groups and organizations dedicated to the Arctic

to work together for greater efficiency and collaboration. I want to personally welcome all of the participants to this year’s meetings.

Fairbanks is the United States’ Arctic hub community and a jumping off point for people who live, work, visit and study in this important region. As America’s Arctic university, we here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have worked to facilitate national and international dialogues on the challenges and

opportunities unique to the Arctic.

I would like to invite our friends and neighbors here in Fairbanks to attend a variety of programs and events during ASSW. This is a rare chance to get a first-hand look at the role of scientists and policy makers in meeting the challenge of a changing Arctic.

Throughout the week, UAF will host several events for students and the public, including Dark Winter Nights on Saturday, March

11, an evening of live storytelling. There will also be a film night, art shows, lectures, panel discussions and family programs at both the UA Museum of the North and the UAF Great Hall. Please see our schedule located in this tabloid.

UAF research is diverse and encompasses most of the sectors, disciplines and problem areas that matter in the context of rapid Arctic change.

By hosting the summit and related meetings, we are striving to

ASSWOverview: Several major international meetings will take place during the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Larry Hinzman is the Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

make our state a better place to live and work by bringing together diverse perspectives

and helping local voices be heard at a national and international level.

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

What is ASSW? The 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week, or ASSW, will bring together as many as 1,000 participants from 30 different countries to coordinate activities and look for opportunities to collaborate on Arctic research and policy. The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) chairs the summit and creates the program, which is composed of various IASC working group meetings and other open and closed business meetings. This year, it will include updates on associated working groups such as those on sustainable development, emergency prevention and preparedness and response.

This year, ASSW also features a meeting of

the Arctic Observing Summit and the Arctic Council’s Senior Arctic Officials. All of these large meetings are held simultaneously to promote communication and the translation of scientific understanding into policy.

Other events include the Model Arctic Council, the International Arctic Assembly, joint meetings and various workshops and presentations.

UAF is coordinating the program for the first International Arctic Assembly on March 15, the one day that all of these meetings overlap.

Scientists, indigenous people, government officials and others interested in the Arctic are invited to participate

in this event designed to harness the expertise of those attending the meetings.

The event will take place at the UAF Davis Concert Hall and streamed online.

This meeting comes at a time when increased tourism, shipping, resource extraction and other commercial and military activities in the Arctic are creating opportunities and challenges for governing bodies. As information to make policy decisions is needed, the connection between research and policy often includes significant obstacles. It will be a wonderful opportunity to hear the visionary perspectives of those who are helping to guide our nation in addressing those challenges.

A one-day registration option is available for

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anyone who would like to attend the International Arctic Assembly. It will also be live-streamed from the ASSW website (assw2016.org). Discussion and questions will be encouraged from in-person and online participants.

The day will conclude with a banquet to

celebrate the Arctic and international cooperation through cultural performances, remarks from Arctic leaders and a meal featuring many Alaska foods. Tickets for the banquet can be purchased online, while supplies last.

We are enthusiastic

about the program that has been developed by dozens of people around the world and we are looking forward to hosting everyone at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Larry Hinzman is the Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

private sector, universities, government agencies and many others,” said Eicken.

“We need to make sure that those who need the information have access to it. “ (part of the quote?)

Eicken said AOS provides a platform from which to address

urgent needs. This meeting will foster international communication and the widespread coordination of long-term observations.

AOS also serves as an international forum for making the best use of available resources, trhough the coordination and

exchange of information between those focused on long-term observing activities, while minimizing duplication and gaps.

Kristin Timm is a science communicator at the UAF International Arctic Research Center.

Arctic observing . . . By Kristin Timm The Arctic is home to a patchwork of observation systems – networks of devices and instruments that measure temperature, wind, precipitation and other environmental data. Like a monitor on a patient, observing systems document baselines and can detect abnormalities and trends.

This information serves a variety of purposes—from day-to-day navigation through the sea ice by subsistence hunters to long range planning for security and emergency response.

In more populated and better-studied regions, these individual systems are strongly connected to one another. In the Arctic, however, they are disparate.

For example, monitoring U.S. Arctic waters are the

responsibility of a diverse set of entities: academic institutions, federal and state agencies, the private sector, local government and foreign nations. This leads to inconsistencies in the types of data collected, such as differences in scale and how the data is made available. Those discrepancies lead to inefficiencies in using that data to make decisions.

That is one reason the Arctic Observing Summit is convening during the 2016 Arctic Science Summit to create stronger links among observing networks and users. The outcomes of the meeting will help paint a more complete picture of what is happening in the Arctic.

And this information is more important than

ever. “The rapidity and breadth of Arctic change is challenging existing, established response tools and mechanisms,” said Hajo Eicken, co-chair of the summit and director of the UAF International Arctic Research Center.

“The type of information needed at this point by those living in the Arctic and other decision-makers has to at least in part come from networks of sustained observations.”

Another outcome of this effort involves making sure that anyone who is interested in the data has access. “In order for these observations to be meaningful and effective, we will need to build new partnerships between Indigenous peoples, Arctic communities, the

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Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Model Arctic Council: Arctic politics, Arctic peoples, Arctic everything . . . By Naomi Horne As part of Arctic Science Summit Week, the 10-day conference combining environmental impact research and changing climate data observations, the University of Alaska Fairbanks is offering a chance for young people concerned about the future of the Arctic to have a say at the first truly international Model Arctic Council.

Seventy college students from Arctic communities worldwide, selected from more than 100 applicants, will work toward real solutions to Arctic challenges and present

draft resolutions and a report to the Senior Arctic Officials assembly at the end of their week-long session.

The diversity of students reflects the makeup of the Arctic Council, which operates through collaboration and consensus. UAF Arctic and Northern Studies program director Mary Ehrlander said Model Arctic Council helps college students learn about the process by discussing the problems it seeks to resolve.

“We’re thrilled at the breadth of participation in the MAC and that students

will be tackling actual Arctic Council priorities,” she said. “These students are going to be tomorrow’s leaders in the Arctic.

It’s exciting to envision the recognition that the program will bring to UAF as a leading research university in the North.”

This is not a classroom experience. This is a real world simulation, Ehrlander said. The minds of these college students will be challenged, as the actual Senior Arctic Officials are challenged through hands-on writing, debate, presentations and research.

“Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the program is knowing that it will continue, through the Thematic Network we have established within the University of the Arctic,” she said. “The program will rotate with the chairship of the Arctic Council. Two years from now it will be Finland’s turn to host and two years later, an Icelandic university will host. So the benefits of the program will continue to multiply.”

Model Arctic Council will use the collaborative learning algorithm developed by the Model United Nations program,

employing the same learnby-doing methods. What’s different, though, is the audience. Member states, permanent participants and observers of the Arctic Council will be in attendance. This allows for real-time discussions of challenges between the next generations of Arctic leadership and the current.

An awareness of Arctic vulnerabilities will influence the work of the Model Arctic Council participants. The process will offer them a chance to both understand those vulnerabilities and document the strengths.

Each participant’s experiences will inform the direction the work, while individual ideas will also have a meaningful place in the larger context of discussions about the challenges facing Arctic communities.

Something on this scale has not happened before, though smaller Model Arctic Council events have occurred. This is the first fully international Model Arctic Council involving students from throughout the Circumpolar North.

Naomi Horne is the advancement officer for UAF’s College of Liberal Arts.

Student exchange program yields expanded polar perspectives . . . By Meghan Murphy Take a giant 3,524mile step to the east from Fairbanks, Alaska and then go one degree of latitude south. There you will find University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate Hannah Gerrish, who is currently taking biology classes at Sweden’s Umeå University through the north2north exchange program.

“I thought it would be interesting to live in a place that is so similar to Alaska, but then have it be European and see what the differences are between the two,” Gerrish said.

The north2north program offers undergraduate and graduate students a chance to experience the academics and culture of one of the eight Arctic nations - the United States, Canada, Denmark (including the Faroe Islands and Greenland),

Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden.

Being able to get a fresh start and go somewhere new, where no one knows you, can reveal insights about yourself. Gerrish said that while the academics are important, they are only part of the learning experience.

Back where a person grows up, she said, “People have preconceived ideas of you, and you have preconceived ideas of other people. So I think it’s been good to figure out myself on this exchange … it’s allowed me to see myself in a slightly different light.”

The exchange program is part of a collaborative network of more than 170 universities, colleges, research institutes and organizations called UArctic. The network shares resources to provide education, outreach and research opportunities for,

by and about the North.

“North2north is unique as a study abroad destination for students at all levels with academic and research interests in the North and northern issues,” said Donna Anger, director of UAF’s Office of International Programs and Initiatives that administers exchanges.

“Participants return to their home campus with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in another northern environment.”

North2north participants study in fields including Arctic engineering, atmospheric sciences, natural resources management and northern studies. Since 2010, UAF has sent 32 students to a northern partner institution, and 44 students from the network have come to study at UAF. Lindsey Klueber, a UAF

undergraduate double majoring in biology and art, took a forest ecology course at Umeå University last fall and said the exchange program helps students learn how to collaborate with people from different countries and cultures.

