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

航行新北极(NNA)是NSF的十大想法之一。NNA项目解决了快速变化的北极地区汇聚的科学挑战。北极研究需要为国家、更大区域和全球的经济、安全和韧性提供信息。NNA增强了从地方到国际的新的研究伙伴关系，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，并在适当的情况下整合共同创造知识。该奖项通过支持具有明显潜力的规划活动来实现这一目标的一部分，以开发新的、前沿的研究想法和方法来解决NNA的目标。它整合了自然环境、建筑环境和社会系统的各个方面，以应对这个十字路口的重要社会挑战，创造了重要的教育机会，并与当地社区接触。即使存在正式的阿拉斯加农村水利基础设施，也往往无法为阿拉斯加家庭和社区提供足够水平的服务。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，在北极运营水基础设施尤其困难。社区的小规模和偏远性质带来了不同寻常的后勤、财务和劳动力挑战，而极端和不断变化的气候使操作和维护系统所需的技术工作进一步复杂化。因此，该项目整合了北极社区面临的水服务挑战、数据需求和劳动力问题的知识，并制定了以适当战略应对这些挑战和需求的方法。需求评估的结果被用于教学模块，所产生的知识正被用于开发教育手机和平板电脑应用程序，可用作公共宣传中的工具。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营的不确定性，并通过这样做来确定迫切需要研究的新地方。通过半结构化访谈和焦点小组，这项规划拨款旨在前沿阿拉斯加社区成员和公用事业运营商的知识。该小组正在访问育空库什科维姆三角洲的三个社区，从拥有不同专业知识的个人那里收集知识，包括处理厂运营商和普通公众。正在利用紧急定性分析转录和分析数据，以客观地探讨通过当地需求评估发现的问题。此外，通过使用Delphi方法的团队开发和概念建模练习，这笔赠款正在创建所需的研究社区，以确定和解决北极水基础设施和使用这些基础设施的人面临的系统性问题。知识正通过专业组织、主播机构和公众外展活动返还给参与社区。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.