Newsletter shares community-driven research in Kotzebue

December 9, 2020

University Relations

Learn about the latest community-driven research in Kotzebue, Alaska, by reading the Ikaaġvik Sikukun fall 2020 newsletter.

Ikaaġvik Sikukun — Iñupiaq for ice bridges — is a research project that connects the Kotzebue community with scientists to understand how sea ice, ocean physics and marine mammals are changing in the Kotzebue Sound. The project has participants from the International Arctic Research Center and the Geophysical Institute. The newsletter was created by IARC communications lead Heather McFarland.

The science is guided by an Elder Advisory Council, whose perspectives on the project are shared in this newsletter.

The fourth and final newsletter, the publication also explores how ugruk (bearded seal) hunting has changed over the past two decades and gives insights into the unusual sea ice conditions of 2019. Readers can also learn about the Ikaaġvik Sikukun documentary which follows the entire project.

Read past newsletters by searching for “Ikaaġvik Sikukun” in this publications database.

Heather McFarland, IARC Communications Lead, hrmcfarland@alaska.edu