Annual Workplan Summaries
Collaboration teams and communities of practice have developed annual workplans for 2023 to organize planned activities for the coming year and develop collaboration across teams and members. Below are summaries of the annual workplans.
Collaborations community members: We encourage you to use these workplan summaries to determine what teams align with your interests. You can join relevant teams by click on the teams tab and then the "join team" button to stay up-to-date on upcoming activities.
Priority Area Collaboration Teams
The new Community Resilience and Health Collaboration Team was formed by the merger of the Community Resilience and Health drafting team with the Health & Well-being Collaboration Team. During the next year, they will work towards a shared vision and building an engaged membership. The team leads are currently identifying contacts in various federal agencies that will contribute to the anticipated deliverables. The team leads will also identify non-federal partners and develop these relationships over the coming year. Public team meetings will be held quarterly and focus on the FY23 deliverables: 1.1.1 (treatment of Hepatitis C), 1.1.2 ( response evaluation), 1.1.4 (zoonotic diseases), 1.1.5 (harmful algal blooms), 1.2.7 (migratory caribou), 1.2.9 (One Health One Future conference), and objective 1.3 (water and sanitation infrastructure).
Arctic Systems Interactions (ASI) is a new collaboration team working closely with many of the physical-science communities of practice. The ASI Collaboration Team will engage community leader liaisons from the relevant physical-science communities of practice (such as: Modeling; Observing; Atmosphere; Sea Ice; Glaciers & Sea Level; Physical Oceanography; Marine Ecosystems; Terrestrial Ecosystems; Coastal Resilience; and Permafrost) and will encourage communities of practice to converge on taking ownership and lead on the various deliverables in early 2023. The team will bring together engaged participants to discuss community needs and cutting-edge research topics that are relevant to the Arctic Systems Interactions mission/objectives. The team will work with the Diversity and Inclusion community of practice to foster an engaged group that brings together researchers to address the relevant science questions as well as important societal questions, and will collaborate with the Participatory Research and Indigenous Leadership in Research Team to explore opportunities to engage Arctic Indigenous communities and researchers with this Priority Area. The ASI team will commence working on all deliverables before the end of the fiscal year and will accomplish at least one contribution to 75% of all deliverables in 2023.
The Sustainable Economies and Livelihoods Collaboration Team is working to develop an asset map of existing infrastructure as a baseline for understanding how to equip a community to be resilient (3.1.1). This includes identifying and merging public datasets, creating a stakeholder map, and developing a needs statement for why this work is essential.
In the first half of 2023, the Risk Management and Hazard Mitigation Collaboration Team will begin coordination on their activities by establishing key contacts across other teams and agencies. They will host targeted workshops, speaker events, and listening sessions with the state of Alaska and local communities to better understand their challenges within the scope of the priority area and their current practices in collecting and using relevant data for policy and decision-making purposes. The team leaders will then develop a workplan for their deliverables based on existing efforts and known resourcing. In the second half of 2023, the team will host individual topic deep dives by individual department/agency points of contact on topics of interest to provide knowledge. They plan to participate in the Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management and the Alaska Forum on the Environment. The team will also coordinate specifically with the Data Management Collaboration Team and the Permafrost and Terrestrial Ecosystems communities of practice on shared topics of interest.
Foundational Activity Collaboration Teams
The Data Management Collaboration Team co-leads are meeting weekly over the next two months to clarify and articulate facilitating a community of practice focused on the implementation of the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) and CARE (collective benefit, authority to control, responsibility, ethics) data management principles in the Arctic for the next two years. They are onboarding and integrating new, non-federal co-leads Vanessa Raymond and Lauren Decker. The team leads have begun working on Data Deliverable 1.2 (developing a terms of reference which articulates data management roles, team mission and vision, activities, and metrics), and invite all interested in discussing best/promising practices related to data management to suggest people to be added to the team’s active contacts list by emailing apope@nsf.gov (Data 1.1). In the future, the team plans a range of working group sessions and open meetings (Data 1.4), many organized together with other collaboration teams and communities of practice, that facilitate access to best practices related to data management. The team will engage in focused collaborations with other teams and external partners. For example, the team is exploring a joint effort with the Sustainable Economies and Livelihoods and Technology collaboration teams to discuss FAIR & CARE-compliant data management design for the State of Alaska Geoportal (3.1.1).
