Leading from Within: NOAA's Arctic Research Program

Over the past five years, dynamic change in the NOAA's Arctic Research Program (ARP) has provided an opportunity to reflect on program successes, critical partnerships supporting Arctic observing networks, and explore opportunities for future investments and collaborations. NOAA's Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program provides long-term, high-quality, in situ global ocean observations and products critical for informing and enhancing Earth system models and forecasts on daily to decadal timescales. Within GOMO, ARP focuses on the Alaskan Arctic while engaging in pan-Arctic initiatives to understand the Arctic system as a whole. ARP has recently developed a strategic plan to guide the next five years of program investments, intending to improve foundational understanding of a changing Arctic, meaningfully connecting with communities, championing Indigenous-led research, and improving products and services to NOAA and beyond. Over the next 5-years, ARP will focus its efforts on:

Sustaining long-term Observations and developing new observational technologies.

Investing in critical Modeling needs.

Increasing the availability of Data.

Supporting relevant and accessible Products.

Expanding meaningful Engagement with Indigenous and coastal communities in Alaska.

Improving Partnerships across NOAA, between agencies, and internationally.

These areas will allow ARP to continue fulfilling a pivotal role across NOAA, the US Government, and the international Arctic research community while remaining flexible in responding to rapid changes within the Arctic.