CONSERVATION & SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ARCTIC

NORTHERN NORWAY & SVALBARD

The Arctic Circle is one of the last untamed and untrammelled regions on Earth. Join us to experience the unique conditions that maintain the extreme habitats and specially adapted species of the polar north. Learn how the vulnerable and highly sensitive nature living on the outer edge of Earth’s habitable zone can teach us how disturbances or changes in weather, climate, habitat, or direct human intervention can have immediate and long-term impacts on the region. This is why many consider the Arctic to be a key indicator of the health of the planet and all of its inhabitants. Join Dr. Richard Vercoe and Dr. Samantha Dwinnell as we visit remote research stations and help conduct field research in marine, glacial, and terrestrial environments to learn more about polar conservation and sustainability issues that can help us understand global processes and local responses.

During the spring semester, online learners will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to explore how global processes are impacting arctic conditions and how arctic processes influence global conditions. You will study the behaviors and adaptations for life to persist and thrive in tundra, permafrost, and glacial environments. The semester course will also include topics on polar climates, global circulation patterns, and international practices and policies in the Arctic. 

The field course for the Arctic Circle program will take students from the northernmost extremes of continental Norway and out into the North Atlantic to circumnavigate the remote island of Svalbard to experience the polar region. The program will explore how scientific research is conducted in one of the harshest environments on Earth while actively learning about marine, terrestrial, and avian species. We will visit semi-permanent communities that support human populations of researchers, professionals, and tourists to study issues of sustainability where people live beyond the frontier of what the local environment can provide. Once you’ve been to the poles, you see the rest of the world very differently and have a better understanding of the global connections of life on Earth.

Instructors: Richard Vercoe & Samantha Dwinnell

REQUIREMENTS & ADMISSION 

Open to all UW students. Preference given to applicants enrolled in Haub School programs. 

Pre-requisites none

Admission program admission is dependent upon application and possible interview

APPLY

Travel Requirements passport valid for travel to Norway & Svalbard, additional requirements may apply

SCHOLARSHIPS & FUNDING

• Haub School Field & Global Scholarship (amounts vary)

• Cheney Study-Abroad Faculty-Directed Program Grants (amounts vary, 3.0 GPA needed) students participating in faculty-directed programs are only eligible for this Cheney Grant

• Other funding resources

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Participants should be prepared for sailing on small vessels in potentially rough seas as a primary form of transportation throughout the program, consistent exposure to cold temperatures, rain, high winds, and salt water. Additional requirements include: sleeping on board a sailboat in confined quarters, moderate hiking in remote and unmanaged areas. Participants should be prepared to carry a pack (20lbs+) and spend full days outdoors in changing weather conditions.

LEARN MORE 

Join us for an info session:

Arctic Circle Info Session

TBD Fall 2025

QUESTIONS?

Please contact Field & Global Program Coordinator 

Melanie Matthews - melanie.matthews@uwyo.edu