Cryosphere and Polar Science Seminar

Advancing Regional, National and International Arctic Observing Networks through connecting Arctic Value with Global Variables by Dr. Sandra Starkweather, Research Scientist, CIRES and Executive Director, US Arctic Observing Network

The vision for an integrated Arctic Observing Network (AON) has been in play since before the publication of the National Academies report "Towards and Integrated Arctic Observing Network", yet progress on coordinated pan-Arctic systems has been lagging, as has funding for expanded observations. In 2016, the US added two new capacities to accelerate progress on AON: a) NOAA initiated an interagency board with a point-person to focus on national coordination (US AON, Executive Director); and b) the Office of Science and Technology Policy initiated a methodological framework to identify critical areas for investments. This talk will describe how these two capacities, working in close collaboration with the international Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) are gaining traction, under the Roadmap for Arctic Observing and Data Systems (ROADS). Two examples will be provided that explore how ROADS is poised to advance coordination and stimulate strategic investments in new observing and data systems.