Call for Nominations
Arctic Icebreaker Coordinating Committee
UNOLS seeks nominations and self-nominations to fill the newly created Early Career Scientist open position on its Arctic Icebreaker Coordinating Committee (AICC) for a two-year term starting in the fall of 2026. This Early Career Scientist member of the AICC will serve in a non-voting role.
The AICC, a committee of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS), serves a liaison function by providing oversight and advice to the National Science Foundation Polar Programs and to U.S. research icebreaker operators, for the purpose of enhancing scientific facilities and capabilities aboard U.S. research icebreakers, primarily the USCGC Healy (operator: United States Coast Guard) and the RV Sikuliaq (operator: University of Alaska Fairbanks). The AICC solicits, synthesizes, and presents the needs of the Arctic science community to the icebreaker operators and to the NSF, fulfilling an ombudsman role when necessary and facilitating the efficient and effective execution of scientific research by U.S. icebreakers. The AICC provides information to the scientific community to facilitate national and international research projects on Arctic icebreakers. The AICC promotes new technology for Arctic assets to maintain cutting-edge capability of these research facilities.
The AICC accomplishes these tasks through email discussions, telephone debriefs of current-year research cruises, annual in-person meetings, and telephone/video conferences. The Annual Meeting is typically held early in the calendar year at Coast Guard Base Seattle, where the USCGC Healy is based. Additional AICC teleconferences are scheduled in summer and fall. Travel costs for AICC members for these meetings are supported through the UNOLS office.
AICC is currently seeking applications for one new Early Career Scientist member willing to help the Arctic scientific community meet these needs over a two-year term starting in fall 2026. Applicants/nominees who self-identify as early career
may apply, with loose guidance of “early career” as typically defined within 7 years of Ph.D.
Nominees should be early career polar scientists at U.S. institutions with an expertise in chemical, physical, biological or geological oceanography, in meteorology, or in ocean cryosphere science; with polar field experience and particularly icebreaker experience; and a record of Arctic research.
Application packages should include:
· A current CV,
· A statement of interest to serve on the AICC that includes a summary of:
o Polar research field experience,
o Polar research publication record; and
o Expression of interest in the AICC's activities.
Interested applicants are invited to submit their applications to the UNOLS Office by e-mail (doug@unols.org) by 15 June 2026.
For further information about the AICC, please visit:
https://www.unols.org/
or contact the AICC Chair, Dr. Laurie Juranek (laurie.juranek@oregonstate.