14 July 2012 The Northern Most Conference Room Ever!

While my teacher co workers back in Los Angeles are attending professional development (PD) in air conditioned rooms in nearly 80 degree Californian weather. I'm attending a PD myself, but not in just any ordinary room. I must honestly be in the most northern conference room in the USA! Today's Barrow Arctic Research Center (BARC) Talk was presented by John Lenters and Brittany Potter of the Circum-Arctic Lakes Observation Network (CALON).

I learned a lot from the talk today. For example, did you know that about one fourth of the world's lakes are in the Arctic? Did you also know that Arctic lakes release a gigantic amount of carbon dioxide and methane during the summer? And did you know that Arctic lakes absorb up to 35% more solar energy than the regular tundra?

CALON's is currently studying 57 lakes over the next 3 years. Their fieldwork right now includes retrieving winter instruments, preparing buoys, taking readings, and setting up radio connections. They'll be back in Barrow again this fall just in time for Polar Week, which is September 16-22, 2012.