The EU Horizon2020-funded project Nunataryuk in cooperation with the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and the Terrestrial Multidisciplinary distributed Observatories for the Study of Arctic Connections (T-MOSAiC) are organizing the Nunataryuk-APECS-T-MOSAiC School 2020 on the topic of “Arctic Coastal Adaptation - Capacity building and knowledge exchange across borders” at Abisko Scientific Research Station (Abisko, Sweden) from 21 - 30 April 2020.
The rapid changes being observed in the Arctic coastal areas are leading more researchers to investigate their causes and consequences. Simultaneously, Arctic coastal communities and indigenous researchers are documenting ongoing changes, with Traditional Knowledge providing a unique source of expertise that is already being used in combination with contemporary research efforts.
Nunataryuk is an EU H2020-funded project, which combines physical with social sciences and aims to determine the impacts of thawing coastal and subsea permafrost on the global climate, and to develop targeted and co-designed adaptation and mitigation strategies for Arctic coastal populations. Nunataryuk is contributing to the IASC (International Arctic Science Committee) pan-Arctic program T-MOSAiC.
The field school aims to connect indigenous and non-indigenous early career researchers (ECRs) from different scientific disciplines with international scientific experts as well as local experts and stakeholders from Arctic coastal communities to share state-of-the-art and Traditional Knowledge and best practices for adaptation strategies in the Arctic coastal areas to respond to permafrost thaw.
The field school focuses on different components of the Arctic coastal system and impacts on local communities aiming to build a network of ECRs discussing interdisciplinary issues of coastal Arctic regions from a natural and social science perspective. It provides a platform for sharing knowledge, discussing Traditional Knowledge and state-of-the-art science topics. This unique combination of social and natural sciences aspects in one field school will provide participants with an exclusive interdisciplinary view, helping them to understand and address challenges caused by changing Arctic coasts from multiple angles. All the materials gained from this school will be made freely available via the APECS, Nunataryuk and T-MOSAiC websites and their communication channels.
The school will provide lectures, workshops, practical hands-on exercises, and excursions on both natural sciences aspects such as polar weather and climate, environmental hazards, permafrost and Arctic coastal landscapes as well as on social aspects such as challenges for infrastructure, health issues, opportunities for a sustainable future in the North. International scientists from the Nunataryuk project and T-MOSAiC, as well as local stakeholders and experts will be invited as mentors leading the various lectures and activities of the school.
The school participants will prepare FrostByte videos (60 second videos) about their own research projects and their visions of Arctic Coastal Adaptation. They will also learn how to write a policy brief on adaptation practices in Arctic coastal and indigenous communities to be shared within the scientific community, indigenous and local community governments, and other stakeholders to ensure the visions and ideas of the field school participants on Arctic coastal adaptation are communicated to a wider audience.
The school will be open for up to 30 early career researchers from both physical and social sciences disciplines related to the school topic (focus on advanced graduate students, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers) from around the world.
