ArcticNet 2014 confirms Canadian Arctic research is on the rise
Canadian Arctic science has arrived.
The conclusion was clear at the Arctic Change 2014 conference in Ottawa. In the early 2000s, Arctic research and monitoring was on its death bed. Today it has become a dynamic and exciting field that Canadians, especially northern Canadians, should celebrate.
The annual ArcticNet conference lies at the heart of this resurgence. It has evolved from small gatherings of several hundred people 10 years ago to the more than 1,350 people who came together in Ottawa earlier this month. ArcticNet is a network of Canadian Centres of Excellence that brings together scientists, managers, Inuit organizations, northern communities, governments and the private sector to study the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and society in the Canadian Arctic.
The breadth of investigation at this year’s conference was impressive. There were presentations spanning everything from physical and biological sciences, to health, politics, and social sciences. Researchers came from 22 countries and every province and territory.
Indeed, the progress of Canadian Arctic science has benefitted greatly from the collaboration and integration of universities, research institutes, government, industry, Inuit organizations, and northern communities. The collective energy, concern and love for the Arctic has propelled research and dialogue.
This year’s conference reflected the maturation of many Arctic research programs. Scientists presented results, conclusions and recommendations versus updates and field season progress reports of previous years.
Ten years of research has created greater understanding about how climate change is affecting physical and biological ecosystems and the impacts on biodiversity, species and people. Ten years has also garnered more funding and awards, of particular note are the Arctic Inspiration Award, the Nasivvik awards and the W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
What’s even more encouraging is the number of northern people involved in Arctic research. Inuit and First Nations people are leading research projects, collaborating with colleagues, serving as ArcticNet committee members and actively participating in the conference.
The maturation of Arctic research has also led to greater advocacy from scientists and other presenters. Many people at the conference made urgent calls for government action to address climate change and inadequate Arctic infrastructure, education and social programs.
Meanwhile, graduate and post-doctoral students have forged new paths for community involvement and the incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge in Arctic research. Student day has become integral in the annual meeting and continues to focus on mentorship, training workshops, networking and public education. The conference re-affirmed the need for researchers to speak widely about their work so the public will have the knowledge and understanding for actions of their own.
Funding for the ArcticNet program is starting to wind down, with the final funding phase ending in 2018. But there’s great optimism in the Arctic science community that the national and international networks forged over the last decade will persist and evolve. Those networks — across disciplines and borders — are essential for studying such a vast and diverse place.
Vicki Sahanatien is a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta. She studies polar bear ecology, sea icescapes and climate change in Foxe Basin, Nunavut. Vicki is an ArcticNet student researcher and this was the fourth of the conferences that she presented at.
