
UNH will host "Preparing for a Northwest Passage â the Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic," a regional research conference.
Durham may be thousands of miles from the Arctic Circle, but for two days in March it will be the epicenter for discussions about how New England will respond to changes in the Arctic. Thatâs when UNH will host âPreparing for a Northwest Passage â the Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic,â an interdisciplinary research workshop funded by the National Science Foundationâs first-ever awards to address societal challenges through cross-disciplinary scientific collaboration.
With the warming effects of climate change dramatically decreasing Arctic sea ice and opening a Northwest Passage, new shipping routes and unprecedented access to the top of the world signal profound changes for New England. Changes to regional climate linked to Arctic ice melt will also have significant repercussions, especially for coastal communities and the Gulf of Maine. This workshop will gather academic expertise from around New England to explore the influence of and response to Arctic change throughout the region.
âIt is rapidly becoming clear that âwhat happens in the Arctic doesnât stay in the Arctic,ââ says workshop chair Katharine Duderstadt, research scientist in the of UNHâs . âIt is imperative for Arctic researchers to consider the impact on lower latitudes as communities adapt to sea-level rise, changes to regional weather patterns, displaced ocean currents, modifications to ecosystems, shifts in animal migration and demographic changes from a resurgent coastal marine economy.â
With decades of research in the Arctic â from the seafloor to ice cores to permafrost and societal responses to climate change â UNH makes an ideal host for this workshop, says Duderstadt. âIn addition, researchers at UNH have a reputation for being able to collaborate on systems-level, solution-driven research while retaining specialized expertise within their individual disciplines,â she says.
In preparation for this workshop, UNH will host a fall that is open to the public.ÌęHenry Pollack from the University of Michigan will present the first lecture, âThe New Face of the Arctic,âÌęon Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. in the Squamscott Room of Holloway Commons on the Durham campus.
-
Written By:
Beth Potier | UNH Marketing | beth.potier@unh.edu | 2-1566












































