Polar and Alpine Community News

The Mid-Career Advancement (MCA) is the only cross-directorate NSF program specifically aimed at providing protected time and resources to established scientists and engineers targeted at the mid-career (Associate Professor rank or equivalent) stage. By (re)-investing in mid-career investigators, the National Science Foundation aims to enable and grow a more diverse scientific workforce (more women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities) at high academic ranks, who remain engaged and active in cutting-edge research.

Participating programs in the Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Geosciences (GEO), Engineering (ENG), Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Education and Human Resources (EHR) will accept MCA proposals. Program Investigators are encouraged to discuss the suitability of their MCA proposal with a program officer from the appropriate directorate.

Read more at: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2021/nsf21516/nsf21516.htm.

The Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska has released the Inuit led report entitled Food Security and Self-Governance: Inuit Role in Managing Arctic Marine Resources. The Food Sovereignty and Self Governance Project is bringing Inuit together to lead their own work. To access the report, please visit the website of the Inuit Circumpolar Cuncil.

The Arctic Science Summit Week 2021 (24-26 March 2021) under the overarching topic “The Arctic: Regional Change Global Impacts” now accepts calls for abstracts. The conference will be held online and will include oral and e-poster presentations. Each lead author may submit up to one oral and one e-poster presentation until November 30, 2020. Abstracts are limited to 1500 characters and the title should not be longer than 150 characters.

The Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS) is delighted to announce the 28th AMOS Annual Conference: ‘Science for Impact’. We will hold this event online, 8–12 February 2021. Our ‘Science for Impact’ theme highlights the real-world benefits science has, and can continue to have, through collaboration and partnerships. AMOS 2021 delegates are not just from Australia but from across the world—researchers, government representatives, NGOs, businesses, students and the media. The AMOS Organising Committee invites you to submit an abstract for presentation at the AMOS 2021 Annual Conference until 6 November.

On behalf of SCAR Standing Committee on the Humanities and Social SciencesSCAR Standing Committee on the Humanities and Social Sciences, we invite all Antarctic researchers, support staff, students, and anyone else involved in Antarctic research or logistics to fill out this survey. Your response will help the team to understand how we as a community are affected and will inform strategic decisions to mitigate impacts. Please click here to participate in the survey. Your participation in this survey is voluntary, confidential, and anonymous. It will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete this survey. Note that the survey is set to close by 8 November 2020 (23:59 GMT). If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Herbert (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Daniela Liggett (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

As you know, due to the Covid Pandemic in all World and in Latin America, the Organizing Committee of the 3rd Sochicri Annual Meeting has decided to postpone our meeting to 18-19 March 2021. The local committee decided to organize the meeting fully online and participation it will be entirely free of inscription fees. For those who had already paid their inscription, find details below. Those participants who still wish to send an abstract, you can do it until Nov., 30^th 2020 via the webpage.

Are you a student looking to fund your innovative research in Cryospheric Science? Consider participating in the Flash Freeze competition at this year's Fall Meeting! The AGU Cryosphere Section Executive Committee is now accepting applications for the Cryosphere Innovation Award for Students that will be decided in the Flash Freeze competition during the Fall Meeting (Thursday, December 10). The award is open to all students attending the 2020 Fall Meeting and is given to support and recognize innovative student-led research in the Cryospheric Sciences. Students wishing to participate in this year's competition are required to submit a letter of intent (not to exceed one (1) page) and a CV (not to exceed two (2) pages) to the Innovation Award subcommittee chaired by Ryan Webb via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by November 25, 2020 at midnight US eastern time.  

The IASC Medal is awarded in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to the understanding of the Arctic. A maximum of one award is made each year, assuming that there is a nominee of appropriate quality. The whole IASC community, from all countries and career stages, is encouraged to submit a nomination by sending this form to the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., demonstrating the nominee’s excellence and sustained contribution to the understanding of the Arctic (see evaluation criteria). Nominations for the 2021 IASC Medal, which is expected to be awarded at the ASSW 2021, can be submitted to the IASC Secretariat until 31 December 2020.

In 2021, a coalition of organizations including The Arctic Institute, Women in Polar Science, and Women of the Arctic will be organizing a webinar series, "Breaking the Ice Ceiling". The aim is to highlight research, experience, and stories of polar women researchers. Please fill out this form if you would like to present in this webinar series and the organizers will reach out and follow up on coordination.