In 2023 the Education, Training and Capacity Building Collaboration Team will solidify a team focusing on Arctic science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Placing a focus on STEM in the Arctic is a new effort within , in recognition of the role that education plays in developing future Arctic researchers and in recognition of the unique challenges of working in the Arctic. Particular emphasis is placed on how this community of practice can encourage greater access to STEM education for Indigenous students and on meeting the unique needs of Indigenous students by expanding educational curricula to include indigenous perspectives and knowledge. The team’s main deliverable for the upcoming year is to solidify the team by supporting and encouraging member participation, recruiting new membership, and by hosting regular (quarterly) team meetings. The team will also aim to establish a One STEM hub for coordination of STEM work in the Arctic (Education Deliverable 1.1). The One STEM hub is intended to be a central resource for practitioners, students, federal agencies, and community members who work in STEM, have specific needs and/or are looking for specific opportunities. The One STEM hub will serve as a unifier, without forcing centralization. The next public team meeting will be held on April 13 at 11am AKT/3pm ET.
In addition to making progress toward the deliverables, the MOMP Collaboration Team will focus on honing the collaborative process and learning to work with the communities of practice and collaboration teams. The MOMP co-leads see their team working in tandem with the Observations, Models, and Field Operations communities of practice and other teams to advance deliverables. Because MOMP is well-aligned with existing teams and projects, one of the deliverables is already complete (MOMP 2.5, publishingan observing report) and several others are underway. The MOMP co-leads will articulate and share a vision on Collaborations for which teams are leading on each MOMP deliverable to help community members understand how best to engage with the various teams. It is anticipated that the MOMP’s first public meeting will be focused around MOMP 1.1 (synthesis products from major Arctic field campaigns and long-term observational sites).
The Participatory Research and Indigenous Leadership in Research (PILR) Collaboration Team is working to build an inspired, engaged, and inclusive membership. They are focusing on bridging communities and building relationships. They are working to create effective communications and interaction processes bridging and creating relationships among Indigenous communities and leadership, science & engineering communities, communities of practice, & relevant federal agencies. The PILR team will also be working on evaluating and recommending changes as needed to the Principles for Conduct of Research in the Arctic to support participatory and Indigenous-led research (PILR 1.2).
The Technology Innovation and Application Collaboration Team will develop a community of participants representative of academic, government, and private sectors with investments in polar technology. Participants will include those working in the Antarctic and the Arctic. The team will work to refine the scope and focus of activities within the deliverables of the Implementation plan and the larger mission. They will establish communication channels and common interests across the collaboration teams and communities of practice. The team will meet quarterly on the first Thursday of March, June, September, and December. Additional collaborative meetings will be held during the year with other collaboration teams and communities of practice involving overlapping interests involving technology.
Communities of Practice
In 2023, the Atmosphere Community of Practice plans to support advancement of Objective 2.1 (Arctic Amplification and connections to lower latitudes), as well as advance efforts under Community Resilience and Health related to Arctic wildfire and health (1.1.3, air quality). They plan to work to increase Atmosphere Community of Practice membership and reach and to encourage regular participation through coordination of meetings that provide value to the community. These meetings will primarily contribute to deliverables for the Arctic System Interactions priority area, but at the same time the team will seek out opportunities to engage with the other priority areas collaboration teams. The team would like to work to cluster a series of collaborative meetings around specific objectives that are well aligned with the Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 and specifically with the current implementation plan. The community will generally meet monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 11am AKT/3pm ET, though sometimes meetings will be combined with other communities of practice on topics of mutual interest.
The Coastal Resilience Community of Practice will focus on deliverables 1.2.2 (seabird mortality events), 1.2.6 (marine subsistence resource models), 2.3.7 (modeling coastal processes), 3.1.1 (infrastructure asset map), 4.2.1 (top 10 threats and hazards), 4.2.2 (data collection and collation), and 4.2.3 (threat/hazard modeling and analysis)through independent meetings and contributing to joint meetings with other teams. They will propose sessions for relevant Alaska conference sessions. The Coastal Resilience Community of Practice will meet on specific topics throughout the year. Meetings will generally be on the first Wednesday of the month at 11am AKT/3pm ET.
