Stories & Events

Environmental change in the Arctic over recent decades is increasingly at the center of international interest. Local observations and place-based knowledge systems offer fine-grained, nuanced and holistic understanding of the Arctic system and how it is changing over time. By working together, Arctic residents and researchers can contribute to a deeper understanding of the Arctic and the social and environmental changes ongoing in the region. Read about ELOKA research, collaborations, and events.

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observers and team gather at Observer Meeting in November 2022

Weaving a web of knowledge: Supporting observers of the Arctic

ELOKA Spotlight

May 22, 2023

Working with Indigenous communities takes time, resources, and patience, but a shift is needed in science to include community voices and observations to widen and deepen our collective breadth of knowledge. The Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA), a NSIDC program, continues to collaborate with the Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub (AAOKH) to support an online community-led observational data hub.

ELOKA partner meeting

ELOKA Event

January 30, 2023

On December 6 and 7, 2022, ELOKA met with partners at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, Alaska, to make plans for partner involvement in ELOKA’s work through the end of the current National Science Foundation (NSF) award in early 2026.

Noor Johnson and Tash Haycock-Chavez explore Yellowknife under cotton candy sunset skies.

ELOKA team is growing

ELOKA Update

January 23, 2023

The ELOKA team is growing! In the fall of 2022, we added two new positions to our team: an outreach and network manager and postdoctoral researcher.

ELOKA intern, Benjamin Brown in Healy Alaska 2021

ELOKA opens doors: A profile of an intern

ELOKA Spotlight

October 17, 2022

Under the ELOKA program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), principal investigators Noor Johnson and Matthew Druckenmiller recognized the potential to train and build the capacity of students.

Vladimir Kolesov rests inside the Reindeer Brigade 4 camp

Visual histories added to Evenki Atlas

ELOKA Spotlight

October 13, 2022

In the summer of 2022, a sixth module with videos, the Evenki Visual Histories, was added to the existing Evenki Atlas—the first online cultural atlas of Indigenous Knowledge from Siberia, Russia.

AAOKH and ELOKA partner for ice trail mapping in Utqiaġvik, Alaska

ELOKA Spotlight

June 6, 2022

Between April 14 and 24, 2022, Matt Druckenmiller and Josh Jones from Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub (AAOKH), traveled to Utqiaġvik, Alaska, to map and survey ice conditions on trails used by local whaling crews.