The Polar Data Catalogue: Sharing and Archiving Canada’s Polar Data
Julie Friddell
Manager, Canadian Cryospheric Information Network/Polar Data Catalogue, University of Waterloo
Sunday, September 21, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Looking for data on sea ice, polar wildlife or glaciers, or looking to make your data available to other researchers? Check out the Polar Data Catalogue (PDC), your online source for information from and about Canada’s north. It has freely downloadable datasets on many aspects of life in the north. The PDC also holds nearly 30,000 satellite images of northern Canada and Antarctica from RADARSAT. Join Julie Friddell, manager of the PDC, as she tours you through its growing collection. This is also your chance to let her know what data would be useful for you.
Latest News from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
Morten Olsen
Chair, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
Sunday, September 14, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Join the Chair of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Working Group, Morten Olsen, as he presents AMAP's latest results on diverse topics such as contaminants in the Arctic, climate change and acidification of the Arctic ocean. Since its establishment more than 20 years ago AMAP has coordinated international monitoring and assessment of Arctic environmental conditions, with a focus on global impacts on the Arctic. While in Whitehorse for Arctic Council Working Group meetings, Morten Olsen will draw on past experience and results, along with video footage, to present the latest news on the state of the Arctic environment.
Surviving the Third Millennium
Bob McDonald
Author and Host of CBC's Quirks & Quarks
Sunday, June 15, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse
Climate change, water supply, droughts on the prairies, floods on the coasts, energy shortage, growing population, clones, computer kids…the future can look scary sometimes. Can we engineer our way through another thousand years of civilization? This optimist says yes, and Canada is in a position to lead the way.
This lecture presented in partnership with Environment Yukon.
Life Before Snowball Earth: The Fossil Record of a Changing World
Phoebe Cohen
Assistant Professor of Geosciences, Williams College
Sunday, June 8, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
In summer of 2007, while collecting rock samples in northern Yukon, Phoebe Cohen discovered the fossil of a tiny shield-waving organism – not that she knew it until she was able to get treated samples under the microscope. These fossils, about one fifth the diameter of a human hair, are the oldest known examples of a live organism producing minerals for use in their cell structure. They are only one example of the dramatic evolution and spread of single-celled eukaryotic life during the early-to-middle Neoproterozoic Era, a time period capped by the first “Snowball Earth” glacial event. Join Phoebe as she places these critical biological changes in the context of changing environments in the world’s oceans, paying special attention to records gleaned from stratigraphy of the Yukon.
DNA Detectives
Jennifer Gardy
Senior Scientist, BC Centre for Disease Control
Sunday, April 13, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Since the mystery of DNA was unraveled by Watson and Crick over 60 years ago, scientists have been using the genetic alphabet inside of each of us to solve other mysteries, from crime scene whodunits to disaster relief to personalizing cancer treatment to tracking the latest infectious diseases. In this talk, genetics researcher and science communicator Dr. Jennifer Gardy will take a look at the alphabet inside each of us, and how everyone from physicians to detectives are using it to crack the case. View the video.
Understanding how ecosystems work: Comparing Serengeti with Yukon
Tony Sinclair
Professor of Ecology, Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
Sunday, March 30, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Monday, March 31, 2014, 7:30 pm St. Elias Convention Centre, Haines Junction
Populations exist for thousands of years, and the relative abundance of species remains constant. These observations suggest that our biological communities have ways to maintain themselves and prevent extinction not only of single species populations but of whole communities. Can we understand these ways that allow persistence? Does species diversity contribute to system stability? Observations of persistence have led to the idea that populations are limited by such things as lack of food, predation and disease. Join Tony Sinclair as he compares these mechanisms in Serengeti and northern ecosystems, such as Yukon and BC, to show how they are both similar and different.
Making Gold Green
Dr. Fraser Stoddart
Director of the Center for Chemistry of Integrated Systems, Northwestern University
Sunday, March 23, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Monday, March 24, 2014, 7:30 pm Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, Dawson
A chance discovery may have given the world a cheap and environmentally friendly process for mining and extracting gold. While searching for a three-dimensional extended cubic structure, a researcher in Fraser Stoddart's lab obtained a shiny pale-brown precipitate which just happens to be extremely good at separating out gold salt. The process is simple, selective, scalable and highly cost efficient. All it requires is for the gold-bearing materials to be dissolved in an aqueous solution of potassium bromide and hydrogen peroxide which is relatively safe and easy to handle – unlike the current cyanide leaching process used in 80% of today's gold production. Join Dr. Stoddart as he presents the results of this research.