In addition to pursuing several lines of inquiry specific to this community of practice, the Cold/High Anaerobic Digestion Community of Practice will support: Objective 1.3 (water and sanitation infrastructure), Deliverable 3.1.2 (innovations to combat climate change impacts), and Deliverable 4.3.1 (cold regions infrastructure).
The Diversity & Inclusion Community of Practice will support collaboration teams in fostering diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities. The team will provide resources for team leaders to consider principles of equity and inclusion in their work, and will also host conversations with the broader Collaborations community about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Specifically, the Diversity & Inclusion Community of Practice will support collaboration team efforts in the following deliverables: 2.1.7 (improve inclusivity), Data 1.1 (identify verified FAIR and CARE points of contact and track diversity), MOMP 4.2 (promote and support best practices for improving diversity and inclusion), and PILR 1.2 (evaluate the Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic 2018).
The Early Career Community of Practice will support the engagement of early career Arctic researchers in the implementation of the Arctic Research Plan. The team will work with to distribute a bimonthly newsletter with early career opportunities, and may co-host meetings with other collaboration teams and communities of practice.
The Field Operations Community of Practice will focus on efforts to coordinate among federal agencies supporting fieldwork in the Arctic. The team will continue their work to share information among researchers and Arctic communities about field-based Arctic research before, during, and after the field season. Particular deliverables this community of practices will focus on include 2.2.4 (coordinated interdisciplinary observations), MOMP 3.2 (communication about field activities to Alaska communities), MOMP 4.1 (share resources and best practices on field safety culture and inclusivity), and MOMP 4.2 (promote and support best practices for improving diversity and inclusion).
The Glaciers & Sea Level Community of Practice will host a series of webinars linked to Arctic Systems Interactions deliverables (2.1.6, radiation budget and ice melt; 2.3.2, share long-term observations; 2.3.3, ice sheet models; 2.3.7, improve coastal process models). These are linked to ongoing efforts across relevant disciplines supported by national funding agencies. The Glaciers & Sea Level Community of Practice will collaborate with other communities of practice and collaboration teams to develop cross-cutting webinars as appropriate. They will develop a synthesis of recent results via a bibliography highlighting results from missions and projects that contribute to long-term observations of land ice. They will work towards connecting the community both within the glaciology and sea-level science communities and across other communities of practice where there could be fusion/interactions. The Glaciers & Sea Level Community of Practice typically meets on the second Thursday of each month at 9am AKT/1pm ET.
The Marine Ecosystems Community of Practice will host regular meetings in 2023 on a range of topics often relevant to Arctic Systems Interactions including: salmon and the coastal system, international observing, science synthesis (2.2.2, ecosystem process monitoring; 2.3.7, improve coastal process models; 3.3.1, infrastructure asset map), and Arctic community voices (2.2.4, coordinate and share field data; 2.2.6, understand marine species; 2.2.7, linkages among marine species and physical components). Once a quarter they will host a meeting encouraging informal research updates from the Marine Ecosystems Community of Practice. They will continue to work in an integrative and collaborative way, bringing international and community-level perspectives and hosting events at ongoing conferences like the Alaska Marine Science Symposium and the Alaska Forum on the Environment. The Marine Ecosystems Community of Practice will meet on the second Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am AKT 2-3:30pm ET.
The Modelers Community of Practice will host open meetings to review recent advances in Earth System Models (ESMs), understand and discuss gaps in model performance, and relate predictions to changing Arctic conditions. Additionally, the team leads aim to expand their focus by discussing applied models and forecasts and by seeking participation from state and local agencies. The team is planning for a March 23 meeting focused on Statistical Hindcasts of Arctic Sea Ice followed by meetings on Biases in Arctic Ocean Stratification and Fire Weather Modeling. Over the next two years, the Modelers CP will support the Arctic Systems Interactions Priority Area on a number of deliverables, including 2.1.1 (Arctic amplification studies), 2.1.2 (Arctic amplification research coordination), 2.1.3 (connections between Arctic and global ocean circulation), 2.1.4 (atmospheric rivers in Arctic Amplification), 2.1.5 (Arctic amplification modeling), 2.1.6 (radiation budget and ice melt), 2.2.7 (modeling Arctic ecosystems’ change), 2.3.3 (ice sheet models) , and 2.3.7 (modeling coastal processes). They will also support and track efforts towards Monitoring Observing Modeling and Prediction (MOMP) deliverables 1.3 (Arctic coupled data assimilation and reanalysis), 2.3 (Arctic-focused model intercomparison projects), and 2.4 (Arctic modeling needs and priorities), among others. In general, open meetings of the Models Community of Practice will take place regularly on the fourth Thursday of the month at 11am AKT/3pm ET.
