Polar Outreach Catalogue

In July 2009, 20 professors and undergraduates were joined by a media specialists on an expedition to the Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia. This IPY science project, called The Polaris Project, is an undergraduate research experience where students and faculty work together to increase our understanding of climate change impacts, including thawing permafrost, in this remote corner of the world. During three weeks spent in the field, dozens of interviews were conducted, captured roughly 20,000 still photographs and hours of ambient sounds and video clips. Following the expedition, a multimedia production team worked to blend this massive archive of visual and audio information into a 10-minute multimedia overview video and five shorter student vignettes. The overview video was first shown in Washington D.C. to an audience which included President Obama's science advisor. It is currently available to watch online or you can request a DVD from the Polaris Project website.