Conference abstracts are listed below. In some cases, a PDF of the presentation has also been included.
A Comprehensive Content Analysis Examining Arctic Maritime Shipping Risks in the Northwest Passage (NWP)
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The Canadian Arctic has seen significant changes in sea ice conditions and weather
patterns since the beginning of the 21st century. This has led to summer months having
ice-free days throughout many sections of the northwest passage (NWP). If global warming
patterns persist, this will introduce partial shipping seasons through areas of the NWP and
increase accessibility from Europe to Asia. Previous research has examined the individual
risks of maritime shipping operations through the NWP, though there has yet to be a study
that examines hazards and risks in a comprehensive matter. This study is the first phase of a
large-scale research risk assessment project to assess hazards and risks throughout the
NWP comprehensively. Using academic literature, this research uses a wide range of
sources to conduct a comprehensive content analysis of past and present-day risks of
maritime shipping within the Arctic. This study uses natural language processing to
identify hazards and risks to Arctic shipping operations. Keywords and phrases found
within the previous step will be used to identify scholarly publications to conduct an initial
risk rating to determine possible data sources, data limitations, hazard/risk severity,
frequency, control measures, and direct/indirect impacts from the identified hazards and
risks. The risks identified in the publication's results will be synthesized based on the
hazard/risk likelihood of occurrence and severity. The study will create a list of
comprehensive hazards and risks from most to least severe to aid policymakers,
researchers, and maritime ship operators in prioritizing the most detrimental risks. This
study will also aid future research to create risk assessment frameworks and models that
address complex problems using a data-driven approach.
A Multiple Knowledge Learning Framework for Youth-led Research
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The Arctic and Earth STEM Integrating GLOBE and NASA (A&E SIGNs) project has continued to implement its culturally responsive climate change investigation and stewardship projects.in communities. Its unique learning framework weaves Indigenous and mainstream science, Indigenous knowledge as foundational and expanded with Global Leaning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) and GLOBE Observer tools and other NASA assets for rural and underrepresented Indigenous and other communities. Climate Change in My Community workshops conducted and offered as courses to teams of educators and community members were assessed based on indicators of successful professional development. The community projects implemented were assessed on citizen science practices that research has shown to engage underrepresented youth and community members, such as preparation, goal alignment, social and cultural relevance, contribution to science, feedback loop, community engagement and student engagement. The extent of the positive impacts of the students’ participation in a place-based project and in the GLOBE Student Research Symposium on students’ interest in science, confidence in collecting data, and knowledge outcomes will also be shared as well as examples of how the learning framework has been applied to undergrad and grad student research.
A Tourist Memento: Art and Science Combined, Understanding the Changing Arctic
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Traditionally, education via the tourism platform is delivered by tour operators, and universities teach or conduct research on tourism from a detached perspective. However, the sensitivity of the Arctic environment and the speed with which it is changing dictates that northern universities should become involved in the processes of knowledge transfer, raising public awareness, and encouraging stewardship of the Arctic. Tourism including art and science are a possible mechanism for this effort. This is a collaborative project working with colleagues from UAA Outdoor Leadership and Environmental Studies. Developing a business model for a sustainable tourism should include (1) citizen-engaged environmental observation, (2) place-based sustainable art, and (3) outdoor recreation and leadership. The concept is focused on knowledge co-production. It is a collaborative approach to provide tourism “packages” that raise awareness of the changing Arctic and encourage stewardship behavior on the part of participants. More interdisciplinary solutions are needed to increase knowledge and engagement about sustainable tourism in the Arctic.
As an art educator, this presentation will provide a background introduction of the framework, and then focus on the design process on how to create a place-based sustainable souvenir (art) that brings visitors closer to places through positive memories. By using creative approach, it will provide a deeper connection and meaning to the experience compared to purchasing mostly imported tourist souvenir products. Making a “place-based souvenir” as a part of the tourism experience could promote a sense of appreciation for the Arctic’s natural environment, increase knowledge and engagement of sustainable tourism in the Arctic, and most importantly including citizen science data collection will help participant to take ownership of the place.
