On November 13th at the University of Ottawa, Jeremy I. Levitt, the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice at the University of Ottawa, will be leading a discussion entitled “Obama, Race and American Democracy”. Click on the poster below for further details!
Obama, Race and American Democracy – November 13, 2012 at the University of Ottawa
The Embassy of the United States is pleased to announce upcoming presentations on the War of 1812 by Pulitzer Prize winning historian Dr. Alan Taylor. Dr. Taylor will be in Canada in September as part of a speaking tour which will take him to Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto and Halifax. He is travelling to Canada under the auspices of the United States Embassy.
Presentation — The War of 1812 in Upper Canada and New York State; Carleton University Dunton Tower 2017; September 10, 2012, 4-6 p.m.
Presentation — Joel Stone’s Troubles: Loyalty and Disaffection in the War of 1812; RMOC Yeo Hall, 11 September 2012, 1430h
About ALAN TAYLOR
Born in Portland, Maine on June 17, 1955, Alan Taylor attended Colby College, graduating in 1977. After serving as a researcher for historic preservation in the United States Virgin Islands (1977-79), he pursued graduate study at Brandeis University, receiving his Ph.d in American History in 1986. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Early American History and Culture (Williamsburg, Virginia), he taught in the history department at Boston University from 1987 to 1994. Since 1994, he has been a professor at the University of California at Davis, where he teaches courses in early American history, the history of the American West, and the history of Canada.
He is also active in California State Social Science and History Project.
This project provides curriculum support for K-12 teachers in history and social studies. In 2002 he won the University of California at Davis Award for Teaching and Scholarly Achievement and the Phi Beta Kappa, Northern California Association, Teaching Excellence Award.
Taylor is the author of six books: Liberty Men and Great Proprietors: The Revolutionary Settlement on the Maine Frontier, 1760-1820 (1990); William Cooper’s Town: Power and Persuasion on the Frontier of the Early Republic, (1995); American Colonies (2001); Writing Early American History (2005); The Divided Ground: Indians, Settlers, and the Northern Borderland of the American Revolution (2006); and The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, & Indian Allies (2010).
William Cooper’s Town won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for American history – in addition to the Bancroft and Beveridge prizes. American Colonies won the 2001 Gold Medal for Non-Fiction from the Commonwealth Club of California.
The Divided Ground won the 2007 Society for Historians of the Early Republic book prize and the 2004-7 Society of the Cincinnati triennial book prize. The Civil War of 1812 examines the political rupture of North America wrought by conflict between the American republic and the British Empire.
He is also a contributing editor for The New Republic and reviews books for that journal.”
The U.S. Embassy is proud to sponsor Michigan State University professor Michael Stamm as a guest lecturer at Carleton University on March 9, 2012.
Stamm is currently writing a book tentatively titled The Metropolitan Newspaper in a Global Economy, which connects two histories of the past century: the evolution of the American metropolitan newspaper as an industrial commodity and the creation of the free trade policies undergirding the modern global economy. His book, Sound Business: Newspapers, Radio, and the Politics of New Media, was published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in spring 2011.
The U.S. Embassy was also pleased to present Dr. John Lee at Carleton University. The lecture was held February 28, 2012 and the topics were “Greek and Persian Wars: Ancient History and Modern American Culture” and “Ancient Borderlands? Ionia/Yauna, CA 550-334 BCE.”
Using the theory developed for the study of US colonial and frontier history, Dr. Lee presented a comparative analysis of the ‘borderlands’ phenomenon, applying the conclusions of several recent works on US history to his own research into frontier and borderlands relationships in the ancient world.
Dr. Lee is Associate Professor of History and Director of the Ancient Mediterranean Studies program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Lee is at work on a new book, tentatively titled How the East Was Lost: The Ionian Revolt, 499-494 BC.
Each year since 1973, the American Political Science Association (APSA) Congressional Fellows and the Parliamentary Interns of the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA) have hosted each other in our respective capitals for weeklong comprehensive study tours. This allows both groups, who work for one year for elected officials in Washington and Ottawa respectively, to compare the way things are done on Capitol Hill with the way they work on Parliament Hill.
The Parliamentary Interns with Representative Lipinski (Democratic - Illinois), a former Congressional Fellow, in Washington D.C.
