2006 Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum | Abstracts

The Svalbard REU Program: A High-Latitude Undergraduate Research Experience in Glacial, Marine, and Lacustrine Processes Relevant to Arctic Climate Change

Julie Brigham-Grette¹, Ross D. Powell², Al Werner³, Steve Roof⁴, Mike J. Retelle^5
1Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Morrill Science Building, Campus Box 35820, Amhest, MA, 01003, USA, Phone 413-545-4840, Fax 413-545-1200, juliebg@geo.umass.edu
²Department of Geology & Environmental Geosciences, Northern Illinios University, 312 Davis Hall, DeKalb, IL, 60115, USA, Phone 815-753-7952, Fax 815-753-1945, ross@geol.niu.edu
³Earth and Environment, Mt Holyoke College, 321 Clapp Lab, South Hadley , MA, 01075, USA, Phone 413-538-2134, Fax 413-538-2239, awerner@mhc.mtholyoke.edu
⁴School of Natural Science, Hampshire College, 893 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA, Phone 413-559-5667, Fax 413-559-5448, sroof@hampshire.edu
⁵Department of Geology, Bates College, 44 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, ME, 04240, USA, Phone 207-786-6155, Fax 207-786-8334, mretelle@bates.edu

The Svalbard Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, initiated in 2003, provides a research opportunity for undergraduate students in arctic Quaternary geology and climate change. The Svalbard archipelago, between 74 degrees and 81 degrees N latitude, lies at the northern end of the warm Gulf Stream and North Atlantic currents and therefore, is sensitive to subtle climate and oceanic changes. Svalbard has warmed considerably during the last 90 years and climate proxies indicate even greater Holocene climate variability. Despite this, little is known of sub-century-scale climate change and virtually nothing is known of decadal scale variability in this region. In this program, undergraduate students are conducting glacilacustrine research at Lake Linne, west of Longyearbyen, and pilot studies of glacimarine systems in Kongsfjorden, near Ny Alesund, in order to establish linkages between climate, glacier mass balance, sediment transport, and lake and fjord sedimentation.

Our program provides genuine research experiences in Arctic Quaternary science. Students receive a total immersion experience, including being surrounded by scientists and students from different nations associated with UNIS (the University Centre on Svalbard) and at the large international research center of Ny Alesund, from disciplines differing widely from their own. They interact with these scientists and among themselves to develop their own research plans, making decisions and modifying sampling schemes throughout the field season. Following summer fieldwork we require that a strong home academic advisor guide the student through completion of the project during each student's senior academic year. Many of students have continued on in graduate studies and consider their REU exposure to have been invaluable. Key to the success of our field program are tight logistics with the integration of research objectives with UNIS (the University Centre on Svalbard). In future, we plan to work more closely with a growing number of UNIS faculty developing stronger linkages for curriculum planning and summer fieldwork.