ICARP IV Summit / Arctic Science Summit Week 2025

On behalf of the U.S. National Academies’ Polar Research Board and the Local Organising Committee, we invite you to Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2025 in beautiful Boulder, Colorado (USA) from 20–28 March 2025.

The theme of ASSW 2025 is “Arctic Research Planning for the Next Decade” as it will include the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) Summit, providing a unique opportunity for participants to contribute toward planning the next decade of Arctic research. 

The ICARP IV Summit will engage Arctic researchers, Indigenous Peoples, policymakers, and other interested parties from around the world, serving as a crucial milestone for shaping the Fifth International Polar Year in 2032–33.

ASSW 2025 will be hosted as a hybrid event at the University of Colorado Boulder, located in the scenic foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

The ASSWs have been organized annually since 1999 by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) to provide opportunities for coordination, cooperation and collaboration within Arctic research. It is our honor to host this next important annual convening in Boulder, Colorado to advance Arctic research, bring together science and Indigenous Knowledge, and discuss urgent matters concerning the Arctic and its place in the global system.

Preliminary ASSW 2025 Agenda:

• 20–24 March 2025:  Business and Community Meetings
• 25–28 March 2025:  ICARP IV Summit

Important Dates:

• 2 May – 30 September 2024: Call for ASSW 2025 Business & Community Meetings
• 2 May – 14 June 2024: Call for ICARP IV Summit Sessions
• 12 August – 30 September 2024: Call for ICARP IV Summit Abstracts
• November 2024: Registration opens and draft program released

For more information:

• Email questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Subscribe to the IASC newsletter
• Visit https://www.assw.info

Call for ASSW 2025 Business and Community Meetings

ASSW 2025 will dedicate five main days to IASC & Arctic business and science community meetings and workshops (20–24 March), but if necessary, workshops can also take place parallel to the ICARP IV Summit (25–28 March).

The entire Arctic community is encouraged to use ASSW 2025 as a venue for bringing together their organizations, collaborations, and teams. ASSW 2025 organizers will provide the logistical support and your meeting attendees only have to register for ASSW 2025 and show up. ASSW 2025 will be organized as a hybrid conference, offering opportunities for on-site only, hybrid, and online meeting formats.

The application deadline is 30 September 2024.  Please direct questions regarding the ASSW 2025 Business and Community Meetings to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY MEETING PROPOSAL HERE. 

Call for Sessions for the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) 

ASSW 2025 will include the summative event of the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) process, which is a multi-year effort that began in 2022 to engage the international community on critical topics and priorities for Arctic research in the next 10 years that cut across disciplines and knowledge systems, and that require new and innovative thinking and collaboration. 

The ICARP IV Summit will provide an opportunity to discuss and consult on the initial outcomes of the seven ICARP IV Research Priority Teams: 

1. The Role of the Arctic in the Global System
2. Observing, Reconstructing, and Predicting Future Climate Dynamics and Ecosystem Responses
3. Understanding the Vulnerability and Resilience of Arctic Environments and Societies and Supporting Sustainable Development
4. Arctic Research Cooperation and Diplomacy
5. Co-Production and Indigenous-led Methodologies
6. Preparing Present and Future generations through Education, Outreach, Communication, Capacity Building, and Networking
7. Technology, Infrastructure, Logistics, and Services

The Summit will also invite further sessions on important research questions and priorities for Arctic research that should be considered in the ICARP IV process. 

Following the ICARP IV Summit, the ICARP IV International Steering Committee during 2025-2026 will oversee the development of the final outcomes of the ICARP IV process along with a vision for implementation. 

ASSW 2025 organizers are now accepting session proposals for the ICARP IV Summit, which will take place during 25–28 March 2025, immediately following the ASSW 2025 business and community meetings (20–24 March 2025). 

Within the overall theme of “Arctic Research Planning for the Next Decade”, sessions are invited to address the following areas:

• Research topics that align with one or more of the seven existing ICARP IV Research Priority Team Areas.
• Research topics that are critical for Arctic research planning to consider, but are broader than or not included within any of the seven existing ICARP IV Research Priority Team Areas. For example, topics here may include emerging Arctic threats, new areas in social science, Arctic economies, etc.
• Matters that are important to Arctic research planning and implementation. For example, topics here may include science policy, research evaluation, research ethics, scenario planning, international funding and coordination mechanisms, etc.

Session application guidelines

Each session should be convened by a minimum of two and a maximum of three conveners. The involvement of early-career and/or Indigenous participants as session conveners is very strongly encouraged. 

The call for sessions is open through 14 June 2024. Please direct questions regarding the ICARP IV Call for sessions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SUBMIT YOUR SESSION PROPOSAL HERE. 

Session proposals will be reviewed by the ASSW 2025 Program Committee in July 2024. A call for presentation abstracts for the approved sessions will be open from 12 August to 30 September 2024. Abstracts will be evaluated by the session conveners with decisions to be communicated by 30 October 2024. The program will be finalized in November 2024.

ASSW 2025 – First Circular: Invitation to Boulder, Colorado (USA) for ASSW 2025 (PDF)