In early April, I was one of the ten Canadian Interns, sponsored by the US Department of State, who traveled to Washington D.C. Thanks to our wonderful American counterparts, we had excellent meetings with Congressional staffers, think tanks, academics, lobbyists, party organizers, Canadian diplomats and a Congressperson. We also took in many iconic sites including the White House, the Mall, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the blossoming Cherry trees!
This past week offered the Canadians’ a chance to reciprocate. We showed off our institutions with tours to Rideau Hall, Parliament and the Supreme Court for the Congressional Fellows. During their tour of Rideau Hall, the Governor General slipped right past – dressed in casual jeans with his dog at his side. What a surprise for the Fellows to learn the true identity of this unassuming Canadian!
With a packed schedule of meetings, the Fellows hardly had time to notice the rainy weather in Ottawa. From senior public servants to Members of Parliament, journalists to Parliamentary Clerks and analysts, the Fellows delved into some of the major themes in Canadian politics: bilingualism, federalism, aboriginal affairs, healthcare, defense and, of course, Canada-US relations! The Fellows spent part of an afternoon with senior diplomatic staff at the US Embassy in Ottawa, including former Congressional Fellow Marja Verloop, who is now responsible for the environment and energy file at the Embassy.
Parliamentary Internship alumnus and current intern in conversation with Congressional Fellows at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa.
The exchange helps make Canada-US relations personal for everyone involved. We met for dinner often and enjoyed a small reception, with PIP alumni, at the US Embassy. While briefings are very important, a successful exchange must also facilitate opportunities to build personal relationships across the border. Despite our short time together, we were able to build some strong friendships in the tradition of Canada-US diplomacy. I hope our paths will cross again!
This longstanding exchange is funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Embassy to Canada in Ottawa. The participation of the Congressional Fellows is also supported each year by an alumnus of the program: Mr. Stephen Wasby (APSA Fellow 1965-66).
As a Parliamentary Intern, who found herself without a Parliament to work in during the federal election, Jane Hilderman was welcomed into the Public Affairs section of the US Embassy as an intern for the duration her programme.
Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was recently published in the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars‘ Canada Institute publication, One Issue Two Voices. In the article, Privacy and Information Sharing: The Search for an Intelligent Border, Callahan and Wesley Wark of the University of Toronto’s Munk Institute explore the complex issue of protecting citizens’ personal information while simultaneously protecting a nation through its security measures. They do this both from an American and a Canadian perspective.
The Privacy Office’s mission is to protect privacy, particularly an individual’s personal information and dignity. This can prove to be a difficult and sometimes controversial topic, as illustrated by the recent media coverage of Thanksgiving’s full-body scanner protesters.
Photo credit: canada.com
If privacy and/or security are your area of expertise, or if you’re interested in learning more, there is a possibility that we will be holding a digital video conference (DVC) with Mary Ellen Callahan in the near future. Please contact us if you are interested in attending. Please make sure to include your name, title and organization, contact information, and if possible, a brief bio.
To mark International Education Week in Ottawa, we set up two current Fulbrighters, one from the U.S. and one from Canada, with a spot on the University of Ottawa radio station’s Ivory Antenna.
ON AIR: David Walsh and Stefanie Bowles
David Walsh, from Arizona State University, is currently at the University of Ottawa on his Fulbright exchange. There, he is associated with the religious studies department and will split his exchange between Ottawa and Yellowknife were he will be working with the Dogrib Dene people. In NWT, climate change scientists are mandated to collaborate with Native elders and hunters in their studies. David’s project is to examine their conversations across worldviews and their attempts to bridge scientific and traditional/religious understandings of nature.
In the interview, David talked about his experiences so far as a visiting American scholar to Canada. He plans to try curling while he’s here, and he’s very excited to experience the Arctic. When the hosts of The Ivory Tower asked what winter clothing he was planning to bring up North, he admitted he hadn’t put too much thought into it yet. (… Here’s a term you’ll want to consider, David: Gore Tex!)
Stefanie, a Senior Policy Researcher with the Government of Canada’s Policy Research Initiative, recently returned from a Fulbright scholarship in Washington, D.C. where she conducted research on North American regional engagement in the UN Marrakech process on Sustainable Consumption and Production, based out of the Worldwatch Institute and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Stefanie discussed the benefits of doing a Fulbright exchange as a professional, how to apply, who is elegible, and how the experience can benefit not only students and scholars, but professionals like herself.
