About AAOKH

The Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub (AAOKH) was established to build capacity in sharing information from observations on cryosphere change made by northern Alaska communities.

A Knowledge Hub will be developed to provide tools and relevant observational data to communities in the context of a changing seasonal cycle.

The Knowledge Hub will:

display and serve data from AAOKH community observations
link to remote sensing data and information from collaborators studying subsistence species and oceanography
include resources for education and outreach

AAOKH activities are guided by community input and the Science Steering Group.

Participating communities in northern coastal Alaska include Kaktovik, Kotzebue, Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright, Utqiaġvik, and Wales.

Planning workshop and other project background

AAOKH is made possible through Community Service Payments made by a corporate defendant that was convicted of federal environmental and maritime crimes in 2014. Project duration is five years, 2015–2020.

AAOKH will support information exchange and environmental observations by Iñupiaq experts in coastal communities. In 2015, a planning workshop was hosted by the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at UAF as the first step in obtaining guidance from community leaders in Alaska’s coastal Arctic about the AAOKH focus. Concerns and ideas identified during the workshop will become the starting point for developing goals and objectives for the project.

2015 AAOKH Workshop Summary
2015 AAOKH Workshop Appendix — Agenda, participant list, and transcript
Brief flyer about the AAOKH project and the focus on the seasonal cycle

Coastal Observers wanted!

We are hiring observers for Kaktovik, Kotzebue, Point Lay, and Wales. Learn more