One of the most intriguing aspects of IPY is how broad it is. More than any other international program, IPY has emphasized interdisciplinary study. We seek greater understanding of how systems work as a whole. This systemic view requires that we find and assess data and information outside our area of expertise. Easier said than done. Different disciplines describe similar phenomena in different ways; they use different assumptions and metaphors; they treat error and uncertainty differently. Even when data are available, investigators struggle to find relevant data for their application. IPY cannot solve the whole problem of interdisciplinary data access, but we can make a major step forward. If an investigator can simply find and us...

In response to journalists and educators wanting an 'angle' on the extremely broad International Polar Year, quarterly "IPY Days" are being developed that focus on a particular aspect of polar research, and highlight current research occurring as part of IPY. The first of these will be held on September 21st and will focus on Sea Ice. Below is a list of IPY projects that study, or are concerned with, some aspect of Sea Ice. Their webpages contain a huge amount of information. For direct contact with researchers, please consult this list of sea ice experts. The following list includes IPY ID and chart name, and short title 8 ...

Conference Announcement and Call for Papers: Arctic Frontiers 20-25 January 2008, Tromso, Norway Abstract Submission Deadline: Sunday, 30 September 2007 For further information, please go to: http://www.arctic-frontiers.com or contact:

Cape Farewell launches first climate change youth expedition to the High Arctic Launch: From 4pm, Sunday 9 September 2007, Southbank Centre, London Expedition: 14-23 September 2007 In September, Cape Farewell launches its first international youth expedition, voyaging north of the 79th parallel to the fragile extremes of Svalbard in the High Arctic with twelve students from Germany, Canada and the UK to investigate and raise awareness of the impacts of climate change. In a landmark arts, science and media project the young people will work alongside artist Dan Harvey, Professor Mark Maslin of University College London's Environment Institute and others to develop scientific and creative projects. The students will live, work and help sail the ...

Final opportunity to submit an abstract to the AGU 2007 Fall Meeting

Roughly twenty attendees from all over Finland got together to enjoy a secondary school summer course in scenic Utsjoki in Finnish Lapland. During the two week course in June 2007, the theme aurora borealis (revontulet, i.e. fires of fox in Finnish) brought in basic understanding of near-Earth space, upper atmospheric physics, as well as circus, performing arts and music. "One of the main ideas of this course was to let the science meet the arts," says Juhani Harjunharja, the director of the summer school who works as a physics teacher in the Lappish secondary school at Utsjoki. "The miracles of the space and the methods in the auroral research can stimulate the artists. Maybe the art performances can add to the scientific enthusiasm, too." Scientific ...

Submitted by Glenn Morris and Stephen Doughty: The Arctic Voice Team has reached the end of the 2007 leg of their journey by kayak through Canada’s Northwest Passage. We are currently in Kugluktuk in the Coronation Gulf, and are spending the weeks before our return to the UK strengthening links between the schools in Kugluktuk and their twin schools in the UK. This part of the Arctic Voice project has proved extremely successful, and the work has attracted media attention from Canadian News North and the BBC. We arrived on August 14 and only one night was spent in a tent before comfortable accommodation w...

Submitted by Mike Willis on Monday, Aug 27: There's something about what's happening here In Greenland. I keep having unforgettable days. On Thursday we changed our modus operandi in a direction I really did not expect. The helicopters were totally booked up with shuttle service to Kulusuk and for some more local science projects up on the Helheim Glacier. Abbas the ever inventive therefore chartered a boat to take us to Isortoq, about 20 minutes by helicopter to the south, but 2 hours by boat. Again here in Greenland we had another absolutely unforgettable day. With help from Meredith Nettles from L...

Submitted Friday, August 24: Okay so lets see. Last blog update was ... Sunday. Sunday? Sunday was brilliant! Monday. what happened on Monday? Ah yes, it rained. And rained. And was foggy and windy. So we sat in the hotel and watched the rain. Tuesday was like Monday, only more so. Here's a consolation picture of a couple of sled dog puppies. Wednesday. Hmm Wednesday. That was... hmm two days ago! Feels like it was a long time ago. It rained and had low clouds and fog. But only for half the day. The rest o...

(Written on Sunday, submitted on Monday) Yesterday, which was Saturday, and today have been no fly days. Not due to the weather mind you, just the helicopter has been busy doing other things. Yesterday it had to take a party of New Zealand school girls up to Helheim Glacier, the weather wasn’t great so they didn’t go. Today it was a day off for everyone all round – no planned flights. So a couple of non weather-caused day offs. What to do, what to do, what to do? Hmm dissertation? Lets see, I could sit here at the hotel and stare out at the bay and the mountains and the icebergs while trying to finish another chapter… or Thomas could knock on my door and say “lets go for a hike up the flower valley walk." Oooh tough decisions. Oh listen, Thomas just knocked on my ...