Arctic Program

The North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) is interested in funding research that will further our understanding of the marine ecosystem in the Bering Strait and Arctic Ocean (especially the U.S. Chukchi and Beaufort seas). The first phase of the NPRB Arctic research program involves a synthesis of existing scientific and traditional knowledge of the Arctic marine ecosystem and an identification of research needs to help plan potential, upcoming research programs that may be undertaken in cooperation with other organizations.

Phase I: Pacific Marine Arctic Regional Synthesis of the Northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas (PacMARS)

The North Pacific Research Board (NPRB), the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs, and the North Pacific Marine Research Institute (NPMRI) are working together to synthesize existing information in order to further the understanding of the marine ecosystem in the Bering Strait and Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.  Shell Exploration & Production Company and ConocoPhillips Company are providing funds for this work.

For the initial phase of this Chukchi/Beaufort Research Project, NPRB and NSF announced that Drs. Jacqueline Grebmeier and Lee Cooper at the University of Maryland will lead a seven-institution team that will synthesize existing scientific and traditional knowledge of the marine ecosystem in the Bering Strait and Chukchi and Beaufort Seas and identify research needs. The team will receive $1.45 million provided by Shell and ConocoPhillips for the study.

For more information about this project, please see the North Pacific Marine Research Institute website or the PacMARS Project website that is maintained by the scientists involved in the project.

Coordination with SOAR

The PacMARS PIs are coordinating with the PIs for the Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR) funded by BOEM. They plan to hold a PacMARS-SOAR Open Community Workshop on Sun., Jan. 20th at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska in conjuction with the Alaska Marine Science Symposium. Further details will be available on PacMARS website as the date approaches.

Phase II Arctic Research

A plan is currently being written for the second phase of the Arctic research program and the NPRB is discussing opportunities to partner with other organizations that share common goals. The intent is to develop a coordinated, collaborative program to fund science that will improve our understanding of the Arctic marine ecosystem. Please return to this website in the future for more news on our progress.