Arctic HABs: A Case Study in Utqiaġvik, Alaska
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Alaska coastlines are vast and exposure to toxic blooms occur affecting food resources. The State of Alaska monitors and regulates the commercial marine industry, but subsistence harvest is dependent on regional or local regulations. Some regional programs exist in Southeast, Southcentral, and in the Aleutians to monitor waterbodies for HABs through phytoplankton monitoring, shellfish, and marine subsistence testing, or both, but the remoteness of communities and funding limits monitoring coverage. In 2016 ARIES and community monitors (NOAA PMN Network) decided to annually sample (1x/mon.@4 sites) for a baseline in Utqiaġvik, AK waters since warm temps continued to increase. After cruises from 2018-2022 by Don Anderson and a cruise team, a large cyst bed of Alexandrium catenalla was found nearby Utqiagvik. Unprecedented cyst beds lead Anderson to be concerned about warming waters and the spread of blooms to different areas. Blooms are already reported from cruises and by local boaters. Local food webs are affected based on prevalence of toxic species and vast blooms in nearby Bering Strait. Most marine subsistence mammals travel widely in Arctic coastal areas and are potentially exposed to toxic species from blooms or in food resources. Transmission and biomass studies continue by an Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms project. For updates on in situ samples, Coastal Observers of Barrow Community based Monitors (COBCBM) and ARIES will present results of near and far coastal samples as a comparison, expansion of near sites near cruise transects of cyst beds, public recruitment of monitors, and formation of local adviser network for FAQ from a subsistence community. Sociocultural and political issues are involved in the preparedness of an Arctic community reliant on subsistence foods. Local advisers assist COBCBM to appropriately educate a subsistence community so recruitment can proceed, more monitors are trained, and more data collection is possible.
Backyard Buoys: Equipping Indigenous Communities with Ocean Intelligence Platforms
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The Backyard Buoys project bridges western science and Indigenous Knowledge to empower coastal communities to collect, steward, understand, and utilize wave data from areas where it matters to them, under their direction, providing another tool to complement traditional practices and increase safety. It is a partnership spanning three regions (Alaska, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific Islands) and expertise with Integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Associations, a wave buoy technology company, Indigenous community partners, and education partners funded by the National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator program. The team has worked collaboratively to co-develop the program, understand region-specific ocean data needs, and define how data will be collected and served. In Alaska, the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) and UIC Science deployed 13 wave buoys in the open water season of 2023 near Point Hope, Wainwright, and Utqiagvik. These locations were picked through a series of workshops with whaling captains at the triennial AWEC meetings in 2021 and 2022. Whaling captains in each of the communities deployed/recovered the buoys. Users accessed near real-time wave data on the smartphone app they helped design. Whaling captains and buoy program managers from UIC Science also participated in monthly Working Group meetings to connect with partners from the other regions, as well as in person workshops in Utqiagvik in August 2022 and Honolulu in February 2024. This program is a best practice model for co-development and community led program in Alaska.
Citizen and Community Science for Resilience Education: Linking Program Design and Outcomes in Diverse Learning Environments
Katie Spellman
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Designing climate education experiences for broad audiences that span age levels, formal and informal education settings and cultural groups is a challenging task. Citizen and community science (CCS) is a powerful tool for climate learning. Participants in climate change related CCS projects can gain scientific knowledge and science process skills while simultaneously helping generate new scientific knowledge that could be used for climate planning or action at community or regional scales. Here we describe methods for citizen and community science program design that can help achieve these goals. Using lessons learned and evaluation data from three projects based out of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, we explore successful strategies for improving youth science and stewardship self-efficacy, and promoting youth action on climate change issues. Strategies explored include co-created community projects, culturally responsive curricula, storytelling, linking data to local action, and flexible implementation of participation levels and learning goals for diverse youth groups.
