About this Course

You will learn from researchers and staff from a variety of disciplines at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ International Arctic Research Center and its collaborators. An introduction to a variety of areas of expertise, from atmospheric science to traditional knowledge on subsistence calendars, will equip you to understand these complex systems and the knowledge-holders who examine them in detail. You will develop a basic understanding of climate change in the circumpolar arctic through examining four primary systems: atmospheric systems, marine systems, terrestrial systems, and human systems. Key concepts will be explained with practical Arctic-focused examples including Arctic climate modelling, climate policy, physical properties of the ocean, and more. You will learn to trace impacts through those complex systems from physical science, through the biodiversity of flora and fauna, and on to the societies that depend on those resources. Key texts to understanding environmental change will be made available to participants with guidance, giving you the skills to understand reports and policies impacting the region. Title image credit - Steffen M. Olsen, Climate researcher at the Danish Meteorological Institute

Created by: University of Alaska Fairbanks

Level: Introductory