Conference: Permafrost and Infrastructure Symposium: Merging science, engineering and community-based knowledge

The Permafrost & Infrastructure Symposium will bring together national and international Arctic science and engineering experts to share knowledge on how to address impacts of permafrost thaw on roads and community infrastructure. Participants will include U.S. researchers working in Northern Alaska, their international colleagues with expertise in other parts of the Arctic, and local experts from Alaska’s North Slope, including regional planners, project managers, and policy makers.

The symposium will be held in the field—along the Dalton Highway, in Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow) and the village of Point Lay — giving participants the opportunity to see the issues firsthand and to learn from those who design, build, repair, and live with thaw-susceptible infrastructure. The concept for the event is based on a convergence research model to pair scientific and engineering research practices with local knowledge and priorities to develop better strategies for improving Arctic infrastructure.

The symposium will result in a roadmap document that directly addresses the permafrost-related challenges prioritized by local and regional residents and planners. Key findings will be presented to local policy makers and at Arctic science and policy forums.

Permafrost degradation is threatening the stability and shortening the lifespan of residential, transportation and industrial infrastructure, resulting in serious economic hardship and health and safety hazards. With continued Arctic warming, up to 70% of fundamental circumpolar infrastructure will be at risk by mid-century. The rate of adaptation now needed to address these risks requires that engineers work closely with scientists to better understand predictive models of permafrost thaw and the variability of permafrost at local scales.

Through its convergence approach, the symposium will address NSF strategic priorities for advancing a systems-level understanding of the rapid changes occurring in the Arctic, while fostering practical, science-based approaches to adaptation by linking the knowledge developed by the science community with the experience of the engineering community and the priorities of Arctic residents and planners. The participation of researchers from multiple Navigating the New Arctic teams studying permafrost thaw and coastal erosion will enhance synergies between NSF projects while reducing the demands of outreach and engagement on local and regional partners.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.