Co-learning about eqalugaq/uuvaq/uugaq in Kalaallit Nunaat and Inuit Nunangat
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Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida, eqaluga, uuvaq, uugaq) is a key species in Arctic marine ecosystems. Changes in Arctic cod populations can have important consequences for people living in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. We are combining local and Indigenous knowledge, natural sciences, and community-based research to learn about Arctic cod and its ecosystem in Canada and Greenland. For example, we study the stomach contents of thick-billed murres (apaat/akpa) and ringed seals (natseq/nattiq) to understand the importance of Arctic cod for these predators now, and how it compares with the past. Collaboration between fishers, hunters, youth and scientists already provided very interesting knowledge about Arctic cod. For example, we identified a spawning area in Uummannap Kangerlua and a potential migration route between this area and the glacial habitat used by Arctic cod to feed in the summer. Our overarching goal is to produce knowledge supporting science-based decision-making for sustainable and equitable development of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic.
Community-engaged Field Research in Southeast Alaska: Lessons Learned from an Early Career Researcher
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Arctic coastal community sustainability is called into question by rapid anthropogenic change. However, resident views and subjective goals ultimately define sustainable community development and broader socio-environmental relationships. Thus, researchers must utilize methodologies prioritizing local insights to develop actionable science and facilitate collective action. Meanwhile, rapid anthropogenic change has facilitated the northward march of tourism into Arctic Alaska, and literature has identified southeast Alaska as a key study area representative of the forms and scales of cruise tourism expected to occur within the Arctic in the near future. Funded by the NSF Arctic Social Sciences Program, this dissertation research draws upon the concept of livelihood sovereignty to understand how southeast Alaskan residents confront the governance of tourism-related growth and the emergent cultural conflicts between community identities centered on natural resource extractive economies and those based on tourism development. This study utilizes a decolonial, community-based approach to bring resident views to the forefront through fourteen months of fieldwork across three island communities dealing with differential tourism development. Before data collection began, iterative community and tribal engagement led to tribal approval in all study sites, and community advisory boards were formed to facilitate knowledge co-production from data collection to data dissemination. Data collection methods yielded 134 semi-structured and unstructured interviews, nineteen community presentations, multiple participatory workshops, and participant observation. Lessons learned in data collection methods illustrate the necessity to maintain and build on prior community connections within the region to facilitate access into new communities, the essential investment of trust building to ensure alignment between research and community goals, and the unexpected avenues that can arise to incorporate research results into community development processes. This research offers lessons learned for early career researchers aspiring to conduct community-engaged field research applicable in southeast Alaska and across the Arctic region.
Evolving Uses of Technology in Nunavut Research Practice: How Physical, Health and Social Scientists Use Technologies to Collaborate, Conduct, and Report on Their Research
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Nunavummiut (people of Nunavut) have a complicated history with research, which has often failed to benefit them. As the gateway to scientific research in Nunavut, the Nunavut Research Institute (NRI) administers physical, health, and social science research licenses and guides results sharing efforts. Technologies used in research processes have evolved over time, yet there is little in the literature exploring this phenomenon. This presentation will outline preliminary results for the first author’s doctoral research, which aims to understand the most widely used and optimal technologies for both researchers and community partners at each stage of the research process. I have three primary objectives: 1) Identify effective communication technologies used by researchers to collaborate with community partners; 2) Characterize technologies used to conduct research in field- or community-based research; and 3) Explore technologies used for reporting results and knowledge mobilization. Additionally, I consider how the use of technologies has changed over time by discipline. Influenced by community-engaged approaches, including aspects of Aajiiqatigiingniq Research Methodology and the Piliriqatigiinniq Partnership Model, collaborative research with project partners aims to build relationships, build understanding, explore lived experiences, and validate results through collaborative analysis. This means building a relationship with the NRI so we can collectively develop my project and contribute to making research work for Nunavummiut. Together, we agreed that Principal Investigators (PIs), purposefully sampled from Isirkvik (https://nri.gcrc.carleton.ca/index.html), would be interviewed to gain insight on the technologies they use to collaborate, conduct and report on their projects in Nunavut. Through my own collaboration with NRI, we determined a coding scheme and themes to review during content analysis of the transcripts. Further collaborative analysis will determine considerations for improving licensing protocols, communications between researchers and community members, and access and training opportunities in Nunavut.
