Arctic Uumaruq 1990 -- Arctic Alive is public domain material, for which the publisher would appreciate acknowledgment in citations or other use of material. Suitable citation could take the form:
[Author] 1992. [Title] [inclusive page #s]
In : Norton, D. W. (ed.) Arctic Uumaruq 1990 -- Arctic Alive. x + 49pp. North Slope Borough Board of Higher Education.

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION
In late 1989, Rex Okakok of the North Slope Borough Mayor's Office proposed a special event to be held in Barrow, to focus on arctic science and science education. Mayor George Ahmaogak Sr., and Barrow High School Vice Principal, J. Irene Murphy, became willing colleagues in fashioning a science conference to take place in March 1990. The title, "Arctic Uumaruq 1990-Arctic Alive" was adopted. Richard Glenn, a graduate student in Geophysics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and resident of Barrow, was enlisted as the third member of the Organizing Committee. Three thematic panels were designed to look critically at science education in 1) the school curricula, 2) as a public awareness issue, and 3) how science could attract more Iñupiat students. In the design of these topics, the thinking of Dr. Tom Albert, senior scientist with the North Slope Borough's Department of Wildlife Management played a prominent role, because he has repeatedly voiced concerns about the health of scientific research and science education in the Arctic. Rex, Irene, and Richard added another dimension to Arctic Uumaruq 1990 by requesting that some invitees perform scientific experiments and demonstrations for students attending the conference. My own pre-conference role was limited to maintaining communication with participants coming from long distances. A February storm crippled telephone service in and out of Barrow. Fortunately, access to the University of Alaska Computer Network (UACN) allowed information to flow despite the telephone malfunctions.

Arctic Uumaruq 1990 topics were timely, both in relation to President Bush's avowed commitment to boost science literacy at the national level, and to Alaska Governor Steve Cowper's addressing of parallel challenges within the State of Alaska.

As it turned out, Arctic Uumaruq 1990 combined scholarly elements of a science conference, the atmosphere of a career fair, and the intensity of a public hearing. Another singular feature of the event was that all sessions except the laboratory demonstrations were broadcast live by radio station KBRW to listeners across the North Slope.

This volume can not do full justice to the concern registered during conference sessions over the scientific, mathematical, and technological proficiency of North Slope students. This concern took many forms that did not lend themselves to being captured in a document. Participants learned of teachers in the School District who have made extraordinary efforts in science courses. Financial support for the conference was forthcoming from many public and private organizations (see Acknowledgments). The scientific community, at the levels of universities and national agencies, genuinely supported the goals addressed by the conference.

The communication skills of the Iñupiat people themselves-the most expressive, most affected core group at Arctic Uumaruq 1990 are also understated by a document like this one, in English. A number of oral presentations by Panelists, and by members of the audience addressing the Panels, were masterpieces of wisdom in lean prose. Leona Okakok, Roy Nageak, Emily Ipalook Wilson, Kenneth Toovak, Sr., and others inspired my attempts to capture at least some measure of their insightful thinking. Altogether, their comments document the importance the Iñupiat families attach to their children's education. The good will behind these unselfish statements made being at Arctic Uumaruq 1990 a privilege.

DAVID W. NORTON March 1990


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