Communications

Fire and Ice communicates with the public through a variety of complementary means, including DEW efforts, economic development partnerships, regular leadership and science meetings, academic publications and presentations, and stakeholder outreach. Through these venues, F&I disseminates information about project progress and findings both within F&I and between the project and five target audiences: K-12 students; communities in research areas; academics and science professionals; policymakers; and the public.

On an internal level, F&I communications includes a project listserv used to share announcements and opportunities (send us an email to sign up), as well as regular email updates from the F&I Principal Investigator. F&I participants also communicate via annual All-Hands Meetings that bring together leaders, researchers and students from across the project.

External communications efforts reach a broad and diverse audience through a mix of traditional and new media. Traditional methods include a biannual print newsletter and glossy midcourse and final reports, all sent to an updated mailing list of more than 600 researchers, administrators and policymakers (send us an email to sign up). F&I also sponsors at least one keynote speaker each year for a UA workshop; holds two “Science Pubs” a year in Fairbanks, Anchorage or Juneau, in which F&I scientists share their research in a relaxed setting; and partners to conduct annual science training workshops for tour guides, with the goal of increasing their ability to discuss scientific topics with some of Alaska’s two million annual visitors. These efforts are complemented by a robust online presence, including this website as well as a social media presence, incorporating Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Issuu, and other platforms. In addition to YouTube, at least 15 F&I videos will be shown on AlaskaOne/KUAC-TV public television in Fairbanks. F&I Communications Manager Tom Moran oversees the communications element.