As climate change transforms our environment, the Arctic and Antarctic face a troubling, uncertain fate. Join us for The Future of Ice, a six-part lecture series that covers our polar regions from a variety of perspectives. We offer a slate of renowned experts who will cover issues including glacial retreat, wildlife at the poles, and the changing Arctic environment’s impact on Inuit culture.
The series is sponsored by The Graduate School, UW Alumni Association, College of the Environment, Canadian Studies Center at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, Polar Science Center at the Applied Physics Laboratory, Quaternary Research Center, Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, Department of American Indian Studies, Department of Communication, School of Art Photomedia Department.
All lectures are free and open to the public. To ensure a seat, please register.
January 8, 2014
James Balog
Photographer
Kane Hall 130
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Lecture Title: When Mountains Move
Just how is climate change altering our environment? Photographer James Balog will provide photographic proof in a multimedia show that explores humanity’s shifting relationship with nature. Balog will share the latest photos and image sequences from the Extreme Ice Survey, a network of time-lapse cameras recording glacier retreat in a variety of exotic landscapes, from Mount Everest to Greenland. Register now.
Free film screening: Register today for a screening of James Balog’s film Chasing Ice. The Jan. 7 screening will shed light on Balog’s experiences in the world’s harshest regions and examine the toll climate change is taking on the Arctic and Antarctic.
January 16, 2014
Tony Penikett
2013-14 UW Canada Visiting Fulbright Chair in Arctic Studies
Kane Hall 120
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Lecture Title: Arctic Populations, Northern Security Issues and Emerging Forms of Governance
The climate isn’t the only thing changing in Alaska and Canada’s northern territories. New forms of governance are taking shape, upsetting the old hierarchies of federal, provincial or state, and local governments in the process. Tony Penikett will discuss these changes while forecasting what they might mean for the future of the region. Register now.
February 6, 2014
Jody W. Deming
Walters Endowed Professor, UW Oceanography and Astrobiology
Kane Hall 120
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Lecture Title: Living in Sea Ice – It’s a Wonderful Life!
Humans and marine mammals alike depend on sea ice for their livelihoods, but so do an astronomical number of invisible life forms that dwell inside the ice. Jody Deming will take a big-picture look at the importance of these tiny microbes—and even talk about what these organisms might mean for life on other planets. Register now.
February 20, 2014
Paul Nicklen
Photojournalist
Kane Hall 130
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Lecture Title: Polar Obsession
Photojournalist Paul Nicklen has spent years working in some of the world’s most remote environments, capturing iconic images of wildlife and incredible animals. The four-time BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year will share stories and photos from these expeditions that expose both the beauty and the harshness of these land and seascapes. Register now.
March 5, 2014
P. Dee Boersma
Wadsworth Endowed Chair in Conservation Science and Director for the Center for Penguins as Ocean Sentinels
Kane Hall 120
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Lecture Title: Penguins as Ocean Sentinels
Of the 18 species of penguin, five are considered endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and only three are considered robust and healthy. Dee Boersma will discuss the challenges facing penguins and their uncertain future in the wake of a changing climate. Register now.
March 11, 2014
Sheila Watt-Cloutier
Former Chair, Inuit Circumpolar Conference
Kane Hall 130
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Lecture Title: The Right to be Cold
Climate change isn’t just about science and politics; it directly impacts the Inuit, whose culture is intertwined with Arctic’s environment. Sheila Watt-Cloutier will share the human story of the Arctic communities and their journeys through rapid change on the way to long-term sustainability. Register now.
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