Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Integrated Graduate Research Training on Resilience and Adaptation of the Arctic System  (Arctic Resilience and Adaptation)

Outline
Program objectives include: 1. Provide opportunities for graduate students to develop skills in interdisciplinary research for investigation of the Arctic System 2. Facilitate interaction among graduate students interested in issues of resilience and adaptation 3. Facilitate interaction of researchers involved in various IPY initiatives and graduate students in a manner that promotes synthesis of knowledge 4. Allow for mobility of graduate students among nations to enhance research and on-campus educational opportunities One of the major challenges facing humanity is to sustain the desirable features of Earth's ecosystems and society at a time of rapid changes in all of the major forces that shape their structure and functioning. This IPY initiative proposes an international graduate educational program to address these challenges. We propose that students enrolled in degree-granting institutions interact with each other, with participating faculty, and with relevant IPY initiatives to address questions of social-ecological resilience and adaptation in the Arctic context. Our expression of intent is a preliminary design motivated by two primary assumptions: • The major problems facing the world must be addressed at the regional scale, and no solution will be tenable unless it is ecologically, economically, and culturally sustainable. • The training of young scholars who can work across disciplines to address policy-relevant questions of Arctic sustainability in a systematic and rigorous fashion is needed. Participating graduate students will address a range of sustainability issues. Theme areas to be considered include: • Climate change • Fire regimes • Northern Resource Development • Rural-urban relations • Food Security • Indigenous Peoples and Health • Wildlife and Subsistence An emphasis of the graduate training program will be the integration of social and natural sciences to examine the dynamics and performance of coupled social-ecological systems of the Arctic. As a multidisciplinary cohort, students will work individually and as teams throughout the IPY period using comparative methods, distance delivery interactions via the internet, periodic face-to-face seminars, and inter-campus exchange programs of course work. The program culminates with the completion of a collaborative group research project, to be defined by participating students and faculty. Where possible, the program draws on existing academic programs’ infrastructure and on IPY research initiatives as educational opportunities. A special effort will be made to include rural and indigenous Arctic residents interested in interdisciplinary graduate studies and research. The University Of Alaska Fairbanks Resilience and Adaptation Graduate Program will serve as the lead institution for planning of this initiative, and hopes to work with other universities such as the Arctic Centre of University of Lapland, Scott Polar Institute of Cambridge University, the University of Manitoba, and the University of St Petersburg. The program will also be closely linked with the University of the Arctic and the two existing Arctic PhD student networks.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This graduate program will result in significant substantive research findings that are holistic in approach, as well as generate a new model for international PhD student exchange in the Arctic. The legacy of the program will also be in the cultivation of a new generation of arctic scholars who have formal training in the skills of integration and interdisciplinary research. The primary emphasis is on the integration of natural and social sciences to address society’s needs for a more sustainable future.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Student exchanges, faculty coordination and collaboration in the program’s delivery involving an international set of institutions of higher education. This program will build on existing international arctic educational programs, such as the University of the Arctic.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Alaska, Canada, Russia, Fenno-scandia

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 2006-2008            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
This educational program will rely on existing educational facilities and research programs (including new research programs developed by IPY) and will not require additional facilities

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The major infrastructure that will be developed by this project is an educational program that will link PhD-granting programs across the Arctic

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
Other sources of support

Further details – We assume that the program will be supported by existing graduate institutions, with possible support from their respective funding agencies

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
NO

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

This project is a new proposal but builds on existing efforts by UAF’s Resilience and Adaptation Graduate Program (see www.rap.uaf.edu) and international linkages that have been developed by the University of the Arctic (pending consideration and approval by the University of the Arctic Governing Council) . We hope to coordinate with the undergraduate research IPY proposed by Richard Caulfield and Anupma Prakash.

How will the project be organised and managed?
A firm organizational plan has not yet been developed. Planning for this program will be initiated by UAF’s Resilience and Adaptation Graduate Program, with encouragement of other arctic educational units to participate as equal partners.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The education program is described under the project description. A major outreach effort will be with Arctic Indigenous Peoples to seek their full involvement in designing and implementing the plan and with policy-makers and managers to implement the products of student research.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Students will do their research primarily through various IPY research projects and will manage their data in according to the mechanisms established by those research programs.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
We will seek initial funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation as a renewal of the existing Resilience and Adaptation Program. Participation by other countries will be funded by their national funding agencies.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Gary Kofinas
PO Box 75700
Fairbanks
Alaska
9977507000
USA

Tel: 907 474 7078
Mobile: no
Fax: 907 474 6769
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation