The Story of Polar Exploration and Arctic Frontiers in a Changing Climate
Much UK interest in these areas is based at the Scott Polar Research Institute [SPRI] which was established in 1920 at the University of Cambridge as a centre of excellence in the study of the Arctic and Antarctic. The institute also houses the world’s premier polar library and a polar museum with displays of both the history and contemporary significance of the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
SPRI’s mission is to enhance the understanding of the polar regions through scholarly research, publication, educating generations of polar researchers, caring for and making accessible its collections and projecting the history and environmental significance of the polar regions to the wider community for public benefit.
Speakers
Dr John Ash is a former Royal Navy submariner and oceanographer. He was involved in the collection of data in the Arctic Ocean to support the study of thinning in the polar ice pack – some of the earliest evidence of climate change. Selected to lead a team of Russian researchers at Cambridge University examining radionuclide pollution in the Northern Seas, he has also held a British Safety Council Fellowship at the Judge Institute of Management Studies at the University of Cambridge. John’s peer-reviewed publications address topics including climate change and conflict in the Arctic, the relationship between Arctic fisheries protection and sovereignty, and the security implications of Greenlandic independence. An Associate Professor at UiT, Norway’s Arctic University, John has presented oral evidence before the House of Commons Defence Subcommittee examining UK defence in the Arctic.
Bob Headland is a senior associate of SPRI. His work concerns human effects on Polar Regions, especially the smaller islands and archipelagos. Archival details and other historical records – from the earliest expeditions to recent events – have allowed him to provide data for studies of long periods of climatic variation with glaciological and biological changes in the Polar Regions. An advisor to several expeditionary organizations and departments of government, Bob is also a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of the Institute for Historical Research, University of London, where he delivers lectures for several courses. The author of several books and papers on polar subjects, Bob is a member of both the Arctic Club and the Antarctic Club. He was awarded the Polar Medal in 1984.
Programme
9.30 Registration
10.00 Unveiling the Arctic [BH] – An historical overview of Arctic discovery and exploration. This lecture is richly illustrated.
11.00 Coffee/tea
11.30 Exploring Arctic Frontiers in a Changing Climate [JA] – Concepts of Arctic exploration. Climate change in the Arctic. Arctic resource exploration – hydrocarbons, bio-marine resources, logistics & tourism. Political frontiers in the Arctic & conflict risk – fact & fallacy.
12.30 Lunch (bring your own) tea/coffee available
1.30 Shackleton [BH] – Ernest Shackleton is one of the most famous and respected figures in polar exploration. This is his story.
2.30 Tea/coffee
3.00 Sledge Dogs & Sovereignty: The Sirius Patrol [JA] – The Danish military’s Sirius dog sledge patrol expresses sovereignty and enforces order in one of the most remote areas of Greenland. This lecture describes how it was formed, how it operates, and why dog sledges remain the most effective method of undertaking this task in the 21st century.
4.00 Departure
Cost
£12 (£15 to non-members)