IARC Summer School 2016

Over my years of research I've probably visited University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) more than any other campus - and I'm back again to help teach the IARC (International Arctic Research Center) Summer School (I also taught at the school in 2013). A diverse group of very bright graduate students and early career scientist have come up to IARC at UAF to learn about Earth System Modeling with an emphasis on the Arctic. Student backgrounds range from permafrost to sea ice to biogeochemical cycling and beyond.

Pontificating about modeling: going old-school and using a (white) board

On the first evening Vladimir, who has been running the Summer Schools for well over a decade, organized a BBQ.

Vladimir and food for 30 (notice we are in the healthy zone of the supermarket!)

Fellow Instructor Gijs de Boer is the burger patty master

One afternoon we took a walk to a local research site to investigate some permafrost. For many students this was a new experience and provided a nice taste of the Arctic (complete with mosquitoes!)

Vladimir, Santosh, Marc and Charles measuring the active layer thickness in local Fairbanks permafrost

Hrishi (with the Infrared thermometer), Hyunsuk, Danica, Nicole (holding the moss plug) and Daniel in the forest site taking note of the temperature gradient in the moss. It was 26C at the top and only 5C at the bottom (after being exposed to warm air)

Nicole and Marc taking measurements of subsurface ground temperature

The temperature down near the permafrost was, as expected, near the freezing point. The infrared thermometer was registering temperatures of 0.0C to 0.2C

Hrishi, Niki, Lei and Danica getting first hand experience with organic soil and mosses

Observation can involve all the senses - Julia is giving moist moss the sniff test

The 2016 IARC Summer School Crew