We would like to thank David and Stefanie for sharing their stories, as well as Sarah and Katie of CHUO ‘s Ivory Antenna!
For more information on applying to Fulbright, visit www.fulbright.ca!
As Ontario voters lift campaign signs out of their front lawns, Americans continue to weigh their options as the November 2nd midterm elections approach. It’s been all over the U.S. networks, and word is it’ll be a game changer.
Want to understand the American electoral system so you can follow the action? Check out U.S.A. Elections in Brief to learn more!
Along with our colleagues at the consulates, we’ve been busy programming digital videoconferences (we call them DVCs) with expert American speakers, including one last week with Professor James Campbell from SUNY Buffalo. Next week we’re hosting an audience for a midterm results DVC with the Hudson Institute’s Chris Sands. What could the midterm election results mean for Canada? We’ll find out!
Project Overview: The Ontario HIV Treatment Network’s award funded the participation of U.S. experts in the North American Housing and HIV/AIDS Research Summit held June 2-4, 2010 in Toronto. More than 250 community members, academic researchers and policy makers from Canada and the United States shared new research, brainstormed new ideas, and formed new partnerships as they focused on the connection between housing and health concerns for people with HIV/AIDS.
Project Overview: The award to the “Rolling Darkness Review” (RDR), a multi-media experience incorporating live music and ghost story readings, will provide a remarkable Canadian-American exchange, exposing Canadian audiences to some of America’s finer horror writing talents, providing a forum for questions and answers and academic exchanges, and granting spectators an opportunity to discover new American authors, ideas and books. Following the Writers Festival, the program will also venture to northern Ontario for additional performances.
Project Overview: The “Cross-Border Pollination” project is a community and cross-cultural exchange program between Canadian and American writers and readers. Not only will the authors collaborate with one another in a dynamic evening of shared readings, they will also offer up a literary feast to audiences in bookstores and libraries in Vancouver to people whose only common interest is love of the written word.
Project Overview: The Calgary International Film Festival‘s objective is sharing with Canadians the new cinematic talent emerging from the U.S. as well as creating greater mutual understanding between the two nations. This year’s festival will screen fifteen feature films created by American independent artists in attendance for the screening, participating in a question and answer period afterwards. The American filmmakers will also have an opportunity to connect with others in the Canadian film industry.
Project Overview: The Alberta Institute for American Studies Speakers’ Series brings knowledgeable individuals from the United States to give public lectures at the University of Alberta. The Institute will expand its Speakers’ Series and introduce a new Video-Seminar Series at the University. The new video-seminar series will link University of Alberta departments with institutions in the United States. These seminars will address significant topics in American Studies.
Project Overview: The Centre has planned a one-day workshop that will bring together key policymakers from relevant government departments in Canada, policy experts and government official from the United States and Canada, representatives of international donor agencies working in the Caribbean, private sector and civil society representatives, and others who can bring practical experience to the discussion of Canadian-United States economic development cooperation in the Caribbean and make policy recommendations. The workshop will highlight a case study completed by graduate students and their faculty advisors entitled “U.S. – Canada Cooperation on Mainstreaming SME Finance in the Caribbean,” also a component of the project.
Project Overview: The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada will host a two-and-a-half day conference on the Canada-U.S. relationship. The conference will bring together historians, former and current politicians, policy-makers, journalists, interested stakeholders and academics to address a broad range of issues affecting the two countries, such as, history, policy-making, the current state of the Canada-U.S. relationship, security and trade issues, and the fundamental differences in how the media portrays issues (health care, climate change, security, etc) in Canada and the U.S.
Project Overview: The organizers of the 28th Carrousel International Film Festival for Children and Youth in Rimouski, Quebec have aimed at their project at expanding the American studies participation in community projects and activities that provide participants with new/expanded educational and cultural opportunities in Canada. The award will assist in bringing American film directors to the Festival who will share their expertise and their film in public screening and lecture as well as in classroom settings.
Project Overview: The American Society for Ethnohistory is holding its 2010 Annual Meeting in Ottawa in October. Hundreds of scholars from across the Americas will focus on indigenous societies and their relations with expanding colonial and modern state structure of Canada, America and Latin America. The conference will address the relationship between Native societies and expanding state structure in the Americas. The meeting will be a forum to encourage discussions and reflection on alternative models of indigenous nation building, displacement and violence in the interior, and the vast process of native inclusion and exclusion in the construction of modern states.
