We’re excited to announce a new release of the Arctic Data Center’s software platform (Metacat UI 2.37.0), with powerful new ways to explore datasets and create richer data portal experiences. This release presents improvements to dataset version history, interactive mapping capabilities, and overall usability. Explore the Complete Version History of a Dataset Research datasets often… Read more »
A Journey into Arctic Research Growing up, Dr. Clare Gaffey viewed the Arctic through a rose-colored lens: a vast, pristine landscape of white and blue ice, thriving ecosystems, and minimal human influence. Yet, her path into Arctic research was anything but direct. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a Master’s degree in… Read more »
In May 2026, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reaffirmed its commitment to Arctic research, data stewardship, and open science by awarding five additional years of funding for the Arctic Data Center. Led by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at the University of California Santa Barbara, the Arctic Data Center has become… Read more »
Over the past year, Arctic research has continued to evolve at a rapid pace, shaped by shifting environments, new technologies, and changing funding landscapes, along with growing expectations around data access, stewardship, and collaboration. As these pressures and opportunities converge, developing research infrastructure that can keep up with the evolving needs of the community it… Read more »
Training Overview Every spring, the Arctic Data Center invites Arctic researchers to attend our five-day virtual data science training course, Reproducible Approaches to Arctic Research Using R. This year, 18 researchers attended the course to learn reproducible and ethical research practices, methods for more easily documenting and preserving their data at the Arctic Data Center,… Read more »
About the Center The International Arctic Research Center (IARC) was founded in 1999 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks through an agreement between Japan and the United States with a focus on collaborative research. Now, IARC consists of over 100 scientists, analysts, students, and professional staff who focus on Arctic system science, climate change, and… Read more »
About the Project The Polar Science Early Career Community Office (PSECCO) is funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs Award #2135176 and has served as a community building and support organization for polar early-career scientists since 2022. PSECCO supports and uplifts early-career scientists by fostering a vibrant community across disciplines, providing resources… Read more »
Background and Research Expertise Dr. Jen Schmidt grew up in the Lower 48, but from an early age, watching the morning news and national weather reports sparked a fascination with Alaska and a long-held desire to travel there. After double majoring in ecology, evolution, and behavior and genetics and cellular biology at the University of… Read more »
Strengthening Arctic Research Through Open Data and Collaboration Toolik Field Station has long been a hub for Arctic research. Located in Alaska’s Brooks Range and operated by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, Toolik hosts hundreds of scientists each year who come… Read more »
Background and Research Expertise Dr. Lilly Parker is a research scientist at the Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research (LMAMR) at the University of Oklahoma where she focuses on ancient DNA, mammalian diversity, conservation genomics, and human-mammal relationships. Her work in the Arctic began during her NSF Office of Polar Programs postdoctoral fellowship at… Read more »
