NNA Track 2: Collaborative Research: Water Infrastructure in the Arctic: Vulnerabilities at the Intersection of Social, Natural and Physical Systems

导航新北极（NNA）是美国国家科学基金会的十大构想之一。NNA项目解决快速变化的北极地区的融合科学挑战。北极研究需要为国家、更大地区和全球的经济、安全和复原力提供信息。NNA支持从地方到国际规模的新研究伙伴关系，使下一代北极研究人员多样化，加强正式和非正式教育的努力，并在适当情况下整合知识的共同生产。该奖项通过支持具有明确潜力的规划活动，以开发新颖，领先的研究理念和方法来实现NNA目标，从而实现了该目标的一部分。它整合了自然环境、建筑环境和社会系统的各个方面，以解决这个交叉点的重要社会挑战，建立重要的教育机会，并与当地社区互动。即使存在正规的阿拉斯加农村供水基础设施，也常常无法为阿拉斯加的家庭和社区提供足够的服务。由于工程系统与来自社会和自然系统的异常极端挑战之间的独特耦合，在北极运营水利基础设施尤其困难。社区的小而偏远的性质带来了不寻常的后勤、财务和劳动力挑战，而极端和不断变化的气候进一步复杂化了操作和维护系统所需的技术工作。因此，该项目整合了北极社区所面临的水服务挑战、数据需求和劳动力问题的知识，并制定了通过适当战略应对这些挑战和需求的方法。需求评估的结果将用于教学模块，所产生的知识将用于开发教育电话和平板电脑应用程序，该应用程序可作为公共宣传公用事业的工具。总的来说，该项目正在减少气候变化条件下北极水基础设施运行的不确定性，并在此过程中确定了迫切需要研究的新地方。通过半结构化访谈和焦点小组，该规划赠款旨在向阿拉斯加社区成员和公用事业运营商提供最前沿的知识。该小组正在访问育空-库斯库温三角洲的三个社区，从具有不同专业知识的个人那里收集知识，包括处理厂经营者和公众。正在使用紧急定性分析对数据进行转录和分析，以客观地探索通过当地需求评估发现的问题。此外，通过使用德尔菲方法和概念建模练习的团队发展，该资助正在创建研究社区，以识别和解决北极水基础设施及其使用者面临的系统性问题。通过专业组织、锚定机构和公众宣传，知识正在返回参与社区。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) is one of NSF's 10 Big Ideas. NNA projects address convergence scientific challenges in the rapidly changing Arctic. The Arctic research is needed to inform the economy, security and resilience of the Nation, the larger region and the globe. NNA empowers new research partnerships from local to international scales, diversifies the next generation of Arctic researchers, enhances efforts in formal and informal education, and integrates the co-production of knowledge where appropriate. This award fulfills part of that aim by supporting planning activities with clear potential to develop novel, leading edge research ideas and approaches to address NNA goals. It integrates aspects of the natural environment, built environment, and social systems to address important societal challenges at this intersection, builds significant educational opportunities, and engages with local communities.Even when it exists, formal water infrastructure in rural Alaska often fails to provide an adequate level of service to Alaskan households and communities. Operating water infrastructure in the Arctic is particularly difficult due to the unique coupling between the engineered systems and the unusually extreme challenges from social and natural systems. The small and remote nature of communities present unusual logistical, financial, and workforce challenges, while an extreme and changing climate further complicates the technical work needed to operate and maintain the systems. Accordingly, this project integrates knowledge of the water service challenges, data needs, and workforce issues experienced by Arctic communities and develop approaches to address these challenges and needs with appropriate strategies. Results from the needs assessment are used in teaching modules, and the knowledge generated is being used to develop an educational phone and tablet app that can be used as a tool available for utilities in public outreach. Broadly, this project is reducing uncertainty surrounding the operations of Arctic water infrastructure under conditions of climate change, and in doing so identifies new places where research is urgently needed.Enabled by semi-structured interviews and focus groups, this planning grant is designed to forefront Alaskan community member and utility operator knowledge. The team is visiting three communities in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta to gather knowledge from individuals with diverse expertise, including treatment plant operators and the general public. Data are being transcribed and analyzed using emergent qualitative analysis to objectively explore questions discovered through a local needs assessment. Further, through team development using the Delphi method and concept modeling exercises, this grant is creating the research community needed to identify and address systemic problems facing Arctic water infrastructure and the people who use them. Knowledge is being returned to participating communities through professional organizations, anchor institutions, and public outreach.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.