Project Overview: The Vancouver International Dance Company’s project is a partnership between Canadian and American dance organizations as well as one that highlights the dance performance of the Khambatta Dance Company from Seattle, Washington. The project engages American Studies cultural practitioners in genuine collaborations with community organizers and the constituents they serve.
Project Overview: Winnipeg Cinematheque Theatre is sponsoring a four-day documentary forum “Gimme Some Truth” that is a combination seminar, screening program, and craft workshop series that will provide the local film-making community and audiences the opportunity to learn about the documentary film practice and creative, technical, distribution, and ethical issues related to the practice and production of these works. The forum includes master classes and technical workshops in a program aimed at a post secondary audience.
Study of the United States Institutes are intensive post-graduate level academic programs with integrated study tours whose purpose is to provide foreign university faculty and other scholars the opportunity to deepen their understanding of American society, culture, and institutions. The ultimate goal is to strengthen curricula and to improve the quality of teaching about the United States in academic institutions abroad.
The institutes will take place at various colleges and universities throughout the United States over the course of six weeks beginning in June 2011. Applicants are encouraged to visit our website to obtain general information about the FY10 Institutes, http://exchanges.state.gov/academicexchanges/scholars.html
A. The Institute on American Politics and Political Thought will provide a multinational group of 18 foreign university faculty with a deeper understanding of U.S. political institutions and major currents in American political thought. The institute will provide the participants insight into how intellectual and political movements have influenced modern American political institutions. The institute will provide an overview of political thought during the founding period (constitutional foundations), and the development and current functioning of the American presidency, Congress and the federal judiciary. The examination of political institutions will include the electoral system, political parties and interest groups, the civil service system, media and think tanks, and the welfare/regulatory state. The institute will address modern political and cultural issues in the United States (including but not limited to civil rights, women’s rights, immigration, etc.) and the significance of public discourse in the formulation of public policy.
B. The Institute on Contemporary American Literature will provide a multinational group of up to 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and
present, through an examination of contemporary American literature. Its purpose is twofold: to explore contemporary American writers and writing in a variety of genres; and to suggest how the themes explored in those works reflect larger currents within contemporary American society and culture. The program will explore the diversity of the American literary landscape, examining how major contemporary writers, schools and movements reflect the traditions of the American literary canon. At the same time, the program will expose participants to writers who represent a departure from that tradition, and who are establishing new directions for American literature.
C. The Institute on Journalism and Media will provide a multinational group of 18 journalism faculty and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of the role of journalism and the media in U.S. society. It will examine major topics in journalism, including the concept of a free press, First Amendment rights, and the media’s relationship to the public interest. The legal and ethical questions inherent in journalistic endeavors will be incorporated into every aspect of the institute. The institute will cover strategies for teaching students of journalism the basics of the tradecraft: researching, reporting, writing, and editing. The program will also highlight technology’s impact on journalism, addressing the influence of the internet, the globalization of the news media, the growth of satellite television and radio networks, and other advances in media that are transforming the profession.
D. The Institute on Religious Pluralism in the United States will provide a multinational group of up to 18 foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an examination of religious pluralism in the United States and its intersection with American democracy. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on fields such as history, political science, sociology, anthropology, law and others where appropriate, the program will explore both the historical and contemporary relationship between church and state in the United States. Participants will examine the following aspects of religious pluralism in the United States: the ways in which religious thought and practice have influenced, and been influenced by, the development of American-style democracy; the intersections of religion and politics in the United States in such areas as elections, public policy, and foreign policy; and the sociology and demography of religion in the United States today, including a survey of the diversity of contemporary religious beliefs and its impact on American politics.
E. The Institute on U.S. Culture and Society will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly-motivated foreign university faculty and other specialists with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The Institute will examine the ethnic, racial, economic, political, and religious contexts in which various cultures have manifested themselves in U.S. society, and the ways in which these cultures have influenced both social movements and historical epochs throughout U.S. history. The program will draw from a diverse disciplinary base, and will itself provide a model of how a foreign university might approach the study of U.S. culture and society.