A fuller, rounder mouthfeel without the "red wine headache"
Hennie JJ van Vuuren
Wine Research Centre, University of British Columbia
Sunday, March 16, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Most red wines and some white wines undergo malolactic fermentation during winemaking. It is a bacterial process in which tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. While it tends to create a mouthfeel that is fuller and rounder, malolactic bacteria can also produce undesirable compounds such as histamine that cause headaches. Wine yeasts also frequently produce ethyl carbamate, a known carcinogen, which is regulated in many countries. The Wine Research Centre at the University of British Columbia has managed to genetically enhance wine yeasts to greatly reduce ethyl carbamate levels in wine, and also prevent the production of headache-producing compounds - all without compromising flavour. Join Dr. van Vuuren as he outlines their work.
Forecasting in the Yukon: the democratization of weather and the changing role of the professional meteorologist
Mike Smith, Chief Meteorologist at Yukon Wildland Fire Management
PhD Candidate, Snow and Avalanches, University of Calgary
Sunday, February 16, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Monday, February 17, 2014, 7:30 pm St. Elias Community Centre, Haines Junction
The availability of weather and forecast products has expanded substantially in recent years. Even in the Yukon we can choose from dozens of sources to plan our next outdoor adventure, or simply to secure bragging rights. This democratization of information has forced professional forecasters to alter how they communicate forecast information. Come and learn what's involved in forecasting for the Yukon and how meteorologists are adapting to changing expectations.
The Germ Code – Building a Better Relationship with Germs
Jason Tetro, Microbiologist, Scientific Advisor, Author of The Germ Code
Sunday, January 26, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Since the dawn of the human race, germs have been our closest partners yet we have continually chosen to be at war with them. Although understandable considering they are the cause of the common cold, flu, cholera, smallpox, we need to rethink our relationship with germs. Join Jason Tetro as he reveals the enormous influence of germs upon humankind's past, present and future. Not every germ is our foe, and he will offer advice on harnessing the power of good germs to stay healthy and make our planet a better place. He suggests our inevitable connection with germs be based on appreciation, respect and commitment rather than conflict.
Math, Pattern, and M. C. Escher: The relationship between symmetry and beauty
Bryn Knight, BASc
Sunday, November 24, 2013, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
What do kale, the orbit of Mercury, and graphic artist M. C. Escher have in common? The answer lies in hyperbolic geometry. Developed in response to questions about parallelism and curvature, hyperbolic geometry describes surfaces as everyday as leafy greens, and spaces as complex as our solar system. The curvature of the hyperbolic plane, which is the two-dimensional manifestation of hyperbolic geometry, allows for infinitely many tiling patterns, and Escher drew inspiration from this rich array of symmetries for his Circle Limit works. Lecturer Jennifer Bryn Knight will discuss the history, implications, and artistic applications of hyperbolic geometry.
Arctic waters and biodiversity in a time of change
Arctic Council and Northern Representatives
Wednesday, October 23, 2013, 7:00 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Join Arctic experts as they present the latest scientific findings on freshwater and sea ice ecosystems and wildlife, and describe the effects on their communities. These findings come from "Life Linked to Ice," and "Arctic Biodiversity Assessment," the latest publications of the Arctic Council biodiversity working group, Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). A panel discussion will allow you to ask further questions about the challenges facing Arctic biodiversity and communities in light of the environmental changes to Arctic freshwater and sea ice ecosystems. It is a unique opportunity to meet, and learn from, members of the Arctic Council, the leading international forum for Arctic issues.
Communities tracking environmental change: The Local Environmental Observer Network
Mike Brubaker
Director, Center for Climate and Health
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Thursday, October 17, 2013, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Who is there to see the slumping permafrost and record when the ice goes out? In the north, systems for monitoring environmental change and the effects on landscapes, biota, infrastructure and community health, are limited. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium has worked with communities to develop a system that helps community members to collect information in a consistent way and then share it with others.
The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network uses Google Maps and social media to document time and location-specific events and encourage communication between communities, academic institutions and resource agencies. The system is currently available in over 100 communities in Alaska and Western Canada. The purpose of LEO is to increase understanding about climate and other drivers of change and to help develop appropriate adaptation strategies. To achieve this, LEO connects traditional knowledge, western science, and modern technology in to an effective regional surveillance system. Join Mike Brubaker as he explores what this network has been able to accomplish so far, and possibilities for the future.