“I understand the religion of fika,” she said. “Fika is a coffee break and it’s a very important cultural thing that they have there.

It’s jokingly called the religion of Sweden.”

She described fika as a way for people to take a meditative respite from the day and connect with friends or colleagues.

Klueber said learning these intimate details of a culture while meeting new people stretches perspectives and makes the experience meaningful.

“It’s rewarding being able to just talk and interact and learn from everyone

whether it’s about politics, ways of life or individual personality quirks that come with being part of that nation. It was a very eye-opening experience,”

she said.

Meghan Murphy is the public information officer for the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics.

Hannah Gerrish, a UAF undergraduate student studying biological sciences, takes a snowshoe trip in the national park closest to the university she is currently attending in northern Sweden. She is studying at Umeå University for two semesters as part of the north2north exchange program through UArctic. Photo by Andreas Gulde

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

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Turtle Club is a popular dining spot for locals and visitors

Greta Lindley, Owner, Turtle Club Photo courtesy of Daily News-Miner

The Turtle Club, located just outside of Fairbanks in the community of Fox, is known for its exceptional food, great service and relaxed ambiance. Their “rustic fine dining� has never been a secret to locals, but newcomers and visitors are also discovering this hidden gem just off the beaten path.

Fox is home to just over 400 people and has a rich

mining history that is reflected in the dÊcor of the restaurant and menu which offers a Gold Nugget Plate, featuring delicious prawns, and the famous Miner’s Cut of prime rib.

Many people come out primarily to see Greta Lindley, owner of the Turtle Club for over 35 years.

Known as the Matriarch of Fox, she graciously welcomes everyone. Greta recently received the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Association Lifetime Achievement Award—only the second recipient ever. Greta says, “When a customer walks into our restaurant, we expect them to get the very best service, the very best food and a friendly atmosphere.�

Intricately and

painstakingly created by their world-class chef, the Turtle Club menu reflects a variety of flavors and ensures that your dining experience is first-class every time. That explains why they’ve been a staple in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Reader’s Choice for Best Steak/Prime Rib, Seafood, Salad Bar & Desserts since 2003.

There are many excellent appetizer options to start off your evening. How about coconut shrimp, escargot, halibut or maybe their famous Turtle Tails—cream cheese stuffed jalapenos fried in beer batter. Next up is your main course with choices including lobster, Alaskan king crab legs or sautÊed prawns. Of course, the Turtle Club is famous for their prime rib and offer

Natural Science and Mathematics Discovery takes us a step up. Knowledge takes us a step forward.

When taken together, discovery and knowledge act like stairs that elevate our understanding of science and mathematics.

They help us gain new perspectives on how to navigate our ever-changing world.  That’s what the College of Natural Science & Mathematics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is all about, said CNSM Dean Paul Layer.

Faculty and staff at the college help undergraduate and graduate students exercise their minds and skills so that they can reach new heights.  “Our students learn knowledge through the classroom, lab and

field. They also discover through research,� he said. “Students gain confidence by applying what they’ve learned and realizing that they can think outside the box.�

Layer said CNSM students have helped define Alaska’s climate zones, discovered new species and located valuable natural resources in the state.

They’re finding better ways to track wildfires and examine how Alaska’s changing environment is affecting the environment and rural communities.  Layer said that the community in Alaska and beyond is integrated into this process of knowledge and discovery.  “Community members like industry professionals serve as our students’

mentors,� he said. “Many students work with the community to bring different perspectives and voices to their research projects.�  CNSM strengthens community connections by supporting outreach programs like the Alaska Summer Research Academy, GeoFORCE Alaska, the Alaska Statewide High School Science Symposium, Colors of Nature and Girls on Ice. CNSM also hosts annual events and public seminars. Find out more atwww.cnsm.uaf.edu.Two upcoming opportunities are detailed below.  Science Potpourri, FREE Saturday, April 9 from Noon to 3 p.m.

Reichardt Building

everything from a 10 to 12 ounce Foxy Cut all the way up to the afore mentioned Miner’s Cut, weighing in at a hefty 20 to 24 ounces of mouthwatering prime rib.

All dinners include a “feast of freshness� salad bar, baked potato or rice pilaf and a

zinfandels and chardonnay house wines, as well as a variety of wine by the glass or bottle, a full selection of cocktails and an assortment of beer.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic night out, celebrating a milestone,

Fox is home to just over 400 people and has a rich mining history that is reflected in the dÊcor of the restaurant and menu which offers a Gold Nugget Plate, featuring delicious prawns, and the famous Miner’s Cut of prime rib. delicious loaf of homemade bread.

As for libations to complement your dining experience, the Turtle Club proudly offers cabernets,

entertaining out of town guests, hanging out with old friends or making new ones, the Turtle Club specializes in making your dining experience unforgettable.

on the UAF Fairbanks Campus 900 Yukon Drive

The Alaska Summer Research Academy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is accepting applications through March 31 for its day-only middle and high school program, July 18-29, 2016. Students spend two weeks with a small group and two instructors exploring a topic in science, engineering, math or technology. Financial aid may be available for qualified students.

There are five middle school modules: t "MBTLB (SPXO t%JTDPWFS UIF 3FE 1MBOFU t .BQQJOH 1FSNBGSPTU Adventures t 3 0 7 &OHJOFFSJOH BOE

Liquid nitrogen may not conjure images of dessert, but at CNSM’s Science Potpourri, scientists use the unconventional ingredient to make ice cream. The science extravaganza will feature three science shows and a potpourri of activities including making slime, digging for fossils, seeing real lava and star gazing in a portable planetarium.

Partners across the campus will be there.

Activities are designed for children of all ages, including toddlers.  Adults should accompany all children. More info: 907474-7608, www.cnsm.uaf. edu Alaska Summer Research Academy

Their chef serves up only the best and freshest dishes and their staff makes sure it reaches your table in style.

Open seven days a week for your pleasure, with seating starting at 6, 7:30, and 9 p.m. Parties of any size are always welcome, especially during the holidays. In addition to the gold pans and pick axes, be sure to notice the eclectic turtle collection—showcasing turtles from all over the world!

Reservations are requested, particularly in summer. Call now to reserve your table at (907) 457-3883. Let them give you a night you won’t soon forget.

Design t 5SBDL JU There are eight high school modules: t #JPNFEJDJOF t #-*.14‍ڀ‏ t %SFBN %FTJHO %0 t &OWJSPONFOUBM $IFNJTUSZ of the Arctic t 'VMM 4UBDL 8FC Development t 5JNF 4MFVUIT o Archaeology in Interior Alaska* t 7FUFSJOBSZ .FEJDJOF t 8FBUIFS PS /PU *The Time Sleuths module includes a six-day expedition.

More info: 907-474-7221 visit www.uaf.edu/asra

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

A Warm Alaskan Welcome to our Arctic Summit International Guests.

We invite you to enjoy fine dining in a cozy, rustic atmosphere.

Featuring Our Famous

PRIME RIB, GIANT PRAWNS & KING CRAB Also Serving

1

IM E RI B

1

SE A F O OD

SA

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L AD BAR

Australian Lobster Tail & Halibut (Dinners Include Salad Bar)

2098 Old Steese Hwy. • Fairbanks, Alaska 99712 Enjoy our non/smoking establishment • Open 7 Days A Week FREE WI-FI • www.alaskanturtle.com FOR RESERVATIONS

457-3883

Mon-Sat 6-10pm Sun 5-9pm

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Greta Lindley, Owner

PR

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Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Institute of Arctic Biology

Toolik Field Station

University of Alaska Fairbanks

toolik.alaska.edu

North America’s Premier Facility for Arctic Research Serving a global clientele by supporting research and education that contributes to a greater understanding of the Arctic

WhereAreWe?

Research

Research

We’re located in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska and have been a major site for national and international scientiďŹ c research in the North American Arctic since 1975.

Much of what the world knows about terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Arctic has emerged from long-term research projects at Toolik Field Station.

• Aurora and space weather • Monitoring permafrost temperatures • Meteorology • Earthscope • Animal adaptations to Arctic environments

AboutUs We serve a global clientele with worldclass support of Arctic research and education that creates a greater understanding of the Arctic and its relationship to the world. We are supported by the National Science Foundation and operated by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

www.iab.uaf.edu

Partnerships Services •

Education

Services

Toolik Field Station supports a variety of Arctic ďŹ eld courses each year for undergraduate and graduate students and scientists from universities and institutions nationwide.

We provide yearround housing, meals, labs, and sciencesupport services for 500+ scientists and students from 100+ institutions working in 20,000 different Arctic research sites each year.

• •

•

• •

Baseline environmental monitoring Weather station GIS surveys, mapping and site selection Equipment fabrication and repair Internet, Wi-Fi General-use scientiďŹ c equipment

Scientists and students from Alaska and the world come to Toolik Field Station. Projects include: • Role of ďŹ re and permafrost thaw on Arctic landscape • Forecasting landscape function in a changing Arctic climate • Environmental impacts of mercury

• Arctic Observing Network (AON) • Arctic Long-Term Ecological Research: (Arctic LTER) • National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) • International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT)

UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution. )

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Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.

mammals, migrating songbirds and overwintering insects.

