Date

Announcing Two Important Arctic Events
23-26 May 2006
Washington, D.C.

Congressional Briefing on Recent Scientific Findings of Arctic
Environmental Change
Tuesday, 23 May 2006

Live Webcast of ARCUS 18th Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum 2006
"International Arctic Research at a Turning Point: Innovations and
Collaborations for the Future"
Thursday-Friday, 25-26 May 2006

For further information, please go to:
http://www.arcus.org/annual_meetings/2006/index.html


Two important arctic events will be taking place 23-26 May in
Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the ARCUS 18th Annual Meeting and
Arctic Forum 2006, which will gather scientists, educators, agency
personnel, policy makers, and other stakeholders to discuss
"International Arctic Research at a Turning Point: Innovations and
Collaborations for the Future."

Information about these events is available on the Arctic Forum website
at:
http://www.arcus.org/annual_meetings/2006/index.html

CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING ON RECENT SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS OF ARCTIC
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
A Congressional Briefing on Recent Scientific Findings of Arctic
Environmental Change is scheduled for Tuesday, 23 May 2006 from
2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing Room
(Room 419) in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. This
event is open to the public; registration is not required.

In light of recent widely publicized news coverage on arctic
environmental change and its consequences, this briefing by leading
arctic scientists will provide legislators with the science behind the
headlines. Scientists will present information on recent and significant
changes in temperature, sea ice, permafrost, tundra, and the freshwater
cycle. The scientific information presented in this briefing will
provide a basis for policy discussions on global climate change and
impacts, the environment, energy and natural resources, and research and
development.

The briefing will be moderated by Dr. Matthew Sturm, a Senior Research
Physical Scientist with the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and
Engineering Laboratory-Alaska, Engineer Research and Development Center,
who specializes in snow and climate, snow on land and sea ice, snow
ecology, and land surface changes. Speakers and their respective
expertise include:
1. Dr. Joshua P. Schimel, Chair and Professor of Environmental Studies,
University of California, Santa Barbara - soil ecology and climate
change, ecosystem dynamics, and terrestrial biogeochemistry;
2. Dr. Mark C. Serreze, Senior Research Scientist, National Snow and Ice
Data Center - arctic climate variability and change, weather prediction
in high latitudes, and arctic atmosphere-ocean-ice interactions; and
3. Dr. Charles J. Vörösmarty, Director, Complex Systems Research Center,
University of New Hampshire - biogeochemistry, ecological modeling,
remote sensing, and hydrology.


LIVE WEBCAST OF ARCUS ANNUAL MEETING AND ARCTIC FORUM
The ARCUS 18th Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum 2006 will be held in
Washington, D.C. on 25-26 May 2006 at the National Association of Home
Builders Conference Center located in downtown Washington, D.C.

The focus of this year's Arctic Forum is "International Arctic Research
at a Turning Point: Innovations and Collaborations for the Future." The
Forum will be co-chaired by Craig Tweedie of the University of Texas at
El Paso and Volker Rachold of the International Arctic Science Committee
(IASC).

The 2006 ARCUS Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum will be broadcast live
via webstream and will include an interactive message board for comments
and questions. Along with the video stream, there will be an audio-only
option for low-bandwidth users.

Agenda, registration, and webcast information is available at:
http://www.arcus.org/annual_meetings/2006/index.html