Fire and Water: Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Climate Challenges in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
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Recently, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has become the center of worldwide attention due to large-scale fires that engulfed the tundra in 2020 and the taiga in 2021. Unprecedented forest fires caused enormous economic and environmental damage and left an indisputable mark on the republic’s society, which rallied in the face of fire danger. Along with fires, the Indigenous people of the North also must cope with and adapt to other natural disasters, including floods. As natural disasters become more frequent and extensive, humanity faces acute questions concerning successful adaptation to climate change’s negative impacts. Studying the experience of the Indigenous population can help provide answers. They are the first to bear the brunt of climate change, given their traditional land management, and they are the first to solve the problems of adaptation to changing conditions. The article discusses preventive measures and ways of adaptation of the Indigenous peoples of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) to forest fires and floods. Environmental lessons learned from past disasters are analyzed, drawing on Indigenous knowledge and science, to prevent their recurrence
From Iceland's Retreating Glaciers to Alaska's Future: A Program to Address Climate Change through Collaborative Knowledge Sharing
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Witnessing the fragile beauty of Iceland's landscape and the stark reality of retreating glaciers served as a wake-up call. It fueled a proposal for a program in Alaska designed to address the interconnected challenges of climate change and resource degradation in the Arctic. This program's heart lies in collaboration, fostering a balanced approach that blends the rigor of Western science with the invaluable Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) held by Indigenous communities for generations.
Drawing inspiration from successful models like the Virginia Master Naturalist program, the initiative will focus on increasing engagement, particularly among Indigenous youth. It will achieve this through a multifaceted approach, offering educational programs that unpack complex environmental issues with local relevance, citizen science opportunities that empower participants to contribute valuable data, and immersive fieldwork experiences that cultivate a deep connection with the land.
However, simply increasing engagement is not enough. The program actively seeks to dismantle institutional bias by fostering respect and integration of TEK. This means challenging the notion that Western science reigns supreme and instead embracing a synergistic approach where both knowledge systems inform and enrich each other. By empowering Indigenous communities to have a strong voice in research, resource management, and decision-making processes, the program ensures their invaluable perspectives are heard and valued.
Collaboration doesn't stop at the community level. The program actively promotes building strong networks between communities, researchers, and policymakers. These networks will serve as bridges, ensuring Indigenous voices are not only heard but valued, leading to solutions that effectively address the complex challenges facing Alaska's environment and its diverse communities. This balanced approach, where Western science and TEK work together in harmony, is not just an ideal, but a necessity for building resilience and ensuring a sustainable future for Alaska.
Going Up, Looking Down: Permafrost Research with the UndercoverEisAgenten
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Where Permafrost degradation leads to ground subsidence it reshapes the landscape and threatens infrastructure and livelihoods of Arctic communities. Off-the-shelf photographic drones (UAV) allow a detailed imaging of the land surface of tundra landscapes and give an indication on where permafrost is destabilized. Together with students from Aklavik in Canada's Northwest Territories, the UndercoverEisAgenten project makes use of this technology to detect and analyze land surface changes. In fall 2022, students from Moose Kerr School, accompanied by a small research team from Germany, went on excursions in and around the hamlet of Aklavik to acquire images of permafrost landscapes. The joint effort resulted in more than 30.000 drone images building the basis for generating high-resolution 3D point clouds and orthomosaics. The images were further incorporated in a crowdmapping application, giving citizen scientists all over the world the opportunity to be part of the project by classifying the state of the permafrost landscape based on the drone footage.
Major wildfires - literally a symbol for the ongoing environmental change - prevented a revisit of Moose Kerr School in 2023. Visiting in March and September 2024 will enable the research team to reconnect with the students, share their findings and learnings, and support the students in repeating image acquisition independently over the summer.
The citizen science project strives to connect Indigenous Knowledge about landscape changes with scientific research to advance our understanding of permafrost thaw, and raise awareness of climate change in the classrooms of Aklavik, Germany and beyond.
Green Engineering on Coastal Arctic Berms
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- Our poster presentation explores a pioneering tundra native plant introduction project aimed at fortifying coastal berms along the Arctic coast to safeguard Utqiagvik from seasonal storms.