Thawing permafrost, disappearing lakes, tundra fires that last through a winter, increasing lightning strikes, the greening of the Arctic and animal migrations that sometimes don’t jibe with the seasons are just a handful of the relatively recent changes in the Arctic.

Scientists and students from Alaska and around the world are busy investigating how the Arctic is changing and why what happens here matters to Alaskans and the rest of the world.

One animal adaptation that may hold promise for humans is that of the Arctic ground squirrel – a regular visitor to Toolik Field Station. Hibernation is an adaptation to an anticipation of famine and during hibernation the squirrel can manipulate every cell’s need for energy and oxygen, and reduce heat production – all of which reduces the animal’s need for fuel when food is scarce.

In 1975, scientists established an Arctic research base about 120 miles south of Deadhorse, also called Prudhoe Bay, Alaska when they placed a travel trailer by a lake in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range. That ragged little trailer is gone, but its spirit lives on in the internationally recognized, worldrenowned scientific research facility known as Toolik Field Station.

The station serves a global research clientele with world-class Arctic science and logistics support. Research findings from scientists and students at Toolik Field Station help create

University of Alaska Fairbanks biology graduate student Sarah Ludwig collects water and soil samples for a project on the hydrology and biogeochemistry of water tracks near the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology Toolik Field Station. Photo by Todd Paris/UAF.

a greater understanding of the Arctic and its relationship to the world.

The station’s location allows researchers access to three major physiographic provinces of Alaska: the Brooks Range, the Arctic foothills and the Arctic coastal plain.

Operated and managed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology since 1980 with financial support from the National Science Foundation, the station supports hundreds of scientists and students from around the nation, employs about 40 staff, buys from local suppliers, contracts with local builders and brings Alaska millions of dollars in research support each year.

RESEARCH Much of what the world knows about terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Arctic has emerged from long-term research projects conducted in and around Toolik Field Station.

Research at the station has led to significant discoveries of plant and animal adaptations to extreme environments and to population-level changes in how these organisms look and where they are found.

Wildlife research addresses animal adaptation to the Arctic and includes longterm investigations on the behavior, ecology, physiology, endocrin. ology – diseases related to hormones - and genetics of hibernating

UAF’s Institute of Arctic Biology and Toolik Field Station are studying how the squirrels are protected from heart attacks caused by blood clots while their hearts beat slowly and how their hearts and metabolism speed up each spring without causing any damage to the animal’s brain, heart or body muscles. What these scientists discover may offer promise for human cardiac treatments.

Ecological research focuses on the roles of disturbances such as fire and thawing permafrost and the effects of environmental change on Arctic ecology and ecosystems.

Serendipity led to research on the largest recorded tundra fire in the circumpolar arctic in 2007.

University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher Jeanette Moore holds an Arctic ground squirrel captured near the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology’s Toolik Field Station. Photo by Todd Paris/ UAF.

A hibernating Arctic ground squirrel’s body temperature drops to below freezing, they supercool, and their heart beats only three times per minute.

Scientists working at

Researchers from UAF and universities in the Lower 48 working at Toolik Field Station noticed the Anaktuvuk River fire in July 2007.

Normally the fire would be expected to go out in the moist tundra soil, but the summer of 2007 was so dry that the fire didn’t go out and by September it burned an area roughly the size of Cape Cod and was visible from space. The fire, which

continued to smolder over the winter, released about as much carbon into the atmosphere as the tundra had stored in the previous 50 years. Subsequent study revealed how rapidly a single tundra fire can offset or reverse a half-century worth of soil-stored carbon.

Anaktuvuk River fire, North Slope, Alaska, near the village of Anaktuvuk Pass, north of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology’s Toolik Field Station.

Photo by Michelle Mack.

Climate is changing most rapidly in Arctic and boreal regions and changes in the Arctic are predicted to strongly affect the global climate system.

Continuing research on the causes, mechanisms of response, and feedbacks to further ecosystem change is a high rewsearch priority and promises a steady demand for Toolik Field Station-based services now and in the future. www.toolik.alaska.edu

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

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How to Participate • Register at the door 15 March ($180 per person, seating is limited) • Watch the free livestream at assw2016.org

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A day of presentations and discussions to examine how the people of the Arctic, researchers and policymakers can work together to respond to a rapidly changing Arctic.

Speakers include leaders and experts in Arctic policy, industry, management and research.

6:00 - 10:00 pm Join the closing banquet at the Carlson Center! $80/person • $640/table

Photo by Patrick Kelley, USCG.

UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution

)

The complete agenda and list of speakers is available at assw2016.org/about/assembly or contact us at help@assw2016.org.

Art and science partners develop works for ‘Arctic Perspectives’. . . By Tori Tragis Science may have its origin in a word meaning “to cut,� but knowledge requires integration, not separation.

We take bits of information from lots of sources and shape them into a coherent pattern that tells us more than when the data lies jumbled in a pile. Unjumbling the data is a skill in itself. You could even say it’s an art form. “A lot of times scientists have mountains of data, and they have to find a way to wade through,� said Mary Beth Leigh. “Artists might be able to convert that to patterns.�

Leigh is a microbiologist at the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology. She also has an undergraduate

degree in modern dance, so she understands the integration of art and science and the special skills each group brings to a project.

On her research team is an artist who, with her background in textiles, was able to recommend the best material for containing specimens.

And by participating in the research fieldwork herself, the artist had direct access to materials and methods she could translate into art.

The goal, said Leigh, “is to have arts and humanities contribute to science as equal partners.�

That is echoed by Annie Duffy, a lecturer in UAF’s Art Department. “Hearing another viewpoint might

enhance the problemsolving approach,� she said.

A strength of collaboration is that no one gets too deeply invested in a

part of the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week taking place on the UAF campus March 12-18. “We’re trying to foster

A joint reception to celebrate both shows will be held March 14 from 5-7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Complex. particular perspective. “Artists ask questions that prompt researchers to approach projects differently, and vice versa.�

Duffy curated the art show “Arctic Perspectives,�

future collaborations for more interconnectedness between arts and sciences on campus,� Duffy said.

Twenty-two collaborative teams, primarily from across Alaska and the

Lower 48, submitted an array of works including video, painting, sculpture and books. The subject matter explores biology, chemistry and air quality.

The public can view the results in the Arctic Perspectives exhibit, open March 12-17 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the art gallery in UAF’s Fine Arts Complex.

Another art-science effort showcased during ASSW2016 is the K-12 art and video contest “Many Lands, One Arctic,� which was open for submissions from children anywhere in the world. “We wanted to find a way to engage students and teachers,� said Lena Krutikov, a climate science analyst with UAF’s International

Arctic Research Center and the contest’s organizer. The science summit is highly technical. “It doesn’t lend itself to having students here in person. We wanted a way for students’ voices to be heard, and give them a creative way to do so.�

More than 100 physical and digital pieces were submitted by K-12 students from the U.S., Norway and Russia. The selected artwork will be on display March 11-20 in Arctic Java, the coffee shop located in the Wood Center on the UAF campus.

Tori Tragis is a writer and editor for UAF Marketing and Communications.

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Arctic Museum Collections

Documenting Biological and Cultural Changes

Weight Loss & Muscle Preservation Study

Join us for a workshop

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March 15 • 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at the UA Museum of the North

Volunteers

Clinical Research Trial on Meal Replacement

www.assw2016.org

You May Be Eligible If:

photos credit to: Sarah Betcher

• • •

You are between the ages of 60 and 80 You are overweight (BMI between 30 and 40) You have no active history of metabolic disease, including diabetes, heart attack and dialysis

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This is a dietary study that will require taking meal replacements with regular food to meet a 1,200-calorie per day diet For more information about the project and participation please call: UAF Institute of Arctic Biology Principal Investigator Robert Coker, PhD, 907.474.6701 or Study Coordinator Kristen Scholten, 907.474.7517 For information about your rights as a research participant, please contact the UAF Institutional Review Board at 907.474.7800 or uaf-irb@alaska.edu.

UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution. )

Join us at the Fair this summer August 5 - 14

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Looking for Volunteers/ Superintendents/Local Entertainers: Call 452-3750 or 451-5560 Email: generalmanager@tananavalleyfair.org

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to educate and entertain

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Volunteers Needed for a Clinical Research Trial

Arctic Museum Collections is poorly documented, leaving critical gaps in our understanding of the biodiversity, mobility and evolution of many organisms. This prevents us from making reliable predictions concerning future changes.

In an effort to improve access to this knowledge and encourage international collaboration, IckertBond said the museum has invested in a multi-collection database called Arctos (arctosdb.org).

