Dr. Francis Williamson is the Director of the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which operates the Toolik Lake Field Station on Alaska's North Slope. The Station is one of 17 NSF-supported Long-Term Ecological Research Sites, and it supports research projects conducted by University of Alaska faculty members and a wide array of visiting investigators. Dr. Williamson plans a number of improvements to the Toolik Lake Field Station, including installation of fume hoods that will allow bio- and geochemical procedures, construction of a modular laboratory, an upgrade in the electrical systems used for computers and communication, and acquisition of equipment for environmental monitoring. The research projects conducted at the Toolik Lake Field Station are rapidly increasing our understanding of the terrestrial and freshwater environments of the arctic tundra. The proposed improvements would correct current violations of safety regulations, and would increase the efficiency and productivity of the research projects based at the Station. Continued growth of research at the Station will require new instrumentation and improved lab facilities.