F. The Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy will provide a multinational group of 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper understanding of how U.S. foreign policy is formulated and implemented with an emphasis on the post Cold War period. This institute will begin with a review of the historical development of U.S. foreign policy and cover significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have dominated U.S. foreign policy. In addition, the institute will explain the role of key players in the field of foreign policy, including the executive and legislative branches, the media, public opinion, think-tanks, non-governmental and international organizations and how these players debate, cooperate, influence policy, and are held accountable.
A. Program Funding: All participant costs, including: international travel, program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, housing and subsistence, mailing, and incidental allowances will be covered.
B. Housing and Meal Arrangements: Typically, participants will have a private room with a shared bathroom during the residency portion (four weeks) of the institute, and may share a hotel room with another participant of the same gender during the study tour (up to two weeks). Housing will typically be in college or university owned housing. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. Full details will be provided once the grants have been approved.
C. Health Benefits: All participants will receive the Department of State’s coverage of $50,000 with a $25 deductible for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.
D. Program Requirements and Restrictions: Participants are expected to participate fully in the program. They are expected to attend all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned readings. Family members and/or friends cannot accompany participants on any part of the program. Please note that teaching methodology and pedagogical methods will not be addressed formally in the institute. The institute is intensive and there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program. The institute should not be viewed as a research program.
A. Candidates should be mid-career, typically between the ages of 30-50, highly-motivated and experienced professionals from institutions of higher education. While the educational level of participants will likely vary, most should have graduate degrees and have substantial knowledge of the thematic area of the Institute.
B. The ideal candidate will also be an experienced professional with little or no prior experience in the United States, whose home institution is seeking to introduce aspects of U.S. studies into its curricula, to develop new courses in the subject of the institute, to enhance and update existing courses on the United States, or to offer specialized seminars/workshops for professionals in U.S. studies areas related to the program theme. In this respect, while the nominee’s scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration, an equally important factor is how participation in the institute will enhance course offerings in U.S. studies at the nominee’s home institution.
C. Candidates should be willing and able to fully take part in an intensive post-graduate level academic program and study tour.
A. Candidate Statement: In order to get a better sense of potential participants’ motivations and goals, each candidate is requested to provide a short personal statement (one page) indicating why he or she is interested in participating in the program and what he or she expects to get out of the experience. See paragraph 7, T below for more details.
B. English Language Ability: It is imperative that all candidates demonstrate English language fluency. Institutes are rigorous and demanding programs; participants will be expected to handle substantial
reading assignments in English and to be full and active participants in all seminar and panel discussions. English fluency is vital to a successful experience in the Institute, both for your participant and participants from other countries.
C. Priority Consideration: Priority will be given to candidates who have firm plans to enhance, update or develop courses and/or educational materials with a U.S. studies focus or component, who have limited experience in the United States, and who have special interest in the program subject areas as demonstrated through past scholarship, accomplishments, and professional duties
Applications for consideration must be received by the U.S. Embassy no later than Friday, November 19, 2010. All nominations must follow the format below. It is essential that all items are completely accurate.
A. Title of Institute
B. Nominee’s Full Name: Nominee’s names should match his/her passport and should be presented in the following order: Prefix (Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss), Last Name(s), First Name, Middle Name.
C. Gender
D. Date of Birth (please spell out Month, Day, Year)
E. Birth City
F. Birth Country
G. Country(ies) of Citizenship: Primary and, if applicable, secondary country
H. Country of Residence
I. Medical, Physical, Dietary or other Personal Considerations: Please describe any pre-existing medical conditions, including any prescription medication the candidate maybe taking, or any other dietary or personal considerations. This will not affect candidate selection, but will enable the host institution to make any necessary accommodations.
J. Candidate Contact Information: Home Address, City, Home State/Province, Home Country, E-mail, and Telephone.
K. Current Position Type, Title, Institutional Name, and Country.
For “Position Type,” please select one from among the following: 1) Senior Executive, President, Government Minister, etc.; 2) Junior Executive, Vice President, Dean, Government Advisor, etc.; 3) Professor, Editor, Officer, Director, etc.; 4) Associate Professor, Senior Researcher, Senior Staff, etc.; 5) Assistant Professor, Assistant Editor, Coordinator, Staff; 6) Lecturer, Teacher, Consultant; 7) Teaching Assistant, Instructor; or, 8.) Other.
