News and Events!

• Upcoming Events: Live from IPY!

  

  On 20 August 2008, join PolarTREC teacher Gerty Ward and the team conducting oceanographic research on the Canadian Icebreaker Louis S. St-Laurent in the Beaufort Sea. Event starts at 9 AM Alaska Daylight Time [7 AM HST, 10 AM PDT, 11 AM MDT, 12 PM CDT, 1 PM EDT]. Register Now!

• 2009/2010 PolarTREC Researcher Applications Now Available!

  

  Applications are now being accepted for researchers to host a teacher during the 2009 Arctic or 2009/2010 Antarctic field seasons. Deadline: Monday, September 8, 2008. Apply here.

• A Kids View: Kuril Islands Biocomplexity Project

  

  The Kuril Islands Biocomplexity project is a fascinating project in Russia. The expedition involves scientists from Russia, Japan, and the US. This year's expedition includes a few special guests. Read more here about the special guests accompanying the researchers and get a kids view of research in the Arctic!

PolarTREC expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica are underway! Be sure to check out the Virtual Base Camp to follow teachers and researchers!

PolarTREC is an educational research experience, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S., in which K-12 teachers participate in polar research, working closely with scientists as a pathway to improving science education.

In celebration of the International Polar Year (2007-2009), a global scientific campaign to advance our understanding of the polar regions, thirty-six U.S. teachers will spend two to six weeks working with a research team in the Arctic or Antarctic, exploring the environments, cultures, history, and science. PolarTREC teachers will learn about cutting-edge scientific research on topics ranging from atmospheric chemistry to seabird ecology and will share their experiences with scientists, educators, communities, and hundreds of students of all ages across the globe.

PolarTREC builds on the past TREC program (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating in the Arctic) to encompass learning experiences in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Visit the TREC website for more information about the 2004-2006 TREC expeditions.

The arctic tern is a small bird with a big travel schedule! The arctic tern migrates over 22,000 miles each year from the Arctic to Antarctica-the longest migration of any bird in the world. The tern lives in almost perpetual daylight, spending the northern summer in the Arctic and the austral summer in the Antarctic. The arctic tern is a wonderful mascot for PolarTREC teachers who will follow it on its long distance journeys to the polar regions!