UAF Sikuliaq Ship Committee

Sikuliaq is a national asset that supports global oceanographic research in deep basins and over continental shelves, including within the seasonal ice of the Arctic and the Antarctic. Sikuliaq occupies an important role not served by any other vessel in the nation’s Academic Research Fleet.

The Sikuliaq Ship Committee (SSC) ensures best practices and policies are adhered to for ship operations and in support of national and international seagoing research, education and outreach programs.

Sikuliaq Ship Committee Charge

  1. Provides advice to Sikuliaq operations regarding optimum use of the vessel in furthering marine research.
  2. Addresses user concerns. On at least an annual basis, the SSC will actively solicit, review and assess comments from scientific users to identify issues that warrant the operator's attention and to recommend adjustments to ship policy or procedures. The review will be conducted based on the Chief Scientists’ evaluations submitted to UNOLS and by committee members soliciting comments from the ship users. The review is intended to engage the science community to ensure that the technical and operational support provided by Sikuliaq is optimal.
  3. Monitors issues related to operation in the Arctic such as NSF Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic. The SSC will provide and advise Sikuliaq operators and the science community on effective means of outreach and will facilitate outreach opportunities.
  4. Encourages technology expansion and upgrades. The SSC will, on a continuing basis, maintain awareness of advances in technology that enhance the scientific sampling capabilities of the vessel. The SSC will also provide guidance on science systems of opportunity, which may be installed onboard the vessel but that are supported by groups other than Sikuliaq's Shipboard Science Systems Support Group. The SSC will provide guidance on, and prepare, the annual NSF Oceanographic Instrumentation and the Shipboard Scientific Support Equipment proposals. The SSC will solicit suggestions on science equipment from the user community.
  5. Reports on its activities at least annually. Reports shall be made available to the UNOLS membership and to the UNOLS Council at regularly scheduled Council meetings upon request and provided to the science community.

SSC Membership

The Sikuliaq Ship Committee is comprised of faculty members from within the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences who are active seagoing scientists with a broad range of experience or with an interest in Sikuliaq operations. Additional members may come from other researchers within UAF who have a similar interest in shipboard Arctic research. The CFOS Dean makes the appointments to the SSC.

Chair: Bradley Moran (Dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences)