The Principal Investigator is requesting funds requested to continue Office of Polar Programs (OPP) support for Graduate Student Participation in the Annual Arctic Workshops. OPP has supported attendance at this workshop through payments of registration, per diem meals, and lodging for four nights since 1993. The last grant supported the Arctic Workshop at the Universities of Colorado and Tromso (Norway). The budget was based on an attendance of 25 students, but the actual number per workshop was closer to 50. The next three workshops will be held at the University of Colorado (2005 and 2007) and the University of Alberta. The composition of the Arctic Workshops typically consists of about 55% professional Arctic scientists (academic and government), and 45% graduate students. A major effort is placed toward providing all the graduates with a forum for their research and to establish the appropriate "network" with their peers. The format for each Workshop differs depending on the composition of the speakers, themes, and particular, expertise that exists at the hosting institution. However, four main elements of professional scientific communication are always present: 1) keynote talks, 2) short 20 minute oral presentations, 3) one or more extensive poster sessions, and 4) specific times and meeting places for interest groups to focus on specific research problems, logistical interests, or certain geographic sites. A publication of extended abstracts of both the talks and posters is distributed to all participants. Past Global Change remains a dominant scientific theme, but increasingly arctic ecology, cold-region hydrology and oceanography, glaciology, and the human dimensions of climate change are among the popular topics. The Arctic Workshops have participants from several countries with significant attendance from the United States, Canada, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom.
