Field Notes
During, before, and after the field course, Polaris students and faculty share their thoughts through journal entries.
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Understanding the Invisible
I do not know what I will want to investigate when I arrive in Siberia. I have been told by students that have gone in the past that that is ok--my ideas will change when I stand on the uneven ground and experience the place for the first time. But
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Communicating Arctic Science, from a science meeting to a high school classroom
Last week (May 18-23) marked the first annual Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography’s Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting (JASM). While the Polaris showing at the JASM wasn’t quite as impressive as AGU, a solid group of Polaris students and related researchers made excellent presentations, including the entire (three
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What does the Great Sippewissett Marsh have to do with Siberia?
As John Wood mentioned in his blog about the Polaris Project Retreat, we spent some time in the Great Sippewissett Marsh last weekend in preparation for our trip to the tundra in Eastern Siberia. How does visiting a marsh in Cape Cod help us with our work on the Arctic
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The 2014 Polaris season is underway!
Last weekend in Falmouth, Massachusetts we were all given the opportunity to get together for some safety training, some team building, and time to get to know one another face-to-face at the first annual Polaris Project Retreat. It was a great way to continue our work together and to get
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CO2 and Spring Weather at Falmouth Academy
Going back to an earlier blog post, last week I had the chance to visit the 9th grade environmental studies classes at Falmouth Academy to co-teach a lesson and give a presentation about my experiences with the Polaris Project.
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Natural Bias: How We Think About Nature
A few weeks ago the core group members, a few of PI’s, and I met over the internet and chatted about the upcoming summer. After going over logistics, basic information, and introductions, John gave us our first assignment. He asked that each of us spend some time in a natural
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From the Arctic, to Missoula
Four days, numerous engaging presentations, and a lichen field-trip later, the Northwest Scientific Association conference is quickly coming to an end.
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Permafrost, Methane, and Radio Waves
I was recently interviewed on the weekly show ScienceCSU, broadcast locally on 90.5 FM, KCSU.
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Mentoring for a student science fair project
I always enjoy informally talking to students who are interested in studying the environment. I find it very rewarding to share my enthusiasm for environmental science, and make a difference in a student’s education through mentorship.
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A dual-purpose of AGU
A mentor once told me that attending conferences such as AGU make for a perfect opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and establish new relationships with students and scientists.
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An AGU Reunion
While it was great to learn about what's happening in all of these fields, I have to admit that most of the talks that I sought out were about Arctic system science.
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A Year Ago Tomorrow: Thoughts from AGU
In a year, I went from the pre-application process to the inside circle of arctic system science, and every step managed to surprise me.
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AGU: a complex system with a lot to teach scientists
On learning to navigate the sessions of AGU and preparing for the ever so important poster presentation.
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A System Within A Bigger System
An update from AGU: Learning more about how our system fits into the greater global system.
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Northern lights
The seasonal difference between doing fieldwork in Siberia in summery July and a now autumnal September is obvious in low temperatures and bug-free conditions. Plus the added bonus: dark nights and Aurora Borealis, a.k.a. the Northern Lights.
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