July Science Cafe highlights Arctic Ocean diversity

Submitted by Jenn Wagaman
Phone: (907) 474-5082
07/13/07

The oceans are the planet’s last unexplored frontier. In this month’s IPY Science Café, University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher Rolf Gradinger will present an overview of recent and future research activities of Census of Marine Life researchers to assess the diversity of life in the Arctic Ocean. The presentation, scheduled for Tuesday, July 17 at 7 p.m. at the Alaska Coffee Roasting Company, will give an overview of research activities conducted during a four-week expedition into the Canada Basin during summer 2005 and an outlook of what the scientists hope to accomplish in 2008/2009.

The IPY Science Café is brought to you by the University of Alaska IPY Young Researchers’ Network. The network, powered by young scientists from UA campuses across the state, aims to take science off campus through outreach to the public and students of Alaska. Science Café events are interactive lectures that will take place throughout IPY to give the public a chance to have one-on-one conversations with polar scientists or visiting specialists and to learn about the science that’s happening around the world.

The Census of Marine Life is an international effort to assess the diversity of life in the world’s ocean. The census’ international arctic research efforts combine expeditions from land-based stations and ice breakers with historical reports to understand the distribution of marine life across the entire Arctic.

CONTACT: Jenn Wagaman, UAF Center for Research Services outreach coordinator, (907) 474-5082 or jenn@alaska.edu. Chris Petrich, postdoctoral fellow, (907) 474-6832 or chris.petrich@gi.alaska.edu.