Julie Friddell
Manager, Canadian Cryospheric Information Network/Polar Data Catalogue, University of Waterloo
Sunday, September 21, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Looking for data on sea ice, polar wildlife or glaciers, or looking to make your data available to other researchers? Check out the Polar Data Catalogue (PDC), your online source for information from and about Canada’s north. It has freely downloadable datasets on many aspects of life in the north. The PDC also holds nearly 30,000 satellite images of northern Canada and Antarctica from RADARSAT. Join Julie Friddell, manager of the PDC, as she tours you through its growing collection. This is also your chance to let her know what data would be useful for you.
Latest News from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
Morten Olsen
Chair, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
Sunday, September 14, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Join the Chair of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Working Group, Morten Olsen, as he presents AMAP's latest results on diverse topics such as contaminants in the Arctic, climate change and acidification of the Arctic ocean. Since its establishment more than 20 years ago AMAP has coordinated international monitoring and assessment of Arctic environmental conditions, with a focus on global impacts on the Arctic. While in Whitehorse for Arctic Council Working Group meetings, Morten Olsen will draw on past experience and results, along with video footage, to present the latest news on the state of the Arctic environment.
Surviving the Third Millennium
Bob McDonald
Author and Host of CBC's Quirks & Quarks
Sunday, June 15, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse
Climate change, water supply, droughts on the prairies, floods on the coasts, energy shortage, growing population, clones, computer kids…the future can look scary sometimes. Can we engineer our way through another thousand years of civilization? This optimist says yes, and Canada is in a position to lead the way.
This lecture presented in partnership with Environment Yukon.
Life Before Snowball Earth: The Fossil Record of a Changing World
Phoebe Cohen
Assistant Professor of Geosciences, Williams College
Sunday, June 8, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
In summer of 2007, while collecting rock samples in northern Yukon, Phoebe Cohen discovered the fossil of a tiny shield-waving organism – not that she knew it until she was able to get treated samples under the microscope. These fossils, about one fifth the diameter of a human hair, are the oldest known examples of a live organism producing minerals for use in their cell structure. They are only one example of the dramatic evolution and spread of single-celled eukaryotic life during the early-to-middle Neoproterozoic Era, a time period capped by the first “Snowball Earth” glacial event. Join Phoebe as she places these critical biological changes in the context of changing environments in the world’s oceans, paying special attention to records gleaned from stratigraphy of the Yukon.
DNA Detectives
Jennifer Gardy
Senior Scientist, BC Centre for Disease Control
Sunday, April 13, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Since the mystery of DNA was unraveled by Watson and Crick over 60 years ago, scientists have been using the genetic alphabet inside of each of us to solve other mysteries, from crime scene whodunits to disaster relief to personalizing cancer treatment to tracking the latest infectious diseases. In this talk, genetics researcher and science communicator Dr. Jennifer Gardy will take a look at the alphabet inside each of us, and how everyone from physicians to detectives are using it to crack the case. View the video.
Understanding how ecosystems work: Comparing Serengeti with Yukon
Tony Sinclair
Professor of Ecology, Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
Sunday, March 30, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Monday, March 31, 2014, 7:30 pm St. Elias Convention Centre, Haines Junction
Populations exist for thousands of years, and the relative abundance of species remains constant. These observations suggest that our biological communities have ways to maintain themselves and prevent extinction not only of single species populations but of whole communities. Can we understand these ways that allow persistence? Does species diversity contribute to system stability? Observations of persistence have led to the idea that populations are limited by such things as lack of food, predation and disease. Join Tony Sinclair as he compares these mechanisms in Serengeti and northern ecosystems, such as Yukon and BC, to show how they are both similar and different.
Making Gold Green
Dr. Fraser Stoddart
Director of the Center for Chemistry of Integrated Systems, Northwestern University
Sunday, March 23, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Monday, March 24, 2014, 7:30 pm Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, Dawson
A chance discovery may have given the world a cheap and environmentally friendly process for mining and extracting gold. While searching for a three-dimensional extended cubic structure, a researcher in Fraser Stoddart's lab obtained a shiny pale-brown precipitate which just happens to be extremely good at separating out gold salt. The process is simple, selective, scalable and highly cost efficient. All it requires is for the gold-bearing materials to be dissolved in an aqueous solution of potassium bromide and hydrogen peroxide which is relatively safe and easy to handle – unlike the current cyanide leaching process used in 80% of today's gold production. Join Dr. Stoddart as he presents the results of this research.