“Our aim is to showcase museum collections, promote accelerated sampling and highlight the strengths of a multi-disciplinary database,” she said. “Our objects provide a glimpse at diversity through time and space. Reciprocal links to GenBank, publications

and high resolution images enhance this resource which is accessible to anybody with an internet connection.”

The workshop focuses on Arctic biological and cultural diversity assessment, developing large networks of Arctic collaborators and engaging new members and their students in issues relevant to the Arctic.

It will be held Tuesday, March 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the museum auditorium.

For more info, go to bit.ly/asswmuseumcollections

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A museum’s collections present a unique opportunity to develop an extensive knowledge base about a given subject. In the case of the University of Alaska Museum of the North, that subject is the Arctic.

At a workshop at UAMN held as part of the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week, museum curators and collection managers will present information about conserving highlatitude biological and cultural diversity in the face of unprecedented rates of climate change.

Herbarium curator Steffi Ickert-Bond said understanding the Arctic requires information on patterns of diversity and their evolution. As it now stands, this knowledge

11

Weight loss in overweight individuals is usually related to a decreasing risk of metabolic syndrome, which includes diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

For people 50 and older, dietary-induced weight loss usually leads to exaggerated muscle loss.

An individual’s ability to maintain muscle is directly related to their ability to maintain physical function and quality of life.

A University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology research project will determine whether a proprietary meal replacement promotes muscle retention in older, overweight individuals.

The meal replacement may enable adults to lose fat and maintain skeletal muscle, potentially providing an opportunity to enhance

overall well-being and decrease risk of mortality.

This is not a treatment study, which means participants’ health may not benefit directly. The preliminary data resulting from the study will be used to support a clinical study in Alaska.

Individuals may be eligible to participate if they are 60-80 years old, overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 30-40, and have no

ćF 5BOBOB 7BMMFZ 4UBUF Fair was established in 1924 and is the oldest and original Alaska State Fair.

This will be our 92nd year and it is looking to be a Great One! Spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking about what you want to enter into the Tanana 7BMMFZ 4UBUF 'BJS There are many ways for you to be a part of this great celebration. All the items you have worked on as hobbies, school projects and self- interests

can find a place at the Fair. From photography to home canning to quilting to flowers and vegetables to livestock and equine to arts and crafts to Lego building, there is a place for you at the Fair. Our exhibit guide will lead you through the process of entering your items into more than 27 divisions.

7PMVOUFFS 4VQFSJOUFOEFOUT are always ready to help you fill out your entry forms and make sure they are displayed to show off your talents. Entry Day

active history of diabetes, heart disease, dialysis, etc. Individuals will be screened for eligibility by phone. Participants will be given a body composition analysis and asked to complete two studies designed to evaluate the influence of two meal replacements on muscle preservation using safe markers called stable isotopes. Procedures will be of no cost to the participant.

For study details, contact Robert Coker, Ph.D. 907-474-6701 or Kristen Scholten 907-474-7517.

For information about your rights as a research participant, please contact the UAF Institutional Review Board at 907-474-7800 or uaf-irb@alaska.edu.

for all non-perishable items will be July 30, from 1:00 – 6:00 PM. Carnival rides, entertainment, special events, livestock and equine shows will fill your days and evenings with fun for the whole family. Come be a part of this community Fair! IT IS YOUR FAIR!! We can all work together to make it a GREAT ONE! Please call our office at 451-5555 or 451-5560 if questions or would like to be one of the many volunteers that make our FAIR great.

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Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

The importance of the Arctic . . . By Tori Tragis “I’m sitting here in Monaco or somewhere. What has sea ice done for me lately?”

Hajo Eicken posed this hypothetical question before giving a very real answer. “Well, it’s done a lot.”

The mental image of Monaco paired with Barrow’s Arctic coast was created during a 2009 lecture Eicken gave to the National Academy of Sciences.

Eicken, a leading sea ice researcher, is now the director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ International Arctic Research Center, or IARC, where he spends a good deal of time discussing the effects of a changing Arctic on the rest of the world.

Despite the miles that separate the Chukchi and Mediterranean seas, there is an impact.

One effect of sea ice is its role in helping regulate global climate, which means that sunbather in Monaco may not have the reliably sunny and warm temperatures one expects on the Mediterranean.

If a ruined vacation seems like a first-world problem, consider the businesses that rely on tourism in Monaco. And the ones that rely on snow.

Consider agriculture, its success delicately balanced on expectations about temperature, wind and precipitation. Then there’s housing, each region

of the world adapted to conditions that, if upended, could leave untold numbers exposed to unpredictable elements.

You get the picture, or at least you get part of it, which is what scientists who study the Arctic are candid about. The picture is not complete or clear, but it is definitely changing.

“The Arctic has been called the canary in the coal mine,” said John Walsh, chief scientist at IARC. With many data-based scenarios that point to different potential outcomes, all with the Arctic leading the way toward a warmer world, it’s important to continue gathering data so the scenarios can be continually refined.

“The Arctic is the place where you want to know what’s going on,” Walsh said. “It has this mix of ice, water and air, and it’s the ice that really magnifies the changes in a lot of respects.” The difference in air temperature between the cold poles and the hot equator acts as a kind of global air exchange.

The closer the regions’ temperatures come to each other, the less air exchange, which will change regional climates around the world.

Researchers are also studying land ice. “If you aren’t monitoring ice cover,

at least glaciers and ice sheets, you’re not going to be on top of what’s contributing to sea level changes,” Walsh said.

Change is natural and inevitable. But what’s happening now is also very rapid. Changes to sea ice — the fact that there’s less of it less often, that instead of vast and sturdy sheets there is a veritable floating debris field — pose significant challenges in many arenas, as Eicken points out, including for local and indigenous populations, coastal and offshore infrastructure, shipping routes, and fisheries.

The use and interests of these groups vary and sometimes compete with each other, but they may be able to mitigate some conflict with data that gives a better picture of the hazards and opportunities in the new environment.

Data underpins everything we know about the new environment.

Without it, said Glenn Juday, “we’re going to be the victims of confusion in a period of wrenching change. We won’t understand why things are happening.

We’ll be surprised when damage happens to things we depend on and need resources from. It’ll seem arbitrary.”

Juday points to work he began 20 years ago with colleagues at the UAF School of Natural Resources and Extension.

They documented that Alaska’s boreal forests were experiencing

The beauty of the Brooks Range hides a perplexing phenomenon — several dozen moving mounds of frozen earth.

Some are approaching the Dalton Highway and trans-Alaska oil pipeline in the Dietrich River valley, seen here near milepost 219 of the highway. UAF researchers are part of a team of scientists studying them. UAF photo by Todd Paris.

reduced growth because of temperature-driven drought. It was a new finding at the time, but the condition is now widespread across the U.S. and the boreal world.

“That’s just one example of Alaska being on the leading edge of this transformation,” Juday said. “We are dealing with it first. The question now becomes, ‘OK, well, what now that you’ve found out these things — now what?’”

It’s a dubious honor that Alaska continues to lead. Juday said that while Alaska’s boreal forest is part of the largest intact forest region of the world, it is, broadly speaking, changing faster than its northern counterparts.

Though the rate of change may vary around the globe, hotter, drier conditions are causing forests to seek better growing conditions.

They are now spreading higher up into mountains

and into far Western Alaska, places where it used to be too cold.

“The overall picture,” says Juday, “is this forest is moving.” It’s moving very slowly, however, possibly not fast enough to outstrip the encroaching drought that is killing it.

The forestry change is not an isolated event, nor is the loss of sea ice or depletion of glaciers.

The suitability of drilling offshore, shipping above the Arctic Circle or growing crops in California and Ukraine are interconnected in myriad ways, some of which researchers have identified while others remain hidden. Not knowing what is happening to the world could be catastrophic.

Juday offered an analogy to explain why it’s important to study how climate change is affecting the world’s natural resources.

“Suppose China’s economy

completely tanked and there was super-depression that would hurt American manufacturers and consumers. So what, who cares? Well, it’s bringing down the world’s banking system. So yeah, we’re involved.”

Science can help explain why something is happening. It can help predict what will happen, so communities and governments can adapt.

Because of the influence the northern latitudes have on global systems, research done in the North is crucial for regions far to the south.

What happens elsewhere in the world will still happen to some degree, but IARC chief scientist Walsh said “they can be made worse and they can be shaped geographically by what happens in the Arctic.”

Tori Tragis is a writer and editor for UAF Marketing and Communications.

And it all starts here in Fairbanks, the best place to study the planet and beyond.

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From the center of the Earth to the surface of the sun and beyond, we turn data and observations into useful information for state and national needs.

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Science for Alaska Lecture Coastal Bathtub Rings: What Ancient Shorelines Tell Us About Future Sea Level Rise â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Julie Brigham-Grette, University of Massachusetts-Amherst 7 pm, Thursday March 17 Wedgewood Resort Borealis Ballroom

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Free public tours of GI facilities 12 noon, March 14, 16, and 18 Elvey Bldg lobby, 903 Koyukuk Drive

info@gi.alaska.edu; 474-5823 gi.alaska.edu/scienceforalaska UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution

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The roughly 300 GI employees also give back to the Fairbanks community, raising tens of thousands of dollars for the American Heart Association and United Way of the Tanana 7BMMFZ BNPOH PUIFS DPOUSJbutions.