L. Work Experience, including previous positions and titles, and the approximate dates of employment.
M. Education, and Academic and Professional Training, including degree earned and fields of specialization. Degrees listed should reflect the closest U.S. equivalent.
N. Active Professional Memberships. Please select from among the following position types to describe the level of the candidate’s involvement with the organizations listed; 1) President, Board Chairperson, Director; 2) Board Member; 3) Editorial Staff, Officer; 4) Contributing Member; 5) Member.
O. Publications: Publications should include the publication year, type of publication, title, and publisher. All foreign titles should be translated into English. (Maximum 10 publications.)
To identify the publication type, please choose from among the following options: 1) Book; 2) Edited volume (as primary or co-editor); 3) Book chapter; 4) Journal article; 5) Newspaper/ online article; or, 6) Conference/University/ Government working paper.
P. Previous Experience in the United States: Please list all trips the candidate has made to the United States and include approximate dates and the reason for travel.
Q. Family Residing in the United States: Please list any immediate family members who currently are residing in the United States, including city and state.
R. Evidence of English Fluency (e.g. personal interview, test score, etc.)
S. Professional Responsibilities:
Current Courses Taught- Should include the course title, level of student (Ph.D., M.A., Undergraduate, High School), number of hours per semester, number of students, and the estimated percent of U.S. studies content.
Current Student Advising- Should include the number of students advised who are studying U.S. related topics, level of students (Ph.D., M.A., Undergraduate, High School), and the number of advising hours.
Other Potential Outcomes- Please select all of the likely potential outcomes that might result from the candidate’s participation in this institute: 1) Update Existing Course; 2) Create New Course; 3) Create New Degree Program; 4) University Curriculum Redesign; 5) National Curriculum Redesign; 6) New Research Project; 7) New Publication; 8.) Professional Promotion; 9) Government or Ministry Policy; 10) New Professional Organization; 11) New Institutional Linkages; 12) Raise Institutional Profile.
T. Personal Essays to be written by nominees, limit 4,500 characters each. 1) Please discuss your professional responsibilities in greater detail, including how attending this Institute would help you achieve the “Other Potential Outcomes” you have checked above; AND 2) Please discuss how your participation would enhance this Institute, based either upon your personal and professional experience or upon the current state of U.S. studies in your home country.
Applications should be submitted via e-mail to meriwetherc@state.gov by Friday, November 19, 2010.
For the third consecutive year, the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, chaired by the Department of State, will conduct a joint Arctic mission with the Government of Canada this summer to collect scientific data pertaining to the extended continental shelf and Arctic seafloor. As in the past two years, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent will participate in the mission. The joint operations will be conducted from August 7 to September 3.
Click on the image to go to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy Blog
The 2010 continental shelf survey mission will cover regions over the Canada Basin, the Beaufort Shelf, and the Alpha Mendeleev Ridge. This joint collaboration saves millions of dollars for both countries by managing expensive Arctic field operations to maximize data collection while increasing scientific and diplomatic cooperation. The mission will help delineate the outer limits of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean for the U.S. and Canada, and will also include the collection of data in the disputed area where the U.S. and Canada have not agreed to a maritime boundary. Coastal States have sovereign rights over the natural resources of their continental shelves; both the U.S. and Canada will be collecting scientific information to satisfy the criteria for delineating the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles as set forth in the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Image credit: USGS and continentalshelf.gov
Both the USCG Cutter Healy and Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent alternately will break ice for the following ship during the mission. The Healy will map the shape of the seafloor using a multibeam echo sounder while the Louis S. St-Laurent will collect multi-channel seismic reflection and refraction data aimed at determining sediment thickness.
The past two years of cooperation between the U.S. and Canada have proved to be very successful, and the United States looks forward to continuing this effort with Canada as we explore the unknowns of this unique underwater landscape. The two countries plan to continue their Arctic cooperation in 2011.
Additional information on the joint U.S.-Canadian Extended Continental Shelf cruise is available at:
continentalshelf.gov and international.gc.ca/continental
Evan Bloom, Director of the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs in the Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., was at the Embassy last week leading a digital video conference on Arctic Policy issues. Among the audience were academics, representatives from the Yukon government, and reps from the Yukon Council of First Nations. Discussion and Q&A following Mr. Bloom’s presentation focused around Arctic Council reform, climate change, research initiatives, and government priority on environmental affairs.
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