Experts speak about “Western Alaska in Transition” at Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference

The Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference, or WAISC, was held in Nome last week. Sponsored by Alaska Sea Grant and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Northwest Campus, the conference brought together dozens of researchers and knowledge holders from across the state and the Lower 48 states.
The talks covered a wide range of topics, from harmful algae blooms and coastal storms to energy-efficient design and reindeer farming.
Presenters included scientists from Massachusetts and high school students from Noambeltz.
The theme of this year’s gathering was “Western Alaska in Transition,” so many of the discussions had common ground. The question was how to address the challenges of the region’s changing environment while drawing on various knowledge systems such as Western science and indigenous knowledge.
Gail “Topkalk” Smith-Hissler gave a plenary presentation at the opening reception of the Carrie M. McClain Memorial Museum last Monday night, setting the tone for the week’s conversation. Smith-Hissler has joined efforts to help revitalize the Iñupiaq language, posting videos sharing the language on social media and currently teaching classes at the Northwest campus.
“Language is one of the many bonds people share to continue to foster a healthy and meaningful way of life, which leads to stewardship and care for our land, animals, and each other,” Smith-Hissler said. and protect the culture and values ​​that explain why it is important to state and revitalize the language.
She also mentioned how new technologies such as the internet and social media have made it easier to share and collect information, allowing different spellings and meanings to be documented. Improved connectivity allows Iñupiaq speakers and learners to have more interactions and discussions with people who speak different dialects.
The next morning, as the conference began at the Northwest Campus, Rick Thoman spoke about various climate indicators that indicate the rapid changes occurring in the region’s ecosystem. Thoman is an Alaska climate expert at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In his plenary address, he noted that sea ice seasonality and thickness are changing. Air and sea temperatures are rising. Permafrost is thawing. All of these factors are not only changing the ecosystem of western Alaska, but also human activities and global concerns in the region.
Thoman said Western and Indigenous sciences are coming together to learn what observations about all these changes might suggest about the future.
“Science is just a way of understanding the world that incorporates new information, which is why Western science and Indigenous science are completely compatible,” Thoman said. “I’m sure indigenous science incorporates new information. Why? Because some of your ancestors witnessed the flooding of the Bering Sea land bridge.” They adapted and We were able to create a stable and prosperous culture.
Mr. Thoman implored his fellow scientists to investigate how their research serves and informs the public. Research may improve our understanding of the phenomenon, but did the affected communities have a say in the research?
“Are you working on something because your advisor gave you a disc and said, ‘Work on this?'” Or are you working on something because your tribe decided they wanted to know more about it? Is it? ”
Mr Thoman said that while environmental monitoring and monitoring may clarify what is happening now, it should also be used to provide context and meaning, and that future outlook is relevant. , added that it is only useful if it is accurate and accessible.
“Accurate and timely information is power during times of transition,” Thoman said.
Father and son pair Ralph and Chris Olanna spoke about the changes they had witnessed in the area in their final plenary address the next morning.
Chris Olanna, whose job at Bering Airlines relies on reading the weather to ensure safe flight, says the nuances of using his senses, as taught by his elders, are just as important as computer observations. he said. And this he can use the two together to great advantage. He asked the audience to help Alaska Native communities remain resilient.
“We will never disappear. The resilience is there,” he said. “We are still here, and we will always be here.”