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The GI operates 18 research support facilities, including the Poker Flat Research Range, the only university-owned rocket launch facility in the world,

Graduates of the Geophysical Institute graduates have become leaders in research in other places, such as NASA or the Geological Society of America.

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The antennas are an important draw to visitors, as are the GIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aurora forecasts and earthquake and volcano information, tsunami warnings, public science lectures and popular science articles.

Behind the GIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public face, there is serious work underway. The GI is home to some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading researchers, who advance the scientific understanding of permafrost, ice and snow behavior, volcanic eruption, glacier melt and space physics, among many other geophysical disciplines.

and the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration.

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That and the other two antennas, operated by GIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alaska Satellite Facility, provide an iconic silhouette of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Since 1946, millions of people have depended on the vital and entertaining information provided by the Geophysical Institute.

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Geophysical Institute The 36-foot blue dish on top of the Elvey Building, headquarters to most of the Geophysical Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations, has been in many night photographs of auroras, planets and fireworks.

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Arctic Science Summit Week

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Sipping Streams Tea Company

tea house & boutique

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Sipping Streams Tea Company is Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading tea specialist. Jenny Tse was born in Hong Kong and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. Ms. Tse began her in-depth research on tea in 2004 and regularly travels around the world to different tea growing regions to expand her tea knowledge and to meet her suppliers.

Sipping Streams blends and packages all their teas and tisanes in their facility in Fairbanks, Alaska. Of particular note is the subtly sweet Arctic Bliss fireweed flowers and low bush cranberries tea blend, made with white tea and handpicked in central Alaska. Arctic Bliss is one of 9 teas which have won Sipping Streams 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards at the North American Tea Championship. Ms. Tse also won 1st place in the Top Tea Infusionist Competition in the World Tea Expo in 2011.

She has spoken at the World Tea Expo, and Sipping Streams was featured in the Tea Almanac of Fresh Cup Magazine in 2009. In addition to her own travels and research, Ms. Tse frequently hosts tea growers and experts at her establishment to give presentations on different types of tea and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preparation.

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Arctic Science Summit Week

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Welcome to Fairbanks

2016

Arctic Science Summit Week • Arctic Observing Summit Model Arctic Council • Senior Arctic Officials Alaska Arctic Council Host Committee

12-18 MARCH | FAIRBANKS, AK, USA

ASSW2016.org #ASSW2016

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Off Campus Locations 1. Large Animal Research Station 2. Cold Climate Housing Research Center 3. Carlson Center 4. Pioneer Park 5. Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center 6. Wedgewood Resort Hotels on Conference Shuttle Route 7. Westmark 8. Mariott Springhill Suites 9. Hampton Inn 10. Holiday Inn Express 11. Pike’s Waterfront Lodge 12. Alpine / La Quinta 13. Sophie Station

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Arctic Science Summit Week

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Disabled parking permits are available through the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. For temporary campus disabled permits contact UAF Parking Services and present medical documentation.

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Arctic Science Summit Week

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We extend a “Golden Heart” welcome to all the participants in the Arctic Science Summit.

WELCOME TO

FAIRBANKS

We are pleased to welcome all the visitors to the

ARCTIC SCIENCE SUMMIT WEEK We appreciate this important coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all areas of Arctic science that affect the place we call home.

The City of Fairbanks is known as the “Golden Heart City”, and since you have the good fortune to visit us during the Arctic Science Summit Week, you will soon discover why we have earned that name. The people of Fairbanks are known for their generosity of spirit, hospitality, and friendliness. Our city is vibrant with business and trade, outdoor and sports

activities, and a dynamic arts community.

We enjoy the most beautiful extremes of nature, with summer days filled with endless

sunshine, and wintry nights aglow with the Northern Lights. We are proud to call the City of Fairbanks our home, and invite you to enjoy all that Fairbanks has to offer during your visit during the summit. We appreciate this important coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all areas of Arctic science that affect the place we call home.

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Welcome to Arctic Science Summit Week 2016

Institute of Arctic Biology Connecting Alaskans through education, discovery, engagement, and workforce development through life science research

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University of Alaska Fairbanks

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IAB Life Science Hour Seminar Series Most Fridays 3-4 p.m.

Murie Building Auditorium Free & Everyone Welcome Alaska’s principal life science research and education institution investigating high-latitude plant, animal, and human biological systems. The interdisciplinary expertise of IAB faculty, staff and students, and the diversity of programs and facilities provide the public, researchers, resource managers, and policymakers relevant knowledge to interpret, predict, manage, and adapt to a changing world.

www.iab.uaf.edu F12519359

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The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

Arctic Science Summit Week

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Ursa Major Distilling opens its doors to Fairbanks The frontier ethos extends to the custom, handmadeequipment, small batches, and the local, custom woodwork throughout. A visit to the Tasting Room will introduce you to the distiller-owner and his passion for high-quality, locally-made spirits. “We try to stay as local as we can,” said owner and distiller Rob Borland. “Our cocktails are handmade, authentic, and true to their roots, down to the smallest detail. We use fresh-squeezed citrus, seasonal, locally-harvested ingredients, and the highest quality mixers such as tonic water, ginger beers, and house made syrups.”

The Tasting Room, located at 2922 Parks Highway, is open from Wednesday through Friday from 5 to

8 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 8 p.m. for tours, tastings and product sales. The distillery boasts an extensive, build-your-own Bloody Mary Bar during Saturday hours. Be sure not to miss this truly unique and Alaskan experience.

Ursa Major owner and distiller Rob Borland pours.

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Already known for its premium handmade spirits like Summer Harvest Gin BOE -POHXJOUFS 7PELB 6STB Major Distilling, Fairbanks’ first and only distillery, now boasts a beautiful Tasting Room where visitors and locals alike can sample the spirits and enjoy traditional cocktails with a unique, Alaskan twist.

Ursa Major is a small, independent distillery that distills its products from local barley grown in Delta Junction. Their newest product, Fairbanks Sourdough Rum, is made with 60-yearold Alaskan sourdough starter. It was featured in Playboy Magazine, who said, “The resulting spirit is funky and unique, appropriate to the frontier ethos of Alaska.”

Life science research in Alaska has a global reach, global audience Salmon in streams and in school lunches.

Hibernation and human organ transplant.

Mapping climate change and human adaptation.

Microbiology and remediation of contaminated soils.

These are but a few examples of life science research in Alaska that brings together plants, animals and humans with the goal of better understanding our world and how we can be resilient in the face of change.

The Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is Alaska’s principle life science research and education institution investigating high-latitude plant, animal, and human biological systems.

The interdisciplinary expertise of IAB faculty, staff and students, and the diversity of programs and facilities provide the public, researchers, resource managers, and policymakers relevant knowledge to interpret, predict, manage, and adapt to a changing world.

IAB reaches far beyond the UAF campus with a statewide network of life science facilities, biomedical research and training programs, and interagency cooperative

agreements that provide national and international researchers and students with a variety of interdisciplinary funding and research opportunities.

These programs and facilities attract scientists, students and staff to Alaska to live, work and study.

The IAB Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research program focuses on understanding the long-term consequences of changing climate and disturbance to Alaska’s boreal ecosystems due to fire, insect outbreaks and permafrost thaw.

The program’s long-term environmental data sets and research plots serve scientists and students from throughout the University of Alaska system and across the nation

who come to study boreal ecosystems.

Many of the graduate students mentored and supported by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit at IAB have graduated and are employed in state and federal resource agencies throughout Alaska.

Wildlife scientists from IAB and Unit wildlife faculty research and educate students in the ecology and management of fish and wildlife in Alaska and provides the state and nation with technical expertise through data analysis support, mapping, workshops and consultation.

IAB’s Toolik Field Station, on the North Slope, is the premier

facility for national and international terrestrial and freshwater research in the North American Arctic.

The Alaska IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, administered by IAB, is a statewide program that supports research, training and education in biomedical and health science at UAF, UAA and UAS. The program focuses on the interface of health and disease and their relationship to the environment and human behavior.

Researchers in the IAB Center for Alaska Native Health Research - known as CANHR - seek to understand, intervene and prevent health disparities

such as obesity, diabetes, suicide and substance abuse in indigenous communities.

IAB’s Core Facility for Nucleic Acid Analysis provides sample analysis and training for students and faculty in a diverse suite of analytical chemistry using a nextgeneration DNA sequencer.

The Molecular Imaging Facility includes a large-animal magnetic resonance imager and a research-quality bone density scanner available to researchers statewide.

The facility includes two nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, which are used by chemists and biochemists to investigate the properties of organic molecules.

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Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Alaska Feed specializes in Made in Alaska

Alaska Feed Company is a local business that was founded in 1959 and has been owned and operated by the Underwood family since 1979.

