The International Polar Year (IPY 2007-09) gives the public, teachers and students an extraordinary opportunity to experience the process of scientific discovery in action. Ice Stories provides a public face for IPY by using the power of contemporary media to bring current research to mass audiences with unprecedented intimacy and immediacy.

Ice Stories includes:

• A media-rich, dynamic and continuously updated public Web site

• A media-assets database for journalists, media producers, educators, and museum partners

• Training program in media production and story-telling for 15 scientist-correspondents a year.

Extensive research, completed in all eight Arctic countries (Greenland/Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and USA/Alaska), is now available on contaminant levels (persistent organic pollutants and metals), social and cultural change, climate change impacts and disease rates in human populations. Much of this research also examines specific ‘change factors’ or pressures. The majority of this work has been reported or published through the assessment reports of the Arctic Council of circumpolar nations; however, integrating and communicating the various streams of research disciplines has been difficult. This project will draw together new and established scientists and policy makers in an international symposium at the end of the IPY. Invited