Field Notes
During, before, and after the field course, Polaris students and faculty share their thoughts through journal entries.
-
Healthy&Wealthy
Hi, all! While sitting in one of the buildings upstairs waiting for Chris to take an interview (I’m not sure about grammar here and further) from me, I’ve decided to blog a little. So, since we’ve arrived to Cherskiy almost a week passed.…
Continue reading -
We have (some) results!
Hello everyone. Over the last few days all of the students have selected and initiated our projects examining different aspects of the ecosystem around Cherskiy. Nickolay and I are working with Valentine and Sudeep to profile the soil in the Shuchi Lake watershed and examine how the soil’s composition affects
Continue reading -
Of labs, lakes, and permafrost
Hello everyone. The past few days have been really busy here at the Northeast Science Station. The past couple days have been spent moving into and preparing the new lab. The lab is absolutely gorgeous. When you walk into the door, there is a cozy round center room with a
Continue reading -
Bugs
Yesterday, Blaize, Max and Kayla sampled for macroinvertebrates at Shuchi or Pike Lake. Max got an immediate boot full of water as soon as we got down to the lake and was a little bit grumpy the rest of the time. …
Continue reading -
An Apple, an Orange, and a Dead Duck
Today was a good day. A day of feasting, you might say. A day of surprises for sure. After many fiber-free days the Gods have smiled upon us and sent an unexpected gift: apples and oranges. They must have heard Erin’s offer of $10 for an apple and mercifully granted
Continue reading -
From the new lab facilities
Yesterday we were given a tour of the new laboratory facilities here at the station (and I am in fact blogging from there right now). This is a significant event for the Zimov’s and for us and for the scientific community in general.…
Continue reading -
The Prowess of Siberian Mosquitoes
Once upon a time in Cherskii, Siberia, a group of ambitious ecology students attempted to better understand the remote and beautiful landscape they had the privilege to visit. Little did they know, there was a predator here long before they arrived.…
Continue reading -
a room and a tree
Last time I wrote, I was preparing to depart. Now, more than a week later, we’ve not only arrived at our destination, but have also spent two full days becoming acquainted with the station. Because others have written in the meantime, I shall focus on the latter—on the most recent
Continue reading -
Home Sweet Barge
After 5 days of traveling we’ve finally reached our home. We took a small propeller plane to Cherskiy, which was a new sort of traveling experience for us – we piled our luggage in the front and secured it with nets.…
Continue reading -
Just arrived
We’ve finally made it to the Northeast Science Station in Cherskiy. It’s 12:30 in the morning and the sun is still up. The landscape here is more amazing than I could have imagined. During the plane ride, I was able to look out my window onto a landscape unlike anything
Continue reading -
We made it! We made it! We mad…
We made it! We made it! We made it! The Polaris Project has finally arrived in Cherskiy and we’re on the barge! /kf #fb…
Continue reading -
Sarah are you there?
Yesterday, we attended the Siberian Children’s Art Exhibit in Yakutsk. We were lucky enough to see cultural dances performed be Yakutian children. They were adorable and eager to interact and pose for pictures. The artwork was amazing coming from art students as young as 8.…
Continue reading -
Goodbye Meat Donuts
Hello Moose (donuts?)! And we’re off to Cherskii. So far we’ve been exposed to quite a variety of food. Yesterday, in downtown Yakutsk, we solicited a delicious cafeteria that gave us a chance to try liver with mayo, spiced carrots with mushrooms, fried bread-pocketed meatballs, flaccid french-fries, chicken kabobs, raw
Continue reading -
Airport security and baggage check in Yakutsk! We are off to the NE Science Station
The funny part about traveling as large group is that we are one dominating force in the airport. Overall things are going quite smoothly and we made it through the double security points (one for the small airport and one before check in), have checked in for our flight and
Continue reading -
Yakutsk art museum
July 5th was a very unique and interesting day in Yakutsk. We attended the opening of a new exhibit at the Yakutsk Art Museum, an exhibit of the art of Siberian schoolchildren, mostly from Zhigansk, that Max Holmes and Kate Bulygina have put together.…
Continue reading