The Observations Community of Practice works to connect people around topics of interest and importance in Arctic observing. The community of practice is focused on community building and diversity and inclusion efforts. The team leads are beginning work on Monitoring Observing Modeling and Prediction (MOMP) deliverables 2.1 (Developing an online tool for value tree gaps analysis methodology) and 2.2 (Conducting observational gaps analysis case studies using the value tree methodology with an initial focus on risk hazard and mitigation) in partnership with the US Arctic Observing Network Board, MOMP team, Risk Management and Hazard Mitigation team, Community Resilience and Health team, and others. In addition, the Observations Community of Practice is interested in co-hosting open meetings to network and share good practices for co-design and co-implementation of observing systems. The Observations CP will also actively engage in activities that support Arctic observing network () work nationally and internationally, including the Arctic Observing Summit and -ROADS process.
The Permafrost Community of Practice will host several meetings in 2023 relating to ground ice data and mapping. Focused webinars will include relevant international, state, and community voices as well as academic perspectives. These webinars may lead to additional ground ice focused activities for the permafrost community and team leaders will be exploring options. The Permafrost Community of Practice will also be directing their community members to relevant ongoing meetings hosted by Permafrost Coastal Systems Network (PerCS-Net) and Permafrost Discovery Gateway (PDG).
The Physical Oceanography Community of Practice aims to be a platform for exchanging information about the Arctic Ocean and its connections to other Earth system components and society. They will coordinate activities aimed at improving our understanding of key Arctic Ocean processes and their representation in climate models (2.1.5), and explore the role of the ocean in Arctic Amplification (2.1.1), the connections between Arctic and global ocean circulation (2.1.3), and the linkages between oceanographic conditions and marine ecosystems (2.2.7). The Physical Oceanography Community of Practice will also explore and highlight the role of the ocean in Blue Carbon and Blue Economy, and continue exploring the role of the Arctic and subarctic oceans in pollution, like oil spills and microplastics. They will meet regularly on the first Thursday of the month at 9am AKT/1pm ET.
The Sea Ice Community of Practice will support several multidisciplinary efforts in the Arctic Systems Interactions priority area (2.1.1, Arctic amplification studies; 2.1.5, Arctic amplification modeling; 2.1.6, radiation budget and ice melt) and the Monitoring, Observing, Modeling, and Prediction foundational activity. The Sea Ice Community of Practice is also interested in contributing to Risk Management and Hazard Mitigation activities (4.1.2, share relevant science findings) and Data Management as those teams push their activities forward. The Sea Ice Community of Practice will work with the Field Operations Community of Practice to integrate sea ice research activities into their pre- and post-field season meetings. They will also continue to host their yearly fall sea ice outlook meeting. The Sea Ice Community of Practice will meet on the fourth Monday of every month at 9am AKT/1pm ET.
The Terrestrial Ecosystems Community of Practice plans to move forward with deliverables 2.2.2 (ecosystem process monitoring), 2.3.4 (coordinate and share field data), 2.3.5 (permafrost degradation), 2.3.6 (link essential variable datasets), and 4.2.3 (understand risks to communities) in 2023. By the end of 2023 the team plans to have an engaged group of scientists and community members interested in advancing research on disturbance, vegetation, and permafrost interactions and a product or tool (white paper, synthesis, etc.) in development on disturbance interactions. They will host a visioning session to provide an overview of the priority deliverables followed by a focused series of presentations to better understand the state of the science for relevant deliverables. Following the presentations, the community will discuss how to make progress towards the deliverables and potential products (e.g., synthesis paper, set of tools, development of new projects, publications). The Terrestrial Ecosystems Community of Practice will meet on the third Thursday of the month at 10am AKT/2pm ET.