NSF Support for the 16th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports students and early career researchers to attend and participate in the 16th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium (ICRSS). ICRSS presents a significant and timely opportunity to demonstrate the achievements of the US scientific community, while planning and engaging in the coordination of future research efforts in dynamic polar regions with international researchers. This is an unprecedented time to study the changes occurring in the polar regions. The impacts of melting glaciers and ice sheets, retreating sea ice, thawing permafrost, ecosystem reorganization, and associated human interactions represent complex issues requiring international collaboration. Due to the remoteness and limited field data sets available for polar regions, remote sensing is critical in observing and understanding changes that would otherwise go undetected. It is essential to gather researchers and key stakeholders from around the world to share their observations to make greater scientific advances and more informed decisions in polar regions. The ICRSS series brings together scientists, resource managers, engineers, and stakeholders from very different disciplines bound by the common goal of using remote sensing techniques and derived information for advancing our knowledge and understanding of the polar regions. The ICRSS addresses the need for exchange of information among those in governments, universities, non-governmental organizations, local communities, and the private sector interested in remote sensing research and applications in the polar environments. The 16th ICRSS provides a platform for the exchange of current applied research and best practices, the presentation of new technology and further innovation, and the advancement of international cooperation in the circumpolar regions of the world. The ICRSS brings together scientists, resource managers, engineers, and end users from different disciplines to address the following science questions: 1) How can rapid changes occurring in the polar regions be better documented from local to regional scales? 2) What are the critical processes driving polar region dynamics, and are the current remote sensing tools sufficient to plan for future impacts? and 3) How can the remote sensing community better inform local communities, regional stakeholders, and earth system models to improve polar predictions? The direct benefits to the attendees and broader remote sensing community include: establishing the current state of knowledge for polar remote sensing platforms and techniques; identifying existing and potential knowledge gaps; discussing future planned missions, platforms, remote sensing technologies, and operational services; fostering national and international collaborations; and developing a community that fosters and empowers the next generation of students and early career researchers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.