- Through meticulous monitoring of berm size and slope, our study delves into the impact of surges, comparing pre- and post-event conditions to assess the efficacy of our interventions.
- Our study consists of several steps: a. phase one involved photographic surveys from 2016 to the present of plant diversity, colonies, botanical samples, and species identifications, b. the second phase in 2023 was the establishment of test plots on the berm in a random block trial and potted plants, where we seed species for roots and coverage, transplant, apply erosion mats, and observe the natural migration of native plants, c. lastly, we are monitoring plant coverage, height, vigor, richness of species diversity, and soil composition for several years.
- Our research seeks to identify key factors influencing optimal plant growth for erosion reduction during storm surges.
- Join us as we share insights gained from this ongoing initiative, shedding light on sustainable solutions to enhance community resilience in the face of Arctic coastal challenges.
How One Citizen Scientist Cannot Stand Alone
This entry to the Community and Citizen Science in the Far North 2024 conference will fill the description of a virtual lightning presentation. As a citizen scientist of the Northern community, the author will begin with a brief introduction into the author's background, a summary of the self-founded project, and the quest for knowledge to better prepare the author to inform her various audiences. The presentation will "chronicle both triumphs and setbacks" and attempt to clarify what makes citizen science unique in the Arctic. The presenter will share the "grand challenges facing (her) environmental citizen science" as an example of the colossal task of making headway in bridging gaps between the real world and policy. The author's approach to this project is taken from regional observations and paired with the intention to inform the Circumpolar North fora. In finality, the complexities of arctic aerosols and the reality that the scientific community is only beginning to study this phenomenon have proven to be a hurdle in and of itself. Identifying points of source and recognizing that this is a long-range transboundary air pollution problem combined with other various environmental inputs is key, but again presents great difficulty convincing various stakeholders.
Implementing Indigenous Data Sovereignty at the Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA)
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Indigenous Data Sovereignty is increasingly gaining traction and attention in Arctic science and is especially important in community-led research projects. This concept reflects the importance of data for Indigenous governance and the need for Indigenous communities to control how their data is shared and used. The Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA) fosters collaboration between Indigenous Arctic communities and researchers to facilitate the collection, preservation, exchange, and use of local observations and Indigenous knowledge of the Arctic. ELOKA utilizes open-source digital tools and resources to enhance community projects’ capacity to document and share Indigenous knowledge, including place names and local observations. This presentation will outline how ELOKA uses online tools, capacity sharing, and relationship building to support Indigenous data sovereignty. We will share examples of tools and data-sharing practices that reflect data sovereignty and discuss how they can be implemented at the project level.
Inuvialuit Settlement Region Aquatic Monitoring and Observation (ISR-AMO) Program
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Arctic communities are at the forefront of rapid ecosystem change – presently experiencing 4 times more than the average rate of global warming. Community owned, directed and operated environmental monitoring programs can help build on the understanding of and resilience to the accelerating global climate crisis. Since the September 2019 start up, expert fishers and hunters in Ulukhaktok and Sachs Harbour, a science consultant and Oceans North advisors have worked together to create 2 resilient and adaptive Aquatic Monitoring and Observation (AMO) programs. The ISR-AMO programs are based on a decolonizing framework that supports local employment and community empowerment.
The funding for ISR-AMO is administered by the local Hunters and Trappers Committee (HTC). The HTC hire the Field Researchers, Youth Assistants, Science Consultant and the Elder Directors who represent the Traditional and Local Knowledge (TLK) keepers from each community. The AMO field teams receive training to use scientific equipment for year-round monitoring of water quality (CTD), recording soundscapes (hydrophone) and collecting underwater habitat and species observations (underwater camera). The AMO teams conduct annual TLK interviews for safety advice and base-line ecosystem information. They also host open house events to report results and seek community feedback to set program goals.
The administrative aspect of the program can be challenging and securing long term funding is difficult. The AMO teams have also experienced some push back regarding their Indigenous Data Sovereignty protocols, which specify community ownership of all the ISR-AMO data that is generated. In response, the AMO teams have created a formal data sharing agreement and client application form to ensure informed consent, respectful research partnerships, reporting requirements and ongoing community leadership and control. The AMO teams are planning 2024 expeditions that are focused on food security and are seeking educational opportunities that recognize and build upon their expert skills and remarkable achievements.
