ARCTIC SCIENCE SUMMIT WEEK (ASSW) IS THE ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN SUPPORTING AND FACILITATING ARCTIC RESEARCH. THE VALUE OF THESE MEETINGS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY THE ENHANCED COLLABORATION THAT HAS EMERGED THROUGH IMPROVED COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION IN ALL AREAS OF ARCTIC RESEARCH. ASSW 2016 - AND ASSOCIATED SIDE MEETINGS AND EVENTS - WILL BE CONVENED IN FAIRBANKS ALASKA FROM MARCH 9-18 2016. ASSW WILL BE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ARCTIC OBSERVING SUMMIT (AOS) THE ARCTIC COUNCIL SENIOR ARCTIC OFFICIALS (SAO) MEETING AND OTHER LOCAL EVENTS AND SIDE MEETINGS; IT IS ANTICIPATED TO ATTRACT 800-1000 PEOPLE FROM OVER 20 COUNTRIES. THE AOS IS A BIENNIAL FORUM TO DISCUSS COORDINATE AND PLAN IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATED LONG-TERM OBSERVATIONS OF ARCTIC CHANGE. WITH A FOCUS ON EFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO A RAPIDLY CHANGING ARCTIC THE SUMMIT INVOLVES A RANGE OF ENTITIES THAT COLLECT OR USE ARCTIC OBSERVATIONS INCLUDING BASIC RESEARCH MISSION-ORIENTED AND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE ACADEMIA GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ARCTIC RESIDENTS INDUSTRY AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. AOS 2016 IS CO-SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC SCIENCE COMMITTEE (IASC) THE INTERNATIONAL STUDY OF ARCTIC CHANGE (ISAC) AND THE ARCTIC COUNCIL'S SUSTAINING ARCTIC OBSERVATIONS NETWORK (SAON). THIS GRANT SUPPORTS A COMBINATION OF ACTIVITIES REVOLVING AROUND THE ASSW AOS AND A JOINT FORUM HOSTED BY THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS AND THE SAO MEETING ORGANIZERS. THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS (UAF) AS HOST INSTITUTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MEETING ORGANIZATION INCLUDING LOGISTICS MEETING ROOMS AND RELATED NEEDS. FUNDS FROM THIS GRANT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED IN PARTICULAR WITH EFFORTS BY THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY - IN COLLABORATION WITH STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES - TO DEFINE AND IMPLEMENT A COORDINATED ARCTIC OBSERVING SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS. WORKSHOP PANELS AND PLENARIES AT ASSW AND AOS ADDRESS SEVERAL OF THE KEY SCIENCE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN NASA'S 2014 SCIENCE PLAN SPECIFICALLY (1) IMPROVING PREDICTION OF WEATHER AND EXTREME EVENTS (2) DETECTION AND PREDICTION IN EARTH'S ECOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL CYCLES (3) IMPROVED CLIMATE CHANGE PREDICTION THROUGH OBSERVATIONS AND SIMULATIONS OF OCEAN ATMOSPHERE LAND AND ICE (4) CHARACTERIZATION OF EARTH SURFACE DYNAMICS TO IMPROVE RESPONSE TO NATURAL HAZARDS AND EXTREME EVENTS AND (5) FURTHERING THE USE OF EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE TO INFORM DECISIONS AND PROVIDE BENEFITS TO SOCIETY. THE AOS IN PARTICULAR WILL ADDRESS THESE GOALS THROUGH A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES OF POTENTIAL BENEFIT TO PARTICIPATING NASA RESEARCHERS AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND IN SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE RESEARCH FOCUSED DIRECTIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE 2010 UPDATE TO NASA'S DECADAL SURVEY. THESE ACTIVITIES ALSO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF NASA'S SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE FOR WORKSHOPS SYMPOSIA AND CONFERENCES BY ENCOURAGING AND FACILITATING THE USE OF MISSION DATA INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF INVESTIGATORS THROUGH THE OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND EXPOSING INVESTIGATORS TO NEW SUBJECT AREAS. SPECIFICALLY THE SUMMIT WILL IDENTIFY OBSERVING PRIORITIES AND WORK TOWARDS COMMON STANDARDS (E.G. OBSERVED VARIABLES COMMON TO ALL PROGRAMS) COMMON DATA MANAGEMENT APPROACHES AND OTHER BEST PRACTICES THAT MINIMIZE DUPLICATION ENHANCE THE VALUE OF OBSERVATIONS AND DATASETS GENERATED AND INCREASE THE REACH OF DATA PRODUCTS. THROUGH WHITE PAPERS AND WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES LEADING UP TO THE WORKSHOP THE SUMMIT WILL HELP DEFINE COMMON CORE GOALS PRIORITIES AND SHARED ELEMENTS OF ARCTIC OBSERVING SYSTEMS WITH A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC LINKS THAT DIRECTLY CORRESPOND TO NASA PRIORITIES.