As the owners of this multigenerational store, Jon and David Underwood understand the challenges of becoming and staying successful in Alaska’s business environment. They have long been supporters of the Made in Alaska and Alaska Grown programs and for many years they’ve held a strong interest in featuring Alaska Made products in their store.

About six years ago this endeavor grew large enough to earn the creation of its own department within Alaska Feed now known as the Alaska Made Market. Jon said, “What we look for and specialize in are edible products for people and pets, ideal for everyday consumption or as gifts.

We actively search out new product opportunities through customer suggestions and periodic review of the Made in

Alaska website listing on new businesses.”

David added, “Made in Alaska Program Manager Michael Hanzuk contacted us earlier this year to say thank you for supporting the Made in Alaska program and to offer assistance in seeking out new vendors.” The store also supports the Alaska Grown program and sells some locally grown produce when available.

Some notable product lines that have had tremendous success and that Alaska Feed carries are Alaska Flour Company barley flour and mixes, Basically Basil vinaigrettes, Delta Meat & Sausage Company meat sticks and sausage, Diving Duck coffee, Kahiltna Birchworks syrups, Moosetard Mustards, Sample Alaska birch syrups, Taco Loco chips & salsa, Sipping Streams teas and many others. Alaska Feed Company’s Alaska Made Market is the largest showcase of Alaska Made food’s in the Interior. Stop in and check it out.

The Banks Alehouse; Fairbanks’ premiere casual dining establishment dining establishment that welcomes guests to come as they are, with no reservation required.

When Michael & Melissa Cervantes opened the Banks Alehouse in 2014 they had one goal; to offer a dining experience that reflected Fairbanks’ individual flavor and provide the best guest experience in town.

Located at 1243 Old Steese Highway, the restaurant has a neighborhood

feel that draws inspiration from the wilds of Alaska.

The alehouse offers family style dining on one side of its smoke free facility, with seating for individuals and large groups. The bar side of the restaurant has lodge inspired décor and features 20 televisions, including a 10-foot screen for the best sports viewing in town.

The Alehouse is a casual

The Alehouse menu features many classic favorites with an Alaskan twist that you can’t find anywhere else. The Alehouse chefs take pride in sourcing local ingredients to create dishes including the Halibut Tacos, the Striped Reindeer Sandwich, and the Seared Salmon Filet.

They also work with locally processed game meats to create the ever popular Green Chile Elk Burger and the Buffalo Burger. The menu includes traditional appetizers, made to order stone oven pizzas, hand-

cut steaks, pastas, and homemade desserts. A separate kid’s menu featuring smaller portions of many favorite dishes is also available.

The Banks Alehouse has a full bar featuring exceptional wine and spirits.

The draft beer selection is the largest in the interior with forty tap handles pouring the best craft beer in the state. Alaska brewery partners include: Hoodoo Brewery, Silver Gulch Brewing, Alaskan Brewing Company, Denali Brewing Company, 49th State Brewing Company, Kenai River Brewing, Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Arkose Brewery, Baranof Island

Brewing Company, Glacier Brewhouse and Kassik’s Brewery. An extensive wine and spirit list is available, with unique cocktails such as Strawberry Lemonade Smash and the Chili Lime Margarita.

The Banks Alehouse is open seven days a week; Sunday through Thursday 11am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to midnight.

Full delivery service is available starting at 5pm.

For additional information, or to schedule a delivery call: 907-374-3265.

Menus can be found online at: http://www. facebook.com/thebanksalehouse.

Arctic Science Summit Week

Sunday, March 6, 2016

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ALASKA FEED Co. Alaska Made Market The best selection of made IN Alaska products Lead Dog BBQ Sauce Moosetard

Willit House Chocolates

Sipping Streams

Northern Lights Dairy

Taco Loco

And Many others

1600 College â&#x20AC;˘ 451-5570

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Kenai Premier BBQ Sauce

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Alaska Flour Company Arctic Chaga Basically Basil Delta Meat & Sausage

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Arctic Science Summit Week

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Alaska dogs:True companions . . . By Meghan Murphy and Theresa Bakker The survival toolkit for the earliest Alaskans included dogs. They helped with transport.

They hunted for food. And they kept people warm on cold winter nights. That’s why the first people who walked across the Bering land bridge brought their four-legged companions with them Dr. Arleigh Reynolds, %7. BTTPDJBUF EFBO of UAF’s Department PG 7FUFSJOBSZ .FEJDJOF said the dogs helped take care of the people. “Even now, they’re still acting as sentinels to help us know the benefits of this wonderful arctic lifestyle and also some of the risks.”

The history & ethnology collection at the University of Alaska Museum of the North includes many dogrelated carvings that show the long tradition of dog sledding, or dog mushing, in the Arctic. Today, rural residents still rely on dog

teams to hunt and travel, as do hobbyists who enjoy exploring the backcountry with their highly-trained athletes.

Dr. Reynolds said dogs can help researchers understand human health in the state’s rural areas because they share in their owner’s subsistence diet and encounter similar environmental conditions.

“These dogs are fantastic sentinel models because

the dogs experience the same changes in daylight, the same environmental temperatures and the same exposure to things like forest fire smoke.” he said. “Because the dogs’ metabolic rate is so much higher than humans, we can see changes that happen in the dogs before we see them in people.”

Alaskans and their Arctic neighbors in Canada also host a variety of big-name

races. Thousands of fans follow along as mushers spend days competing in long distance wilderness events like the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. There are also sprint mushing races that are run through the streets of the state’s largest cities.

Before coming to UAF, Dr. Reynolds studied the connections between performance and nutrition in sled dogs. Reynolds,

Dr. Arleigh Reynolds, the associate dean of UAF’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, has been a champion of open class sprint racing across the state. Photo by Meghan Murphy

This small dog from the collections at the UA Museum of the North was carved from fresh walrus ivory, likely by a Yupik carver from St. Lawrence Island.

This depiction of a dog team and driver was commercially produced and marketed to tourists.

who received his Doctor PG 7FUFSJOBSZ .FEJDJOF BU Cornell University, was once an avid competitor and champion of open class sprint racing across the state.

He calls sled dogs uber athletes. “A 44-pound sled dog running in the Iditarod will burn 11,000 calories a day. If you put

that in terms of a human, that’s like eight times what a Tour De-France cyclist would eat on a per pound to body weight basis during that race.”

Dr. Reynolds said that “sled dogs” are any dogs that love and are trained to pull. While sled dogs are near and dear to his heart, all dogs - whether they’re an Alaska Husky, a Chihuahua or a Golden Retriever -fulfill a special purpose.

“No matter what happens in your day, your dogs are always happy to see you and I think it’s almost impossible to measure the benefit you get from that,” he said. “But it’s

a very powerful thing.”

Meghan Murphy is the public information officer for the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics. Theresa Bakker is the marketing & communications manager for the UA Museum of the North.

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Shooting the aurora . . . By Todd Paris Many who have witnessed the aurora borealis would like to capture the magic in pictures. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky enough to see one, capturing nice photos with one of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mainstream digital cameras is really not difficult. t 4FU DBNFSB UP NBOVBM to control the ISO, shutter speed and aperture. t 5VSO PÄ&#x152; BVUPGPDVT BOE set focus point to infinity. t 4FU *40 UP Ä&#x2021;JT is a starting point. If the aurora is really bright, try ISO 2000 or lower. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barely visible, raise it to 6400 or even 8000. t 4FMFDU B TIVUUFS TQFFE

of 6 seconds. In bright auroras, you can shoot faster. Dimmer displays will require longer shutter speeds of 8, 10, 15, or even 30 seconds. t 0QFO MFOT UP JUT widest aperture or f/stop. Typically this is f/4 or f/5.6. More expensive lenses have wider (faster) openings of f/2.8 or f/2 or 1.8. t 6TF B USJQPE 'PS FWFO better results, try cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self-timer for a 2-second delay. t 5SZ UP Ä&#x2022;OE something interesting in the foreground: a tree, cabin, mountain. Open water to capture reflections

earns a bonus!

Shoot, inspect and adjust accordingly. If the photos arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bright enough, increase ISO or shutter speed time or both. For optimal results, shoot in RAW mode and process with imageediting software like Adobe Lightroom.

Todd Paris, the chief photographer with UAF Marketing and Communications for the past 14 years, has photographed the aurora in every month except June and July and is currently fighting an addiction to shooting at all hours and temperatures.

Since 1904, Samson 5SVF 7BMVF )BSEXBSF IBT proudly served Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Interior making them the longest standing hardware store in Fairbanks. In the age of retail chains and big box-stores, Samson Hardware remains committed to their familyowned, local, Alaskan, small business roots.

Thank you to our customers for the last 112 years!

"U 4BNTPO 5SVF 7BMVF Hardware you will be sure to find a compelling store format that raises the bar for the retail experience.

