Conference: 52nd Arctic Workshop at the University of Massachusetts

This proposal seeks funding to support student and early-career participation in the 52nd Arctic Workshop (AW) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, scheduled for March 13-16, 2024. Over the last half-century, the AW has established itself as a prominent scientific forum, attracting arctic researchers from diverse disciplines and career stages to share and discuss their findings. Through presentations, posters, and discussions, the workshop offers an opportunity for students to learn from one another and from world-class arctic researchers. Additionally, for many of these students, the workshop will serve as a platform for developing the essential relationships necessary for launching arctic research careers of their own. The Earth and its oceans are experiencing warming due to the rise in greenhouse gases, but polar regions have undergone warming at rates four times faster than the global average. This proposal seeks funding to support student and early career participants in the 52nd Arctic Workshop (AW) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, scheduled for March 13-16, 2024. Established over half a century ago, the AW has evolved into a prominent scientific forum, attracting researchers from diverse disciplines and career stages to share and discuss their findings. Originally focused on Quaternary history and paleoenvironmental research, the workshop now encompasses a broad range of topics, including contemporary climate modeling, arctic hydrology and limnology, atmospheric processes, ecology, oceanography, and glaciology. Financial assistance provided through this proposal will enable graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and early career scientists to attend the AW by covering accommodation, registration fees, and offering a modest contribution to per diem expenses. This support will facilitate their active participation in the workshop, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange among the next generation of polar 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.