Rich Local Knowledge Despite High Transience in an Arctic Community Experiencing rapid environmental change
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Environmental monitoring and long-term research produce detailed understanding, but its collective effort does not add up to ‘the environment’ and therefore may be difficult to relate to. Local knowledge, by contrast, is multifaceted and relational and therefore can help ground and complement scientific knowledge to reach a more complete and holistic understanding of the environment and changes therein. Today’s societies, however, are increasingly fleeting, with mobility potentially undermining the opportunity to generate rich community knowledge. Here we perform a case study of High Arctic Svalbard, a climate change and environmental science hotspot, using a range of community science methods, including a Maptionnaire survey, focus groups, interviews and cognitive mapping. We show that rich local knowledge on Svalbard could indeed be gathered through community science methods, despite a high level of transience of the local population. These insights complement environmental monitoring and enhance its local relevance. Complex understanding of Svalbard’s ecosystems by the transient local community arose because of strong place attachment, enabling environmental knowledge generation during work and play.
Scientists’ Perspectives on Doing Community & Citizen Science Research in the North
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As the field of community and citizen science research grows, much attention has been given to how these types of projects impact participants and collaborators, while there has been less focus on scientists’ experiences in this kind of research. Community and citizen science is often promoted to scientists as a strategy to increase their access to data, but not as an opportunity to learn and practice new skills, build or deepen relationships with community partners, or form new perspectives and applications for their research. Understanding scientists’ perspectives around participating in community and citizen science could encourage more scientists to pursue this type of research in the future, and may shift scientists’ attitudes and beliefs around the purpose and nature of scientific research. This is a necessary line of inquiry at a time when the culture and expectations for scientists conducting ethical field research, engagement, and outreach are rapidly evolving. Our research explores scientists’ perspectives of community and citizen science research in the North. We present our preliminary findings from survey and interview data on how scientists define community and citizen science in a Northern context, why they choose to pursue this type of research, and what outcomes they experience through their work.
Seeking Local Knowledge to Improve Flood Hazard Assessment and Forecasting in Alaska
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Flood models are an invaluable tool for public safety, forecasting, and planning; yet much of Alaska lacks the flood records and modeling coverage needed to map flood extents accurately. Efforts to address these data gaps are underway but are limited in scope and may not be available for years. The Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) is working to bridge this gap and provide Alaskans with flood risk tools through flood impact maps and step-by-step guides for flood modeling.
DGGS collects and distributes scientific information for geological mapping and hazard assessment. Within DGGS, the Coastal Hazards Program works with Alaska Native communities at risk of flooding to address local needs.
DGGS and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium have collaborated to estimate historical flood events and produce impact assessments for susceptible communities. This research relies on many different sources, making it important to verify findings with local knowledge. DGGS has created a social media group for citizen scientists to contribute photographic evidence of flooding to document these events. This valuable input from community members will help enhance forecasting models, build a flood record, and generate safety and planning tools. These tools currently include a numeric breakdown of National Weather Service flood categories, a still water inundation model (SWIM), and the Alaska Flood Inundation Tool. DGGS has also made a culvert inventory available for citizen scientists to contribute to flood models in their communities.
Recent publications from DGGS provide details on flood category criteria and a guide to the SWIM method, allowing communities to develop planning and mitigation strategies. DGGS hopes to offer training on geographic information systems, public data, and flood-related analyses. With the help of local stakeholders, DGGS is striving to provide useful products, sustainable partnerships, and enhanced capabilities for community resilience.
