Young researchers contribute to polar legacy
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What is the International Polar Year?
The fourth International Polar Year is a global campaign to expand our understanding
of the Earth's polar regions and their peoples. The two-year endeavor connects thousands
of scientists from around the world who will collaborate on hundreds of research and
educational projects. As we learn more about the Arctic and the Antarctic, we can
respond better to a changing planet and leave a legacy of knowledge for generations
to come.
Why is polar science vital?
Today, polar communities are grappling with cultural, linguistic and social changes.
The extent and mass of the world's glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking, snow cover
has altered in timing and duration, and sea ice is thinning and diminishing in extent.
Such human and environmental changes have far-reaching consequences for the world
and all of its people. Because the polar regions are both an indicator and a driver
of changes to our planet, it's vital that global communities today develop a better
understanding to prepare for the future.
What is UAF doing for IPY?
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is training the next generation of polar scientists
through K-12, undergraduate and graduate programs in today's most important scientific
disciplines. Our Fairbanks campus is home to nine University of Alaska IPY postdoctoral
fellows, talented young researchers who will collaborate throughout IPY to learn more
about the complexities of the polar regions. And UAF's veteran researchers--among
the world's leading experts in polar science--are participating in dozens of international
IPY research projects.
by Jenn Wagaman, UAF Center for Research Services
Imagine having the chance to study with the most world-renowned experts in your field.
Now imagine having the chance to do that during a period when the entire world is
focused on your area of expertise, a time that only comes twice every century. That’s
just the case for nine postdoctoral fellows at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
These early-career scientists were chosen from a pool of 180 international applicants
to fill postdoctoral positions focusing on the International Polar Year.
The fourth International Polar Year is a two-year global campaign to expand our understanding of the Earth’s polar regions and their peoples. Thousands of scientists worldwide will collaborate on hundreds of arctic and antarctic projects, contributing to a legacy of study and data collection dating back to 1882.
IPY has unique significance to the University of Alaska. UAF is positioned, both geographically and academically, to be a leader in this multinational scientific effort through world-class research in global climate change, arctic biology, volcanology, marine biology and many other areas. The fourth IPY is also unique in its first-time emphasis on indigenous knowledge, adding the expertise of those most intimately familiar with seasonal changes to the knowledge of the scientists and researchers who collect and analyze data about the polar regions.
As part of the IPY program at the University of Alaska, eleven postdoctoral fellowships have been established, nine of them at UAF. The fellowships began during the academic year 2006-2007, and will cover a period of three years.
The fellowships, made possible with the assistance of contributions from BP and ConocoPhillips, represent an important investment in polar science. As some of the best young scientists in the world, these researchers will leave a legacy for the university as they broaden research capabilities and expand connections around the globe.
UAF IPY postdoctoral fellows
Our Fairbanks campus is home to nine University of Alaska IPY postdoctoral fellows, talented young researchers who will collaborate throughout IPY to learn more about the complexities of the polar regions. Find out more about each of them below:
For more information please contact:
- Cherie Solie, IPY statewide outreach manager, University of Alaska Fairbanks, c.solie@uaf.edu, (907) 474-6264
- Jenn Wagaman, outreach coordinator, Center for Research Services, University of Alaska Fairbanks, jenn@alaska.edu, (907) 474-5082
Other useful links:
- UAF's International Polar Year website
- U.S. International Polar Year website
- International Polar Year website