PolArctic LLC

Earlier this afternoon, the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) combined U.S. and multinational?Situational Awareness Working Group (SAWG) held its quarterly meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. This significant gathering brought together Allies and partners from across the High North, meeting both in-person and virtually to advance collaboration in Arctic research and defense innovation. ICE-PPR is a collaborative agreement among seven partner nations' defense departments and government agencies, working to advance polar science and technology. Nations participating in this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) include the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden. The U.S. involvement in ICE-PPR is coordinated by the Office of Naval Research. This international effort focuses on driving research and technology development to ensure safe, stable, and secure Arctic environments, while enhancing interoperability and partnerships. Today’s meeting underscored the critical importance of situational awareness in the Arctic and featured presentations on research and technologies. Randy "Church" Kee, Director of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, and Chair of the ICE-PPR SAWG, opened the meeting with welcoming remarks, setting the tone for an engaging and collaborative session. John Woods, representing the Office of Naval Research, provided ICE-PPR executive notes, highlighting the program's progress and strategic priorities. The agenda also included compelling presentations from Dr. Phil McGillivary who shared insights into ongoing scientific advancements; Andy Glen from Sandia National Laboratories who presented on high-altitude balloon, measurements, and modeling; and Leslie Canavera of PolArctic who showcased advancements in sea-ice modeling using AI technologies. Additionally, the meeting offered newcomers the opportunity to share their perspectives on emerging challenges and opportunities in the Arctic, fostering a spirit of collaboration and innovation. With ICE-PPR's emphasis on joint research and technology development, the meeting served as a strong reminder of the shared commitment to ensuring stability in the High North through cooperative efforts. This productive gathering set the stage for the Anchorage Security and Defense Conference, which kicks off tomorrow at 9 a.m. We are excited to continue these essential discussions on Arctic security and innovation as we embark on #ASDC2024!

It was a true honor to speak on the Arctic security panel at the Montreal Climate Security Summit this week alongside Major General Henning-A. Frantzen (PhD) of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, LISA KOPERQUALUK of Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada), Dr. Matthew Rhodes of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, and Whitney Lackenbauer of Trent University. I feel so encouraged by the strong language we heard from militaries around the world recognizing that climate change is indeed the greatest threat we face. We must counter aggression from states like Russia, China, Iran, etc while also building capacity to deal with the escalating threats posed by climate change. These are not separate issues but rather interlinked ones, which is absolutely critical for everyone to understand. This understanding must be better represented in policies and actions. We have so much to gain by catalyzing cooperative efforts to increase resiliency while strengthening relationships between and within our nations. The status quo is NOT a viable option as it will result in a series of destabilizing shocks, so we need to seize this opportunity to shape the future environment to be conducive to human prosperity. That means understanding we are part of nature and not separate from it, and having our solutions reflect that reality. This 2-day event was live-streamed on Canadian Parliamentary television, and can be viewed via this link: https://lnkd.in/eSzCRK5A Despite the US not (yet) being a sponsoring nation, I was very proud my country had strong, visible presence from the National Security Council, The White House, United States Department of Defense, the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, US Army, and more. Huge congrats to NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) and Conference of Defence Associations Institute for this fantastic convening. Thanks again for the responsible leadership of the 12 sponsoring nations of CCASCOE: #Denmark, #Norway, #Germany, #France, #Greece, #Italy, #Latvia, #Luxembourg, #Romania, #Turkiye, and the #UK. I hope that soon the US will join as an official sponsor to elevate our leadership in this critical space. Ulrich Seidenberger, Pauline Baudu, Mathieu Bussières, Youri Cormier, Martin Aarnaes, Katie Woodward, Bruno Charbonneau, Sherri Goodman, Iris Ferguson, Swathi Veeravalli, Samu Paukkunen, Sharon Burke, Caroline Hoefsmit, Louise van Schaik, Noah J. Gordon, Caroline Baxter, Jacob Bay Lindkvist, Barre Seguin, Tom Ellison, Matthew Horwatt, Colonel (Retired) Pierre Leblanc, Forsvarsdepartementet, The Center for Climate and Security, The Wilson Center #Arctic #climatesecurity #climatechange #actonclimate #leadership #military #defense #mitigation #adaptation

How can we overcome bias and drive meaningful change in AI? ?? ? As part of their Speaker Series, the Women in AI Global Ethics and Culture team brought together an exceptional panel of global experts for an insightful discussion on the challenges and opportunities of creating Responsible AI. Moderated by Nebahat Arslan, "Overcoming Bias and Fostering Change" featured valuable contributions from Leslie Canavera, Manail Anis Ahmed, and Ayca Ariyoruk, who shared practical advice on designing Responsible AI policies, tackling ethical challenges, and ensuring AI remains human-centric. If you missed the event or would like to dive deeper, our latest blog post summarises the key insights. From actionable recommendations to navigating complex global AI policies, this is essential reading for anyone passionate about AI ethics. ?? Read the article here https://lnkd.in/eb5Z-aMK ?? Watch the event replay included in the post! This event was organised by the Women in AI Ethics and Culture Team: Karen Jensen, Ja'Nya J., Bhuva Shakti, Damita S., and Samantha Wigglesworth. #ResponsibleAI #EthicsInAI #AIbyDesign #WomenInTech #AIInnovation #GlobalEthics #AIRegulation #Leadership #WomenInAI #TechForGood