18 April 2012 Last Day in the Field

We had another great day of shoveling snow and clearing out the warming side of the fences. We have not completed all of Site A and all of Site B, and we are halfway through Site C. So there is enough left for tomorrow to still keep everyone busy. Jamie and Brian have left and we are settling in for the evening. I will spend tonight organizing my things and getting ready for the trip to Montreal and the International Polar YearThe International Polar Year (IPY) is a two year (2007-2009) program of international research and education focused on the Arctic and Antarctic. Click here for more information about IPY. Conference. I am very sad to be leaving Healy and the study site, for maybe the last time with the snow, but I am looking very forward to being in Montreal and meeting all of the teachers and scientists from around the world.

Even though this is my last journal from Healy, I will miss the journal tomorrow due to the length of traveling time that is involved in getting to Montreal, I will post more journals from the conference and try to share the experience as much as I can. I would also like to remind everyone that in July, I will be back in Healy working at the site during summer operations, and I will be participating in a class for four days in Denali National Park. The class will cover topics related to Climate ChangeA statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or the mean variability of the climate that persists for an extended period (typically 10 years or more). Climate change may result from such factors as changes in solar activity, long-period changes in the Earth's orbital elements, natural internal processes of the climate system, or anthropogenic forcing (for example, increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases). in this area. I will post journals during that time when possible.

For right now I would like to say thank you to everyone who participated in this expedition. PolarTREC and all of the support folks have been wonderful as usual. Dr. Natali has been very generous and patient with me as always and has taught me so much about science and climate change and just being a good scientist. I want to also thank her for coming to Talbert and working with the students. The same goes for Elizabeth for all of her friendship and time. Thanks to my fellow teachers and staff at Talbert and especially to the students who have taken the time to post questions and comments and really use this opportunity to be involved with real science. And last by not least, to my family who have given me their full support. I love them and miss them!

For everyone else who have been following this expedition, thank you for your interest and any questions and comments you have posted. I always look forward to making connections with other schools looking to get their students involved with science. I will post more from Montreal!