Other Arctic Locations | Battelle ARO Gateway

The region known as Fennoscandia includes Finland, Sweden, and Norway — some of the most developed and populous of all the Circumarctic regions. Traveling among countries is eased by all three countries’ membership in the Schengen Area of Europe, which allows nations' borders to be crossed freely. However, currency in all three countries is different, as are permitting processes and languages. The Sami people are indigenous to this region with reindeer herding being central to their culture.

Svalbard is also part of this region, but it is unique in many ways. Norway has sovereignty over the area, but since the signing of the Svalbard Treaty in 1920, several countries have rights to fishing, hunting ,and mineral resources there. Longyearben is the settlement in the Archipelago with ~2,000 residents, Russia’s Barentsburg has ~500 residents, and several other small research stations/communities exist that include the Polish Hornsund Station and Ny-Ålesund, which is home to several national research stations.

Additionally, a small part of Iceland crosses the 66°N latitude with most of the mainland located a few degrees south of the Arctic Circle.

NSF funds work in all of these Arctic locations and the Battelle ARO team has experience and stable relationships with logistics providers in these regions.

Battelle ARO's support services may include:

Coordinating with and paying for services provided by international research support organizations or commercial vendors
Provision of field equipment (tents, satellite telephones, etc.) from NSF inventories
Logistics support (transportation, air support, cargo movement)
Field camp management and staffing assistance
Interaction and communication with government agencies for customs, permitting and other requirements
Sample export/import support
Guidance on local outreach and engagement

The Battelle ARO team can assist researchers in all areas of the Arctic with tailored logistics support plans based on researcher needs and the researcher’s ability for self-sufficiency. For more information on support available for International based projects, please reach out to our International Science PM or arctic.planning@battelle.org.

Photo by: Tom Quinn

Other Arctic Locations Process Steps

STEP ONE:
PROPOSAL AND PRE-AWARD

During this process, pIease work with ARO to develop a proposed logistics plan and review the Suggested Reading by NSF. PI should also investigate all costs, including permitting and outreach, that need to be included in their proposal submission. Additional information can be found on our Proposal Estimate Support page.

STEP TWO:
NEW FUNDED AWARDS

Battelle ARO securely saves your project record in our system. Records outline your science objectives, along with logistics plans for your fieldwork. If your proposal is recommended for award, the PI reviews the record and the project summary is provided to NSF.

STEP THREE:
PRE-FIELDWORK PLANNING

There are several steps in planning for a successful field season. Teams members should sign up for all applicable Field safety training, acquire all needed permits, review interaction plans and work with your assigned Project Manager to finalize all planning to safely and efficiently execute your fieldwork.

STEP FOUR:
EXECUTE FIELDWORK

Following the plan developed at the pre-fieldwork planning stage, PIs conduct fieldwork according to the planned scope and budget. Communicate any changes or deviations to your Project Manager and they will determine next steps.

STEP FIVE:
INCIDENT REPORTING AND LESSONS LEARN

Reporting incidents and near misses is integral to NSF's risk management program. Lessons learned are considered anonymously to make improvements in program safety. Report incidents to your Project Manager, via the Gateway, or by contacting NSF directly.