Student applications are open now for the Juneau Icefield Research Program 2020 field season. Application materials are due December 13 for priority consideration. Applications submitted after the due date will be considered on a rolling basis.
The Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) offers a summer field course for students interested in undergraduate-level Polar sciences with a focus on glaciology, climate processes, glacial geomorphology, periglacial ecology, and interactions between these systems. JIRP is also appropriate for graduate students with limited experience in these topics. Students learn through academic and research interactions with rotating faculty from around the world. Lectures and workshops focus on the primary topics listed above but also cover Alaskan geologic history, geomatics and remote sensing, geophysics, scientific literacy, and science communication. In addition, we capitalize on the expertise of our rotating faculty members to cover current questions in science.
The JIRP field safety curriculum teaches students how to live and work safely in alpine and polar environments. We train students on basic backcountry skills, including packing a backpack, hydration/nutrition, and wilderness medicine. During our two- to- three-week safety orientation, we progress to covering technical rope skills, backcountry travel on both crampons and on skis, group management, and route finding. While the first section of the summer is devoted to safety training, JIRP students use their skills every day of the season to further their scientific and academic objectives.
Throughout the summer, JIRP students shadow scientists conducting research on the Juneau Icefield. Small groups of students, supported by educational staff, embed with research teams for several days at a time to acquire hands-on training in the realities of modern fieldwork.
There are no specific prerequisites for JIRP. This is a fantastic opportunity for students interested in glacial science who do not have access to relevant coursework at their home institutions. Additionally, we cater safety training to students with no backcountry background.