A fuller, rounder mouthfeel without the "red wine headache"
Hennie JJ van Vuuren
Wine Research Centre, University of British Columbia
Sunday, March 16, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Most red wines and some white wines undergo malolactic fermentation during winemaking. It is a bacterial process in which tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. While it tends to create a mouthfeel that is fuller and rounder, malolactic bacteria can also produce undesirable compounds such as histamine that cause headaches. Wine yeasts also frequently produce ethyl carbamate, a known carcinogen, which is regulated in many countries. The Wine Research Centre at the University of British Columbia has managed to genetically enhance wine yeasts to greatly reduce ethyl carbamate levels in wine, and also prevent the production of headache-producing compounds - all without compromising flavour. Join Dr. van Vuuren as he outlines their work.
Forecasting in the Yukon: the democratization of weather and the changing role of the professional meteorologist
Mike Smith, Chief Meteorologist at Yukon Wildland Fire Management
PhD Candidate, Snow and Avalanches, University of Calgary
Sunday, February 16, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Monday, February 17, 2014, 7:30 pm St. Elias Community Centre, Haines Junction
The availability of weather and forecast products has expanded substantially in recent years. Even in the Yukon we can choose from dozens of sources to plan our next outdoor adventure, or simply to secure bragging rights. This democratization of information has forced professional forecasters to alter how they communicate forecast information. Come and learn what's involved in forecasting for the Yukon and how meteorologists are adapting to changing expectations.
The Germ Code – Building a Better Relationship with Germs
Jason Tetro, Microbiologist, Scientific Advisor, Author of The Germ Code
Sunday, January 26, 2014, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Since the dawn of the human race, germs have been our closest partners yet we have continually chosen to be at war with them. Although understandable considering they are the cause of the common cold, flu, cholera, smallpox, we need to rethink our relationship with germs. Join Jason Tetro as he reveals the enormous influence of germs upon humankind's past, present and future. Not every germ is our foe, and he will offer advice on harnessing the power of good germs to stay healthy and make our planet a better place. He suggests our inevitable connection with germs be based on appreciation, respect and commitment rather than conflict.
Math, Pattern, and M. C. Escher: The relationship between symmetry and beauty
Bryn Knight, BASc
Sunday, November 24, 2013, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
What do kale, the orbit of Mercury, and graphic artist M. C. Escher have in common? The answer lies in hyperbolic geometry. Developed in response to questions about parallelism and curvature, hyperbolic geometry describes surfaces as everyday as leafy greens, and spaces as complex as our solar system. The curvature of the hyperbolic plane, which is the two-dimensional manifestation of hyperbolic geometry, allows for infinitely many tiling patterns, and Escher drew inspiration from this rich array of symmetries for his Circle Limit works. Lecturer Jennifer Bryn Knight will discuss the history, implications, and artistic applications of hyperbolic geometry.
Arctic waters and biodiversity in a time of change
Arctic Council and Northern Representatives
Wednesday, October 23, 2013, 7:00 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Join Arctic experts as they present the latest scientific findings on freshwater and sea ice ecosystems and wildlife, and describe the effects on their communities. These findings come from "Life Linked to Ice," and "Arctic Biodiversity Assessment," the latest publications of the Arctic Council biodiversity working group, Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). A panel discussion will allow you to ask further questions about the challenges facing Arctic biodiversity and communities in light of the environmental changes to Arctic freshwater and sea ice ecosystems. It is a unique opportunity to meet, and learn from, members of the Arctic Council, the leading international forum for Arctic issues.
Communities tracking environmental change: The Local Environmental Observer Network
Mike Brubaker
Director, Center for Climate and Health
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Thursday, October 17, 2013, 7:30 pm Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Who is there to see the slumping permafrost and record when the ice goes out? In the north, systems for monitoring environmental change and the effects on landscapes, biota, infrastructure and community health, are limited. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium has worked with communities to develop a system that helps community members to collect information in a consistent way and then share it with others.
The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network uses Google Maps and social media to document time and location-specific events and encourage communication between communities, academic institutions and resource agencies. The system is currently available in over 100 communities in Alaska and Western Canada. The purpose of LEO is to increase understanding about climate and other drivers of change and to help develop appropriate adaptation strategies. To achieve this, LEO connects traditional knowledge, western science, and modern technology in to an effective regional surveillance system. Join Mike Brubaker as he explores what this network has been able to accomplish so far, and possibilities for the future.