Sovereign Autonomy for Long-term Monitoring of Non-human Genes (SALMONg): The Use of eDNA by Community and Citizen Scientists in the Arctic
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We are researchers at the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) and the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and we want to build relationships with interested partners in the Arctic to monitor environmental DNA (eDNA). Communities are interested in the use of genetics for natural resource management, and want more information and a deeper understanding of the science behind that goes into eDNA studies. As organisms move around in natural aquatic environments they leave behind traces of their presence that can be read using simple molecular biology tools.. This trace genetic material is called eDNA. Through our emerging project: “Sovereign Autonomy for Long-term Monitoring Of Non-human genes (SALMONg)” we aim to provide educational materials and technical support to communities interested in genetic assessments of non-human components of the environment. SALMONg will include field-based training for participants to become familiar with laboratory methods commonly used in DNA analyses. We will teach people how to conduct polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to target regions of DNA from important organisms found across Alaska. Participants will have the information they need to discuss the use of eDNA as a method for detection of freshwater and marine species. We will act as support for the communities, provide free teaching materials to the public, and promote equitable access to genetics tools for Arctic communities where laboratory facilities for analysis of natural resources are limited. We seek to develop long-term collaborative relationships with communities from rural areas of Alaska. The vision of this project is to build local capacity to support cost-effective monitoring of important species throughout Alaska in communities and management agencies. We aim for a hands-on science and education program focusing on the environment. There is a need for place-based genetics education and research with a focus on high school students and communities. We will teach participants how to use genetics analyses for themselves, ensuring that communities are the data producers and the people that own the data.
Successes, Challenges and Recommendations from the First Year of an Indigenous-Led Community-Based Contaminant Monitoring Program
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Climate-driven landscape change, legacy waste and ongoing infrastructural investment are leading to concerns around water quality, habitat degradation and contaminant release in Arctic communities. Sustainable development considering threats posed by accelerating environmental change requires immediate and longer-term key strategic decision-making. This has been hindered by mismatches in priorities and timelines between communities and research programs that collect baseline data feeding into decision-making processes. These challenges highlight the importance of advancing collaborative partnerships and capacity sharing to promote resilient and sustainable environmental monitoring approaches. While environmental Community-Based Monitoring (CBM) approaches are increasing in the Arctic, there remains a need for more Indigenous-led projects.
Coastguard is an Indigenous-led CBM project supported by the Northern Contaminants Program that studies how climate-driven change and human impacts are modifying coastal ecosystems and function. The project aims to assess temporal and spatial trends in mercury and microplastic concentrations in seawater and sediments surrounding Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Canada. First, we will provide an overview of the co-development process of an initial pilot study that was centered around accessible and applicable water quality monitoring and facilitated by relationship development between an Indigenous and non-Indigenous Early Career Researcher. We will then present key takeaways from the first year of the study including successes, challenges, and lessons learned from different areas of the research process including site selection, initial data collection, training, co-dissemination and annual project reporting. Important practices we enact to support Indigenous governance over community-collected data and youth engagement will be outlined. Key recommendations will be provided to improve support for Indigenous-led CBM efforts including accessible funding applications and reporting structures, training that supports data governance and changes to the way in which roles are financed. Doing so will work towards ensuring the research process is continuously respectful, reciprocal and relevant to addressing community research priorities.
Supporting Indigenous-led Environmental Monitoring and Community-driven Research with SIKU: the Indigenous Knowledge Social Network
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SIKU, the Indigenous Knowledge Social Network, is an online platform and mobile app designed by and for Northern Indigenous communities. Created by the Arctic Eider Society, a Canadian Indigenous-led non-profit based in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, SIKU supports Indigenous environmental stewardship, monitoring, and trip planning. SIKU supports recording the data that has always been behind Indigenous Knowledge by offering tools to document environmental change (e.g. dangerous ice conditions), track harvesting activities and promote safety on the land using Indigenous environmental terminology, all while providing users full control and ownership over their posts and data. SIKU is growing rapidly, with more than 25,000 users, growing at ~27 new users/day, in 100+ communities across Canada, Alaska, and Greenland.
For individuals, SIKU provides weather and ice safety services which help harvesters stay safe on the land, a key climate adaptation support. However, knowledge on SIKU can also be stewarded by community-driven projects to support Indigenous self-determination in research. SIKU has become a leading tool for community-driven research across Inuit Nunangat and beyond, with tools to manage project membership, review posts, view analytics and export data, and a data stewardship framework that respects Indigenous data sovereignty.
