Conference: Enhancing Arctic Science and Engineering (EASE) Workshop

The causes and consequences of Arctic change are so complex that it takes a community-focused effort to understand the current pressures on Arctic social-ecological systems. This award supports a multi-disciplinary, inter-generational, cross-cultural, and forward-looking conference that brings together participants to focus on enhancing arctic science and engineering (EASE) in conjunction with the 75th Anniversary of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory in Utqiaġvik, Alaska.

The EASE workshop serves the interest of the nation by bringing together agencies, universities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, local officials, students, and Indigenous knowledge holders to demonstrate the achievements of collaborative and community-based research in Utqiaġvik and the greater North Slope region of Alaska, while envisioning future research efforts in the Arctic. The EASE workshop will provide a forum to exchange past research successes and challenges that can guide the advancement of future research and knowledge co-production in Utqiaġvik, across the North Slope, and in the Arctic for the next generation.

Broader impacts of the workshop are grounded in a legacy of promoting sustainable Arctic science in Utqiaġvik, as a model for the circumpolar north, being guided by the important role of Iñupiat peoples in furthering scientific understanding of climatic and social-ecological change in the rapidly changing Arctic. The event includes several opportunities for facilitated dialog with business and industry representatives and local government with the aim of aligning future capacity-building investment in science infrastructure with the needs of the science community in collaboration with the local Indigenous community.

With the inclusion of tribal, regional and state planners, including Indigenous leaders and students, the workshop will broaden participation from underrepresented groups and diverse institutions in scientific dialog and knowledge sharing to build capacity for further contributions to science and engineering.

This is an unprecedented time to study changes occurring in the Arctic. The impacts of melting sea ice, melting ice sheets, thawing permafrost, ecosystem reorganization, and associated human interactions represent complex issues requiring a reflection on the past, a focus on the current state, and a coordinated and collaborative discussion about priorities for future research and capacity-building investments in Arctic science and engineering.

The EASE Workshop is a 5-day, single-session workshop focusing on a summary of science and engineering in Utqiaġvik and the greater North Slope region over the last 75-years, an assessment of the current state of the science and engineering, and a prospectus on science and engineering in the Arctic over the next 25-years. Specific topics or themes of the workshop include marine and coastal research, terrestrial and freshwater research, atmospheric research, social science research, co-production of knowledge, convergent research, and education and outreach opportunities.

The outcome of the EASE workshop will provide a roadmap that can be used to guide future research endeavors and investments in Arctic science and engineering that span several disciplines and knowledge frameworks that align with the mission and vision of the NSF Office of Polar Programs. The EASE workshop will contribute to six of the NSF’s 10 Big Ideas: Navigating the New Arctic (NNA), Growing Convergence Research, NSF INCLUDES, Harnessing the Data Revolution, Mid-scale Research Infrastructure, and NSF 2026.

The workshop will also build on the policy drivers, priority areas, and foundational activities to enhance societal outcomes outlined in the 2022-2026 Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee Arctic Research Plan.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.