)

Scientists, Miners, Explorers, Do It Yourselfers, PROFESSIONALS, Dog Mushers, Trainees, Enthusiasts, Investors, ELDERS, Traders, Pioneers, CONTRACTORS, VETERANS, Experts, Rookies, OLD HANDS, Learners, &RQQRLVVHXUV, STUDENTS, Novices, *UHHQ +RUQV, Ä?**, / -, *MOQVVMZ[...

Stop by and see WHY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATRONAGE!

Taken in September 2015 at Lost Lake, about 55 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Settings: ISO 4000 for 10 seconds at f/4. Taken with Sony a7rII and Canon 17-40 L lens at 17mm with Metabones T Smart Adaptor IV. Photo by Paris Photographics

Their merchandising is geared for todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DIY enthusiasts. With a wide variety of product assortments, a focus on local expert advice and superior customer service, they exceed customer expectations.

Jennifer Towler refer to their store as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;full-service hardware storeâ&#x20AC;?.

4BNTPO 5SVF 7BMVF Hardware remains active in the community they serve.

You can find us at 1990 Phillips Field Road.

Co-owners Jeanne Stearns and her sister,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the competitive world of retailing, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re only as good as your reputation.â&#x20AC;?

Arctic Science Summit Week

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Sunday, March 6, 2016

4-(5$12(38 .% + 2* % (1! -*2 Naturally Inspiring

UAF inspires great people to do great things.

Our research affects how we live our lives, from energy efficiency to global policy.

We know the North â&#x20AC;&#x201D; its challenges and its vast possibilities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and we know there is much more to discover. v

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www.uaf.edu

12-18 MARCH | FAIRBANKS, AK, USA

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution. UAF photo by Todd Paris. Produced by UAF Marketing and Communications. 02/2016

)

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Cold weather climate housing . . . By Molly Rettig Atmautluak is surrounded by water. The small Yup’ik Eskimo village sits between a large lake and the Pitmiktakik River in the vast flood plain of the Kuskokwim River.

Though it’s 50 miles from the ocean, it might as well be an island.

Attracted by fish, game, and waterfowl, people have occupied this corner of southwest Alaska for thousands of years. But the ground is too wet for conventional roads or building foundations. So today people walk around on boardwalks and live in homes that are elevated on posts, piles, or cinderblocks.

On the edge of town are two houses that stand out from their neighbors. They

sit high above the tundra on adjustable steel piles, with silver metal siding and sharp red trim. But the most notable trait can’t be seen from the outside. The homes use about 200 gallons of heating oil a year, 80% less than the average home in the region.

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) worked with the community to design and build homes that would fit the climate, culture, and difficult soils of Atmautluak. CCHRC, a nonprofit based in Fairbanks, designed a home that was super energy efficient, affordable and easy to build. With the help of two instructors, a local crew built two new homes in seven weeks.

The house used an integrated truss that combines the walls, floor and roof into a single piece. The trusses were built in Kenai and barged to the community in house-shaped pieces, which allowed the homes to be framed in a single day.

The design lends itself to rural construction because it doesn’t require heavy equipment or specialized carpentry skills. Wrapped in thick, airtight insulation, it can also handle the fierce winters of a place like Atmautluak.

Molly Rettig is the Communications Manager for the Cold Climate Housing Research Center.

Surrounded by water on all sides, the southwest village of Atmautluak is practically an island, with extremely challenging soils for building homes and infrastructure.

CCHRC photo

Local Atmautluak crew framed the integrated truss house in a single day.

CCHRC photo

Lemongrass bringing authentic cuisine from Chiang Mai,Thailand, to Fairbanks The Navachai family has been dedicated to serving Fairbanks with fresh, healthy and authentic Thai cuisine since 1996. Family member Natt Navachai said, “We welcome you to Lemongrass with our extensive menu that we hope offers something to satisfy everyone’s tastes.”

He added that harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish and advised that a diner should indicate to the waitserver what spicy level he or she desires.

“We use wild caught Alaskan halibut, scallops and other Alaskan seafood, such as snow crab and side-stripe shrimp, whenever available which helps support the state economy,” noted Navachai.

“Alaskan seafood is also pure and natural. Whether with red curry or stir-fry with fresh ginger, Alaskan seafood when combined with our Thai cooking style is a must try.”

The Navachai family serves up authentic Thai dishes with an Alaskan flair at Lemongrass restaurant.

Another signature feature of Lemongrass is an exotic blend of Thai cuisine made with the freshest ingredients, hand selected by their chefs from Alaska Grown, local organic farms. Navachai further explained, “Our vegetarian dishes are robust with amazing flavors and sure to please. Just mention vegan only to our servers

and enjoy the freshness and crunchiness.”

The restaurant’s seasonal menus include Pumpkin, Alaskan Summer and New Year specialties. Lemongrass, near the intersection of Old Chena Pump and Chena Ridge roads, is open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.

DINE IN / TAKE OUT / CATERING

(907) 456-2200 MENU: www.LemongrassAlaska.com LUNCH 11 a.m.–4 p.m. / DINNER 5– 10 p.m.

388 OLD CHENA PUMP ROAD

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Building a green event . . . By Lindsey Johnson With hundreds of people traveling to Fairbanks to participate in the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week, sustainability is front and center for the local organizing committee.

Fairbanks can be a challenging place to achieve efficiencies for a conference of this magnitude due to limited recycling resources and a lack of a commercial composting sites. However, sustainability organizers are getting creative to make this event as sustainable as possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our biggest initiative is to have a no plastic event,â&#x20AC;? said sustainability organizer Lena Krutikov.

In order to make the event as plastic-free as possible,

glassware and porcelain will be used for all dining opportunities. This includes everything from beverage refilling stations to banquet dinnerware.

Sustainable uses throughout the planning process have been encouraged. When possible, organizers are relying less on paper products and more on the ASSW website to distribute information. When paper is needed, recycled paper and plant-based inks are being used.

To make the event fully sustainable, participants are encouraged to do their part, as well. This means bringing your own reusable water bottle to meetings, limiting paper usage, eating

local food and using public transportation.

To offset transportation that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be avoided, such as air travel, participants are encouraged to donate to the website carbonfund. org to help offset carbon emissions. The donations will benefit ongoing energy efficient and carbon emission reducing projects.

As of late February, about eight percent of registered participants have purchased carbon offsets.

Participants will continue to be encouraged to donate at the registration desk after their arrival.

Lindsey Johnson is a student assistant at the International Arctic Research Center.

Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Awaken Your Inner Artist: July 17-31st 2016 The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival offers workshops for adults and concerts for all, July 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31, 2016! These workshops, in all art forms, range from two hours to two weeks long.

All skill levels welcome.

Festival encourages personal growth and art appreciation regardless of the level of accomplishment. The Festival presents everyone an outlet to awaken their inner artist and give voice to their passions.

You are invited to enjoy Festival with over 220 workshops and 100 performances held at more than 20 locations

all over town in music, visual arts, dance, writing, theatre, healing arts and culinary arts. The Festival provides opportunities to study and perform with internationally acclaimed artists in various settings at free lunchtime concerts and full evening performances.

FSAF offers a variety of Wilderness Workshops, intensives in poetry, comedy, watercolor, and more, for registrants to study in unique and beautiful places in nature such as Tonglen Lake Lodge in Healy, Chena Hot Springs, or a floating camp outside of Ketchikan.

FSAF also offers a two-

week composing intensive, Composing in the Wilderness.

The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival was named Top 100 Events in North America for 2015 by the American Bus Association. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The attractiveness of the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival as a donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tmiss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Fairbanks, Alaska,â&#x20AC;? said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president and CEO. For more information about Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival contact us at (907)-474-8869, info@fsaf. org or visit www.fsaf.org.

Welcome to the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week! from the lead conference organizers at UAFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

International Arctic Research Center Understanding the Arctic as a System Collaborate with us: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ Alaska Climate Science Center

Arctic system science to track, predict and respond to a rapidly changing North Information products for decision-makers in government and the private sector Arctic science education & outreach Partnerships from the local to the international level on Arctic science and policy

WWW.IARC.UAF.EDU 907-474-6016 INFO@IARC.UAF.EDU UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution )

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Trail of eDNA helps uncover mysteries of Arctic wildlife . . . By Theresa Bakker Imagine exploring a wooded site along an Alaska stream or lake for evidence of animals.

Maybe you’ll see moose prints in the soil or a bit of wolf fur in a berry bush. But some species don’t leave footprints.

They still leave a clue. It’s their DNA. Mark Spangler is a graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He came north after meeting his advisor, Falk Huettmann from the Institute of Arctic Biology, or IAB, at a three-week field course in Central America.

“My dream was to do tropical herpetology, but Alaska was an amazing opportunity,” he said.

“There aren’t many people doing amphibian research here, so I am able to break

new ground.”

Contrary to what many believe, there are amphibians in Alaska.

The state has six species: two salamanders, two frogs, one newt and a toad. Four are limited to Southeast Alaska. The toad is found as far north as the Alaska Range and west to Anchorage.