This presentation will summarize engagement across SIKU’s growing user base, highlighting the impact of community-driven research to support environmental stewardship through a case study showing how SIKU is being used to support the establishment of the Qikiqtait protected area in Sanikiluaq, NU. SIKU’s development is responsive to community priorities, and we look forward to this presentation as an opportunity to gather additional input and learn how SIKU may best facilitate the needs of communities, organizations and contributors of the circumpolar North.
Sustainable Tourism and Expedition Science: Ships as Platform to Collect Valuable Polar Data, Support Local Communities and Increase Nature Awareness
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At HX | Hurtigruten Expeditions, we believe in mindful adventure and giving back to the people and planet that we explore. At the heart of our sustainable travel experience is our Science & Education program, designed to support the scientific community by providing our ships as platforms of opportunity while offering a life changing experience to travellers through an immersive educational onboard program and participation in Citizen Science.
We have established collaborations with scientific institutions, now supporting over 30 projects worldwide, to use our ships to collect spatial and temporal data, and as means of transportation for researchers and equipment to and from their study areas. While onboard, our guest scientists engage with guests, sharing their knowledge and highlight the importance of research in remote areas, contributing to increasing awareness. The number of Citizen Science projects we support has also increased from a handful to 20 over the past few years, covering all areas that we operate in. In 2023, our expert teams and eager guests contributed over 23,600 data submissions to Citizen Science projects from Happywhale, to iNaturalist, and eBird to the Icelandic Puffin Project. Our guests actively engage in Citizen Science, remarking that it allows them to participate in purposeful travel and become more than just tourists.
We aim to increase our work alongside the communities we visit and develop new partnerships. We believe that scientific research, as well as community and citizen science in the Far North can hugely benefit from the reoccurring presence of our vessels in the area and we are keen to identify further opportunities in the area.
The University as Catalyst for Citizen Science in the Arctic
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This research examines the University of Oulu's role as a catalyst in propagating citizen science within its Arctic Strategy and stakeholders. Located in Oulu, Finland, a central hub for Northern Finnish research, the university prioritizes human resilience, environmental sustainability, and responsible resource management in the Arctic region. Recognizing the value of collective knowledge, the university's Arctic Strategy explicitly embraces citizen science as a means to "enhance collaborative knowledge production." This approach leverages open science principles, research infrastructure, and diverse data collection methods to empower citizens to contribute meaningfully to Arctic research. This research focuses on the specific initiatives undertaken by the University of Oulu to institutionalize citizen science within its Arctic Strategy. It further examines the ongoing implications of this approach, aiming to shed light on its potential impact on both university and regional development in the Arctic context.
Understanding Changing Population Trends of the Aarluk (Orcinus orca) and Implications of Changes in the Eastern Canadian Arctic
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Climate change-induced alterations to the environment have allowed some species to expand their range to include the Canadian Arctic. One such species which is of particular interest due to its positionality as an upper-trophic level predator is the aarluk (Orcinus orca; killer whale). The increased presence of aarluk exerts significant pressure on the region’s marine mammal populations which local Inuit rely on for physical health and cultural subsistence, having previously resulted in mostly negative perceptions of the species among Inuit and predictions that the number of conflicts with hunters will increase. Despite its importance, little is known about the species’ future range and distribution and about the associated ecological and social implications of future trends. To fill these knowledge gaps, this two-part study will include a scenario forecasting exercise using a modified Delphi survey to establish expert understanding about the species’ population trends under different climate scenarios to the end of the century, and a focus group and supplementary semi-structured interviews with hunters, fishers, and elders in the community of Pond Inlet to understand the possible social implications of these trends and map sightings of aarluk in the region.
Using Community Weather Data to Influence Community Energy Decisions
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Place-based meteorological data can help guide many decisions. From daily outfitting to community energy planning, live and historical meteorological data can benefit communities and their people. Join this session to learn how the Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) Weather Education Program is attempting to fill data gaps for communities. The Weather Education Program loans weather stations to community schools with the goal of the data being incorporated into school curriculum. The data can also be used for other educational means and public awareness.