And then there is the wood frog, found nearly statewide. “They make use of the boreal wooded forests, but they are generalists,” Spangler said. “They can survive in

Adult wood frogs are actually common in the muskeg around Fairbanks, although they are more often heard than seen. Photo by Mark Spangler

tundra. Any habitat is open for wood frogs.”

The farther north wood frogs get, the more limited the season to do everything they need to be a frog — breeding, developing and then preparing for winter. Wood frogs, like all amphibians, are considered an indicator species, the first to change habits and habitat due to climate change or environmental hazards. To monitor their numbers, first you need to know where they are.

One clue is in the DNA they leave behind. Living things constantly shed cells and tissues. Dead things decompose and their tissues break down. In both cases the process of decay releases DNA molecules into the surroundings. This is called environmental DNA, or eDNA. Spangler is working with Andrés López, curator of fishes, marine invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, to assess the Arctic distribution of the wood frog. He said eDNA is one tool to figure out how far

north they occur.

Detecting a species from the DNA it has left behind requires a couple of special lab tricks. First, Spangler isolates and purifies DNA from a water sample by filtering and chemically removing substances that can interfere with the species detection test. Next, he uses a chemical reaction similar to the one that copies DNA in living cells to make copies from the target species.

Lopez said the key ingredient in this step is a pair of short DNA molecules, called primers, designed to exclusively target wood frog DNA. If DNA molecules from the target species are not present in the sample, no copies are made. The reaction is very sensitive and can find even a tiny number of target DNA molecules to copy.

“One of the main challenges in designing eDNA tests for species detection is finding the sections of the target species’ DNA that are unique,” he said. “These sections serve as targets for the DNA copying reagents, almost like a magnet binds to a piece of metal. Targets that are not unique can lead to false detections.”

Spangler had to design his own wood frog-specific primers, squeezing in tests after class and on sample days. It took six months.

“It’s like cooking,” he said. “There are things

UAF graduate student Allison Martin collects water samples in Monument Creek for eDNA analysis in 2014. Photo by Jeff Falke

you can tinker with.

Temperature. Ingredients.

If you don’t have all of that quite right, it’s a lot of trial and error. When you already have the recipe, you don’t have to go

through that again.”

Theresa Bakker is the marketing & communications manager for the UA Museum of the North.

UAF graduate student Mark Spangler analyzes DNA evidence. Logistical challenges of processing environmental DNA water samples include ensuring species specificity and eliminating any possibility for sample crosscontamination. Photo by Katie Shink

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explore the arctic

2016

with events for families and the public during Arctic Science Summit Week.

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12-18 MARCH | FAIRBANKS, AK, USA

For additional events & information visit:

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (doors open at 6:30)

Dark Winter Nights: North Through Our Eyes

ASSW2016.ORG

Live storytelling event at the Pioneer Park Centennial Center Theatre. Free admission.

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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Arctic Science Family Day Hands-on activities for the whole family at the UA Museum of the North. Free for kids 14 and under.

MAR

8:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Arctic Cinema & Science An evening of arctic-themed films at the Salisbury Theater in the UAF Fine Arts Complex. Free admission.

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Healing & Wellness: Addressing Historical Trauma through Indigenous Knowledge & Practices A panel about Alaska’s indigenous peoples, the impacts of colonization and current efforts in traditional knowledge and healing in the UAF Schaible Auditorium.

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Art Show: Arctic Perspectives Scientists and artists display their collaborative works of art at the University Art Gallery in the UAF Fine Arts Complex. Free admission.

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

One Arctic Student Art Show View original artwork on the theme “Many Lands, One Arctic” created by youth ages 5-18 in the Arctic Java Coffee Shop, UAF Wood Center. Free admission.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

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6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Visualizing the Relationships that Shape our Work Short films and a panel discussion in honor of Archana Bali with visual research from Chukotka, Kamchatka and Alaska in the UAF Schaible Auditorium. Free admission.

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

International Arctic Assembly Banquet Celebrate the Arctic through cultural performances, remarks from local leaders and an Alaska meal at the Carlson Center. Tickets are $80 per person / $640 per table and can be purchased online or at the door.

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Family Game Night An evening of Arctic-themed activities and games for the whole family at the Great Hall in the UAF Fine Arts Complex. Free admission.

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Coastal bathtub rings: What ancient shorelines tell us about future sea level A Science for Alaska lecture from Julie BrighamGrette at the Wedgewood Resort ballroom. Free admission.

Photo by NOAA National Ocean Service Image Gallery

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Fairbanks is the place for arctic meetings Fairbanks is the center of development and execution of Arctic science, strategy, business, and policy in the United States. Fairbanks-based professionals, companies and organizations generate knowledge and innovative products critical to the advancement of the Circumpolar North. The region is recognized globally as vital – tactically and strategically – to the interests of economic advancement and international relations in the Circumpolar North.

Fairbanks is the farthest north city in North America accessible by air, road and rail. The Fairbanks International Airport is within 9-½ air hours from 90 percent of the industrialized hemisphere. International flights over the North Pole from Fairbanks reach Europe in about eight hours and across the Pacific reach Asia within seven hours.

Changes in climate, in resource extraction technology, in emerging health and social issues,

in biological ecosystems, and in the growth of indigenous rights groups are topics pertinent to the Circumpolar North and beyond. These topics have become the focal point of meetings, conventions, and symposia. Internationally, new interdisciplinary organizations have evolved to address issues common to the circumpolar nations of the Arctic.

As the hub for Alaska’s Interior and the Arctic, Fairbanks is a perfect meeting destination for planners and attendees from around the state, the region and the world. Explore Fairbanks, the region’s destination marketing and management organization, has positioned Fairbanks for many years as the year-round basecamp for visitors to Alaska who are interested in exploring the Arctic region. The aurora borealis viewing season, from August 21 to April 21, is a major draw for winter visitation and is supplemented by other coldweather activities, such as

dog sledding and crosscountry skiing, and attractions, such as hot springs and ice art. Summers in this northern latitude offer additional enticements for visitors, including the midnight sun, riverboats, and the grandeur of wide-open landscapes.

Fairbanks offers a quality meeting destination with an infrastructure of more than 2,750 guest rooms and 175,000 square feet of meeting space. Meeting attendees enjoy receptions in world-class museums such as the University of Alaska Museum of the North and Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum.

Pre- and post-tours engage attendees in a wide variety of summer and winter attractions and activities and year-round options.

Explore Fairbanks assists planners from requests for proposals to convention services, including the coordination of Golden Heart (SFFUFS 7PMVOUFFST XIP may support conference registration, airport greets, bag stuffing and perform

Diana Campbell, Sue Mitchell and Barbara Johnson (not pictured) were recognized at the 2016 Golden Heart Gala for their work as Meeting Ambassadors with the 2015 Alaska Unmanned Aircraft Systems Interest Group Annual Meeting held at UAF. Joined by City of Fairbanks representative Jeff Jacobson and Westmark Hotel representative Patricia Silva.

Meeting attendees and planners have a great chance of seeing the northern lights during Aurora Season, August 21 through April 21.

other tasks.

Many of the Explore Fairbanks Meetings & Conventions Department services – such as lead distribution, bid packet creation and promotional materials – are offered free of charge. We want to make it easier to plan a meeting in Fairbanks and will support planner efforts before, during and after the event.

Local community members who invite their association or organization to meet or have an event in Fairbanks are known as Golden Heart Meeting Ambassadors. In February, at the Golden Heart Gala, Explore Fairbanks celebrated the work of 35 Fairbanksans who invited 27 meetings or events to town and then worked hard to ensure that these gatherings were successful. These meetings brought more than $2.3 million new dollars to Fairbanks. Overall, meetings tracked by Explore Fairbanks in 2015 contributed nearly 7 million to our local economy.

We invite you to consider inviting your organization, association or society to meet in Fairbanks. The first step on this adventure

is to contact the Explore Fairbanks Meetings & Conventions Department by email at meetings@

explorefairbanks.com or online at www.meetfairbanks.com. Put our energy to work for you!

Dog mushing takes center stage during winter with events including the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, Open North American Championship, Limited North American Championship and other regularlyscheduled sprint races.

Arctic Science Summit Week

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The United Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Arctic Hub Community Situated just 140 air miles or 195 road miles below the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks is the farthest north city in Alaska and in the United States accessible by air, road and rail. This location affords Fairbanks the most advantageous position to access, research, promote and support the Arctic. Fairbanks has long had a symbiotic relationship with the Arctic region. Local companies and organizations provide transportation and innovative services to Arctic neighbors. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is devoted to a wide variety of Arctic studies. Regional military bases recognize the strategic location and remarkable environment the area provides. Visitors can easily take an extraordinary tour north above the Arctic Circle by road or plane with Fairbanks-based businesses. With a population just under 100,000 people, the Fairbanks North Star Borough features more than 2,750 guest rooms and 175,000 square feet of meeting space making it a perfect destination for meeting planners and attendees. These elements come together in Fairbanks to create a local core on the cutting edge of all things integral to the Arctic.

www.explorefairbanks.com (907) 456-5774 info@explorefairbanks.com )

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